Great Central Railway General Matters

It's obviously the day for GCR YT postings....

 

An interesting statement about reunification as previously they had talked about hopefully work starting by the end of this year, now it is getting plans approved next year, so a significant slippage of timescale it would seem?

 

Yes, the delay took me by surprise. It would imply that detailed plans don't actually exist yet.

 

I took that as meaning the section between the Canal Bridge and the end of the current "Factory Flyover" appeal section rather than the whole lot to the Midland main line bridge. Surely the planning applications for the "Factory Flyover" appeal section would already be in place by this stage, given it's been running for over 18 months now? They have been saying work will start once a suitable amount of money is raised, not "It'll start when we get the money and the planning approval".
The section between the Canal and Railway Terrace appears to be the more difficult section of the "Gap" reinstatement due to the local drainage and other factors, so perhaps an earlier start on getting the design/planning sorted has been decided upon by the new Committee.

 

I think the Factory Flyover does have much of the paperwork in place but there are still significant details to sort out as many other organisations are involved.
Still I hope this weekend's Bus and Rail event goes well and I am looking forward to the Autumn gala with Lady of Legend running.

 

It doesn't look like a planning application has been made according to the Charnwood Borough Council website (https://www.charnwood.gov.uk/pages/interactivemaps)

There is a record of "advice" in 2021, presumably this is a preapplication enquiry. One would hope that this has resulted in any issues being identified and ironed out prior to an application being made.

 

A few photos from Saturdays bus event at Quorn....

 

Some very smart buses there Johann, a credit to their owners.

 

I've yet to see South Notts 82 since it was restored. This was the bus which sat in a field next to the MML somewhere around Market Harborough for many years in the 1990s.

 

Someone has put a video on YT of Saturdays event.....

 

Not good news, delays mean more money needed to do the job (given the annual labour and material price rises are much higher than you can get in interest for cash in a bank)

 

Getting ready for the Autumn Gala this weekend (Sept 5 - 8th), 2999 Lady of Legend is just to be seen in the shed.

 

I found these in our Museum photographic archive this morning whilst looking for something else - obviously taken in the 1970's before the second track was lifted.......







Apparently taken by one of our Members on a visit to the line in the early days.

I wish the telegraph poles were still there!

 

Quite a lot of them are still there. The problem is that since all of the comms were moved into buried cables (some 20+ years ago now) they have not been maintained, so the odd one has fallen/been removed, and once one goes the line is no longer in tension so the others tend to follow.

I do think it's a shame that at least a short length can't be maintained, but they are a massive maintenance liability.

 

Those photos appear to date from the 1973/4 period as one of the locos seen at Loughborough was this one, which didn't stay at the GCR long before heading off to the newly established Colne Valley scheme.....




I'm puzzled by this one as I can't place exactly where it was taken, particularly given what appears to be a rather obvious "trackbed" curving off to the left.......



I'm guessing the houses visible in the photo are Hayward Ave in Loughborough and that "trackbed" curves into the area now occupied by Tuckers Road?
All that was built on by the time I first went to the GCR.

 

From NLS Maps I reckon you'd be correct, the line curving off being to a brick and tile works :

 

Many thanks - That's solved that one then....
Shame they built houses on that area as that would have given them a second branch line to preserve!!

 

Or a good site for a loco works/storage sheds

 

Unfortunately our Windcutter rake did not run at the Autumn Gala as some of the 16T mineral wagons could not be passed for their annual "Fitness to Run" (FTR) exam and there was not enough time to do the required work. So there are another 6 wagons in the yard at Rothley.
One B279711 will need a new floor and other repairs (This was a known expectation following last years FTR). B 551846 had some minor brake rigging adjustment and pad exams now ready for FTR, B 570618 pad exam and ready for FTR, B589163 has two failed Oleo buffers at its South end (we have replacements which need fixing holes drilling), B555696 has a corrosion hole in the vac pipe where a bracket holds it below the headstock and B556456 which had a pad exam and is ready for FTR.
In other news, it is confirmed that fundraising for the "Factory Flyover" section of the "Gap Project" is going very well with nearly £2M in the bank. A lot of vital paperwork is being done before work can start.
It was good to see the pairing of GWR 4-6-0's at the Autumn gala

 

What was the reason for the second track to be lifted all those years ago?