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Great Central Railway

Loughborough Central to Leicester North Preserved Railway


Each image links to a larger copy which opens in a new window/tab


 
This page shows images by Ian Boyle (©2013) of the preserved Great Central Railway which runs from Loughborough Central to Leicester North. It shows both resident and visiting locos running on the railway.


 


Sections on this Page
Great Central Railway Website
   www.gcrailway.co.uk

Great Central Railway Timetables
   2013 Timetable

 


Associated Simplon Pages





Great Central Railway

Loughborough - Leicester North  Preserved Railway



Each image links to a larger copy which opens in a new window/tab



Steam Locomotives


GNR No.1

The Great Northern Stirling single No.1 is part of the National Collection. It arrived on the GCR on November 11th 1981, and was steamed for the first time since 1938 on December 3rd 1981. The first public steaming was on December 5th 1981. The Single returned to the NRM on October 9th 1982.

Great Northern single No.1 on the Great Central Railway
Photo: ©1982 Ian Boyle
GNR Stirling Single No.1 - Photo: ©1982 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.ukGNR Stirling Single No.1 - Photo: ©1982 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.ukGNR Stirling Single No.1 - Photo: ©1982 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk










GCR 506 - Butler Henderson

506 Butler Henderson is a Great Central 'Improved Director' Class 11F 4-4-0 built in 1920. It was withdrawn in 1960 and restored as part of the National Collection. It ran on the GCR in the late 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s before returning to the York NRM and was moved to Barrow Hill Roundhouse in 2005.

The Great Central Railway Class 11F or Improved Director Class of 4-4-0 steam locos was designed by John G. Robinson for passenger work. The LNER classified them as Class D11 from 1923. They were based on the earlier GCR Class 11E "Director" class (LNER D10). There were two subclasses: D11/1 were the original GCR engines and D11/2 were those built in 1924 by the LNER to a reduced loading gauge with smaller boiler mountings for hauling passenger trains in Scotland.



Great Central 4-4-0 Butler Henderson on the Great Central Railway
Photo: ©1982 Ian Boyle
GCR Butler Henderson - Photo: ©1982 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.ukGCR Butler Henderson - Photo: ©1982 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk










777/30777 Sir Lamiel

No.30777 Sir Lamiel Southern Railway King Arthur Class 4-6-0 was built at North British Locomotives Works, Glasgow in 1925. Withdrawn 1961. Arrived at the GCR in 1995. Returned to steam in 2006. Operational. Operates on Network Rail and GCR

30777 Sir Lamiel at Loughborough in 2011 with British Rail number
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 25th September 2011
30777 Sir Lamiel - Photo: ©2011 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk






777 Sir Lamiel at Loughborough Central
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th January 2013
777 Sir Lamiel - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk777 Sir Lamiel - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk777 Sir Lamiel - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk777 Sir Lamiel - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk777 Sir Lamiel - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk






777 Sir Lamiel at Quorn & Woodhouse running a TPO mail drop/pick-up demonstration
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th January 2013
777 Sir Lamiel - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk777 Sir Lamiel - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk






777 Sir Lamiel at Loughborough Central
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th January 2013
777 Sir Lamiel - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk777 Sir Lamiel - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk






777 Sir Lamiel at Leicester North
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th January 2013
777 Sir Lamiel - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk777 Sir Lamiel - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk777 Sir Lamiel - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk777 Sir Lamiel - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk777 Sir Lamiel - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk777 Sir Lamiel - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk










1744 - GNR Gresley Class N2

Great Northern Railway N2 Class 0-6-2T No.1744 was built at the North British Locomotive Works, Glasgow in 1920. Withdrawn 1962. Arrived at the GCR in 1975. First returned to traffic in 1978. Withdrawn in 1994. Returned to traffic for second time in 2009. Operational in 2013.


41744 - GNR Gresley Class N2
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th January 2013
1744 - GNR Gresley Class N2 - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk1744 - GNR Gresley Class N2 - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk1744 - GNR Gresley Class N2 - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk










4953 Pitchford Hall
(Moved to Epping-Ongar in 2012)

No.4953 Pitchford Hall left the GCR in 2012 for the Epping-Ongar Railway in Essex.

Pitchford Hall is a member of the GWR 4900 Hall Class of locomotives, designed by Charles Collett. 259 locomotives of this class were built, and the design is said to have heavily contributed to LMS Standard 5 and LNER Thompson B1 classes. The class latterly received a 5MT power classification under BR. 11 examples have been saved for preservation, several have made it back onto the mainline, including Pitchford Hall and one of which, Olton Hall, has gained international fame through becoming the 'Hogwarts Express' locomotive.

Pitchford Hall was built at Swindon in August 1929 at a cost of £4,375, and was first allocated to Bristol, Bath Road shed. Latterly in August 1950 it was transferred to Cardiff Canton and fitted with BR type piston valves and liners February 1956 but reverted back to WR standard within two years. In March 1959 she was allocated to Swindon and then transferred from Cardiff Canton to Cardiff East Dock shed in September 1962. Her last years were spent at Cardiff East Dock before being withdrawn in May 1963 having covered 1,344,464 miles, and was sent to Woodham's Brothers Scrapyard in Barry in November 1963.

Pitchford Hall was the 150th departure from Barry in February 1984, when it was taken to Tyseley Locomotive Works where a comprehensive overhaul was undertaken for a reportedly seven figure sum. She moved again under her own power in February 2004, making her first public appearance in 42 years at Crewe in September 2005, being seen by over 40,000 people.

Hall class locomotives were used all over the Great Western and Western Region. Their duties were diverse from standing in for failed 'Castles' on expresses (and keeping to tight schedules) to heavy freight work and secondary passenger services. The impressive acceleration of these engines made them particularly suited to the duties that required frequent stops, where the smaller wheels gave greater adhesion and therefore reduced slipping when starting from standstill.

The Hall class and other GWR 2-cylinder engines all have a distinctive 'bark' to their exhaust notes, which is one thing that helps to maintain enthusiasm throughout the generations. Their long service also ensured they wore a number of liveries. This included the passenger class fully lined GWR green until 1948 and nationalisation, then during the early BR years all mixed traffic classes on all regions carried the lined black livery. In 1956 some discretion was allowed by BR, and the Western Region was allowed to paint mixed traffic engines in fully lined Brunswick green.

Pitchford Hall returned to the mainline in December 2005, and operated a number of special mainline charter trains during 2007 and 2009, but has also visited a number of heritage railways, including West Somerset Railway, Llangollen (where it double-headed with City of Truro), Mid Hants Railway (standing in for King Edward II) and Great Central Railway, where it has hauled passenger as well as charter freight and even demonstration Travelling Post Office trains to the delight of visitors.

   Ref:- Epping Ongar Railway Website:  eorailway.co.uk




4953 Pitchford Hall at Loughborough Central
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 25th September 2011
4953 Pitchford Hall - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk






GWR Hall Class 4953 Pitchford Hall on the Epping-Ongar Railway
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 25th May 2012

Epping-Ongar - Photo: ©2012 Ian Boyle - www.simplompc.co.uk - Simplon PostcardsEpping-Ongar - Photo: ©2012 Ian Boyle - www.simplompc.co.uk - Simplon PostcardsEpping-Ongar - Photo: ©2012 Ian Boyle - www.simplompc.co.uk - Simplon Postcards








6023 King Edward II
(Visiting Locomotive to the GCR)

6023 King Edward II is a Great Western Railway King Class 4-6-0 built at Swindon in 1930. Withdrawn in 1962. 6023 arrived at the GCR in September, 2012 for further repairs. Operational again in January 2013, it ran on the railway at the Winter Gala 25th-27th January..


6023 King Edward II at Leicester North
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th January 2013
6023 King Edward II - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk6023 King Edward II - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk6023 King Edward II - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk6023 King Edward II - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk6023 King Edward II - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk6023 King Edward II - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk6023 King Edward II - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk










46521 - LMS Ivatt 2MT

No.46521 is a London Midland and Scottish Railway Class 2 2-6-0 built at Swindon in 1953 and withdrawn 1966. It arrived at the GCR in 2001 and was returned to steam in 2011. It was operational in 2013.


46521 LMS Ivatt 2MT
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th January 2013
46521 - LMS Ivatt 2MT - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk46521 - LMS Ivatt 2MT - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk










48305 - LMS Stanier 8F

London Midland and Scottish Railway 8F Class 2-8-0 No.48305 was built at Crewe in 1943 and withdrawn in 1968. It arrived at the GCR in 1985 and was returned to traffic in 1995. It then left GCR in 2000 and returned in 2006 and is now undergoing a 10 year overhaul.


48305 Stanier 8F
Photo: © Ian Boyle,28th July 2007
48305 - LMS Stanier 8F - Photo: ©2007 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk48305 - LMS Stanier 8F - Photo: ©2007 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk48305 - LMS Stanier 8F - Photo: ©2007 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk48305 - LMS Stanier 8F - Photo: ©2007 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk48305 - LMS Stanier 8F - Photo: ©2007 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk










48624 - LMS Stanier 8F

48624 is the only surviving Southern-built 8F in preservation. 48624 was brought back to life in spring 2009 at Peak Rail carrying a fictional LMS Crimson Lake livery as 8624. She ran at Peak Rail for about a year & was then put on loan to other lines (including the Churnet Valley Railway), but became a semi-permanent resident of the Great Central Railway in early 2011. 48624 is now sporting the same inaccurate crimson livery but with BR numbering. Its boiler ticket expires in 2019.


48624 Stanier 8F at Quorn & Woodhouse
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th January 2013
48624 - LMS Stanier 8F - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk48624 - LMS Stanier 8F - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk48624 - LMS Stanier 8F - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk48624 - LMS Stanier 8F - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk48624 - LMS Stanier 8F - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk48624 - LMS Stanier 8F - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk48624 - LMS Stanier 8F - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk48624 - LMS Stanier 8F - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk48624 - LMS Stanier 8F - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk










70013 - Oliver Cromwell

No.70013 Oliver Cromwell is a British Railways Class 7P 4-6-2 built at Crewe in 1951 which was withdrawn in 1968. It arrived at GCR in 2004 and was returned to traffic in 2008. It remains operational in 2013 and runs on both Network Rail and the GCR.

70013 - Oliver Cromwell smokebox
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th January 2013
70013 - Oliver Cromwell - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk70013 - Oliver Cromwell - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk










78019 - BR 2MT

No.78019 is a British Railways Standard Class 2 2-6-0 built at Darlington in 1954 and withdrawn 1966. It arrived at the GCR in 1998 and returned to steam in 2004, remaining operational in 2013.

78019 at Leicester North
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 25th September 2011
78019 - 2MT - Photo: ©2011 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk78019 - 2MT - Photo: ©2011 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk78019 - 2MT - Photo: ©2011 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk78019 - 2MT - Photo: ©2011 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk78019 - 2MT - Photo: ©2011 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk










Diesel Locomotives


10119

Diesel shunter 10119l
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th January 2013
10119 - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk10119 - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk










D123 - Class 45
Leicestershire and Derbyshire Yeomanry
 
Class 45 D123 was built at Crewe in 1961 and withdrawn in 1987. Arrived at the GCR in 1998 and was operational in 2013.


Class 45 D123 Leicestershire and Derbyshire Yeomanry at Quorn & Woodhouse
Photo: © Ian Boyle,28th July 2007
Class 45 - D123 - Photo: ©2007 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk






Class 45 D123 Leicestershire and Derbyshire Yeomanry at Rothley
Photo: © Ian Boyle,28th July 2007
Class 45 - D123 - Photo: ©2007 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.ukClass 45 - D123 - Photo: ©2007 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk










D5401 - Class 27

Class 27 D5401 was built by the Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company in 1962. Withdrawn in 1987. First ran on the GCR in 1994. Returned in 2009. Operational in 2013.


Class 33 - D6535 Hertfordshire Railtours at Loughborough Central
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 25th September 2011
D5401 - Class 27 - Photo: ©2011 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.ukD5401 - Class 27 - Photo: ©2011 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.ukD5401 - Class 27 - Photo: ©2011 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk










D5830 - Class 31

Class 31 D5830 was built by Brush at Loughborough in 1962. Withdrawn in 1996 and arrived at the GCR in 1998. Returned to traffic in 1999. Operational in 2013. D5878 was delivered in this experimental livery but later repainted back to the standard green.


Class 31 D5830 at Loughborough Central
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 25th September 2011
Class 31 - D5830 - Photo: ©2011 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk










D6535 - Class 33 - Hertfordshire Railtours

Class 33 D6535 Hertfordshire Railtours was built by the Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company in 1960. Withdrawn in 1998. Arrived at the GCR in 2005. Currently undergoing repair in 2013.


Class 33 - D6535 Hertfordshire Railtours at Loughborough Central
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 25th September 2011
D6535 - Hertfordshire Railtours - Photo: ©2011 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk D6535 - Hertfordshire Railtours - Photo: ©2011 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk






Class 33 - D6535 Hertfordshire Railtours at Loughborough Central
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th January 2013
D6535 - Hertfordshire Railtours - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.ukD6535 - Hertfordshire Railtours - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.ukD6535 - Hertfordshire Railtours - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk










D8098 - Class 20


Class 20 D8098 was built by English Electric/Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns Ltd, Darlington in 1961. Withdrawn in 1982. Arrived at the GCR in 1992. Operational in 2013.



Class 20 - D8098 at Loughborough Central
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 25th September 2011
D8098 - Photo: ©2011 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.ukD8098 - Photo: ©2011 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.ukD8098 - Photo: ©2011 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk






Class 20 - D8098 at Leicester North
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 25th September 2011
D8098 - Photo: ©2011 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.ukD8098 - Photo: ©2011 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.ukD8098 - Photo: ©2011 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.ukD8098 - Photo: ©2011 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.ukD8098 - Photo: ©2011 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk






Class 20 - D8098 at Loughborough Central
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th January 2013
D8098 - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk










Rolling Stock


LNER Observation Car


This preserved set of Royal Mail TPOs is regularly used on Gala Days to demonstrate the loading and dropping of mail bags at speed.



LNER Observation Car
Photo: © Ian Boyle,28th July 2007
Great Central Railway - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk Great Central Railway - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.ukGreat Central Railway - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.ukGreat Central Railway - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.ukGreat Central Railway - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.ukGreat Central Railway - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk










Royal Mail TPOs


This preserved set of Royal Mail TPOs is regularly used on Gala Days to demonstrate the loading and dropping of mail bags at speed.



Class 20 - D8098 at Loughborough Central
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th January 2013
Great Central Railway - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk










Other Images

Great Central Railway
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th January 2013
Great Central Railway - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.ukGreat Central Railway - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.ukGreat Central Railway - Photo: ©2013 Ian Boyle - www.simplonpc.co.uk














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