Great Central Railway news

[Torn-on-the-platform]

The Q was certainly a very popular guest, but I did wonder how it came to be chosen, even if it's selection did prove to be a masterstroke!?

 

I'm guessing it was a return of favour for the 8F's visit to the Bluebell for Giants of Steam but was thinking that perhaps the S15 would have been a more popular choice, particularly given the chance to pair it with 777. The Q was a better contrast however, and maybe that's why it was chosen? The Bluebell have also said that the S15 has been winterised and will be out of traffic for a few months, so perhaps that was a factor.

[andyram]

The S15 has already visited.

[Torn-on-the-platform]

The S15 has already visited.

 

Apologies if wrong but I'm relatively certain that 847 hasn't left the Bluebell during its current ticket, and I can't find any evidence that it visited the GCR in its previous stint from 92-97. There are more active/roving S15s in preservation but I can't find any evidence of them at the GCR either.

 

The closest likeness I can find it Cheltenham's visit in 2012.

[andyram]

Apologies if wrong but I'm relatively certain that 847 hasn't left the Bluebell during its current ticket, and I can't find any evidence that it visited the GCR in its previous stint from 92-97. There are more active/roving S15s in preservation but I can't find any evidence of them at the GCR either.

 

The closest likeness I can find it Cheltenham's visit in 2012.

Sorry my mistake it was the Swanage N class.

[Wild Boar Fell]

A crowd-funding campaign has now been launched to raise money for the re-signalling of the Mountsorrel Branch Junction at Swithland to allow regular working onto and off the branch. The target is £10,000. 

 

Link https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/mountsorreltrains

 

Wild Boar Fell

[Dava]

A crowd-funding campaign has now been launched to raise money for the re-signalling of the Mountsorrel Branch Junction at Swithland to allow regular working onto and off the branch. The target is £10,000. 

 

Link https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/mountsorreltrains

 

Wild Boar Fell

Worth supporting, otherwise the Mountsorrel Branch will continue to be under-served and deprived of a connecting service to the main line.

 

Dava

[JeffP]

It's been noted on Facebook that the above is NOT being asked for by the GCR people, but by Mountsorrel council iirc.

[Chris116]

I was talking to some of the GCR volunteers at the end of January gala and they said that the problem of running services off the branch would cost in the region of £100,000. I do not know if this figure is right but it is an awful lot more than is being asked for. It would be good to know what the GCR think it will cost and if they support the fund raising now being done.

[The Stationmaster]

I was talking to some of the GCR volunteers at the end of January gala and they said that the problem of running services off the branch would cost in the region of £100,000. I do not know if this figure is right but it is an awful lot more than is being asked for. It would be good to know what the GCR think it will cost and if they support the fund raising now being done.

 

The crowd funding mentions £75,000 for the hardware plus further costs on top which take it to £93,000 so definitely ball park £100,000.  

 

I presume that if they were to run a passenger service it might have to be to/from Rothley and I can easily see how providing for that would push up the costs and increase the timescale in view of the potential complexity of works required at Swithland.  If they were to simply shuttle from Mountsorrel to Swithland with no passenger alighting at that end it would obviously be much cheaper while the alternative - if it's feasible - of providing platforms at Swithland would again mean big money.

 

So overall the figures don't sound excessive to me and remember that on NR just to do the plans etc for any one of the options I've outlined would cost a lot more than £100,000.

[James Harrison]

I've tried three times to make a donation and each time the Just Giving website has crashed my browser.  Presumably it doesn't much like Mozilla Firefox. 

Edited March 3, 2017 by James Harrison

[LNERGE]

The alternative - if it's feasible - of providing platforms at Swithland would again mean big money.

 

 

I've always thought it would be nice if Swithland could be 'finished' one day. If you look in the Newton Collection photo's a fair bit was done towards building a station here. I've always wondered how much of the proposed station is left underground. Brackley was intended to have a third platform and provision was made for this from day one. Some sort of Brackley replica would be a real challenge for anyone and would make up for the loss of Belgrave and Birstall.

[Wild Boar Fell]

One idea for operating services onto the branch that I believe has been mentioned in the past is a Quorn-Swithland-Mountsorrel-Rothley-Quorn service. This removes the need to run wrong road out of Rothley.

[Chameleon]

How's bridging the gap coming along? Not seen much about progress lately. I assume fundraising and prep work is trotting along?

[Dr Gerbil-Fritters]

Contractors on site, prepping the approaches, weekend possession planned for August, according to one mag.

 

Not sure how accurate that is.

[James Harrison]

Contractors on site, prepping the approaches, weekend possession planned for August, according to one mag.

 

Not sure how accurate that is.

 

Pretty much bob-on; my copy of Mainline arrived this morning and said much the same thing. 

[Dava]

There is a lot of progress behind the scenes on 'bridging the gap'. The 'Friends of GCML' stand will be at the Diesel Gala on 18-19 March and its well covered in MainLine and on the website. Keep the money flowing....

 

Personally, I'm going to be updating the model version of the 'Bridge to the Future'. The N-gauge scale model of the project to Bridge the Gap between the North and South sections of the GCR has been seen at many events since being built by Alan Brassey some 5 years ago. As a result of the design changes to the civil engineering works on the project, it is now rather out of date and also a little careworn from its mainly outdoor appearances [eg the chord from the MML is missing a length of rail].The display team are a bit fed up explaining the differences between the current plans and the model!

 

The model still has a useful role to play for the next few years in explaining the bridge project to visitors, and in the vital fundraising needed to pay for it. I have agreed to update the model, using the latest engineering visuals of the design from FJD Construction.

 

The current model will have its last outing in its existing form on the Friends stand at the GCR Diesel Gala on 18-19 March. After that I will update it and it will reappear in time for the Model Railway Gala in June. The Museum is then interested in displaying it once the bridge project is complete.

 

Can you help?

 

The display could benefit from more N scale details, such as scale cars and light commercial vehicles, canal craft, people and other details appropriate to the present day and location. A classic steam or diesel loco and a few coaches or wagons for the GCR line would also be an attractive feature. Possibly the GCR section can be made operational, or simply to show a static train.

 

If you have any N scale scenic/stock items such as these which you no longer require, please consider donating them for use on the model. As an 0 scale modeller, I dont have a stock of these items but I can repaint or recondition them where necessary. Items can be left in a packet marked for my attention at the Friends stand at the Diesel Gala, or alternatively send me an personal message on this site describing what you'd like to donate.

 

Thank you

 

Dava

[Wild Boar Fell]

Saw 37714 leaving Loram this morning following its repaint. Simply put, looks stunning, a credit to all involved.

Will be good to see her back on the GC.

[Dava]

Diesel Gala this weekend with intensive service, 2 x 33s, Gronk shuttles, food, beer etc.

 

http://www.gcrailway.co.uk/special-events/spring-diesel-gala/

 

Come and see the Friends stand on the platform at Loughborough, make a donation to the Bridge fund and see the model bridge diorama before its update and refurb!

 

Dava

[Andy Louch]

All, just posted this link elsewhere.

 

http://www.gcrailway.co.uk/unify/

[Dava]

This thread is, uniquely, going to feature both the actual 'Bridge to the Future' build project over the next few months and the much more  prosaic updating of the N gauge model version which the 'Friends of the GCR Main Line' use for public information and fundraising about the project.

 

First, a view of the 4 x 08 shuttle from last weekend's Diesel gala.

 

 

 

Here's how the model looked on its last appearance.

 

 

Aftrer that,  I took the model home. Today I set it  up in the workshop to see what needed to be done. The basic project is to:

 

1. Update it to reflect the actual design of the bridge & embankment works

2. Refurbish the scenics, buildings etc to improve its careworn appearance from too many weekends on the platform at Loughborough

3. Make it operational if possible.

 

It is accompanied by a Farish class 108 2-car blue DMU, which had been a runner once and has some damage,  a bit like most of the prototypes ended up. I gave the wheels a good clean with surgical spirit as it seemed to have been well lubricated with '3 in 1' or similar! It now runs nicely and was given the last trip across the bridge before civil works began [clearance on the bridge too narrow as the steps fouled the girders!]. This confirmed operation is possible, but through wiring, much closer rail alignment across the baseboard gaps, and auto-shuttle operation [module ordered] will be needed.

 

 

Next i removed the scenics from the embankment and marked where this would be narrowed from the double track formation, which won't be built North of the canal bridge, to the single line which will be built. I lifted the 'up' line including a point which also won't exist. Then cut and removed the embankment side and narrowed the supports. Here's the damage. The project is now past the point of no return!

 

 

Finally the bridge area from Railway Terrace, across the Preci-Spark car park and the MML bridge itself has been prepped. I'm leaving the actual trackbed and the bridges at this point, but the model will feature the planned arrangement of the two ex-Reading bridges, concrete arches in GCR style, and the new single-span bridge. 

 

 

That's enough for today - fair progress!

 

Dava

 

[Dava]

It appears the wonderful Mountsorrel Railway Museum project has acquired two Rustons on loan - a 48DS [from Snibston Museum] and a narrow gauge LBT! Always worth a visit to Mountsorrel to see progress.

 

http://heritage-centre.co.uk/visit-us/ruston-diesels/

 

Dava

Edited March 29, 2017 by Dava

[Dava]

I carried on working on the GCR 'Bridge' model today. New track laid was laid linking the existing sections, meaning there is a single-track line all the way, crossing the two main boards via a well-aligned join - at least in my workshop. I completed reprofiling the embankment to single track width, then installed basic wiring and joiners. This took quite a lot of the day, involving moving the layout several times which is not easy as the sections are hinged together, quite long and heavy.

 

 

It meant by the end of the afternoon, the DMU could run from one end to the other, reunified!

 

There is a third, short section with the Nottingham Rd bridge and junction with the MML chord, this is for next weekend. 

 

I did try running two N gauge locos I have, a Piko Prussian 0-8-0 and Bachmann NYC 2-6-2, but they both fouled the bridges! So maybe the GCR wasnt built to Continental loading gauge after all?

 

Dava

[srihaggis]

GCR(N) trains have now started operating the first trains of 2017 following total cancellation of Feb half term services. Of notable interest:

 

8th April - Steam with the 8F Timetable A

9th April - Steam with the 8F Timetable A

15th April - Diesel 41001 + D7629 Top/Tail Timetable B / Air-Conditioned Set. Hot food available

16th April - Steam with the 8F Timetable A

17th April - Steam with the 8F Timetable A

22nd April - Steam with the 8F Timetable A

23rd April - Steam with the 8F Timetable A

29th April - Diesel with 73110 Timetable B

30th April - Steam with the 8F Timetable A

Edited April 3, 2017 by srihaggis

[Dava]

I've missed the start of GCRN services, I went  to see the first steam run today (Sunday) at Rushcliffe Halt but it must have been running a bit late as there was no sign. Later in the day I could hear the 8F from my workshop.

 

Sunday being the day allocated to the 'Bridge' model, I had to crack on. I have been repairing the Grafar DMU, a good little model which has experienced some hard [ab]use. I've made a hook/loop to couple the cars together as the original couplings had been removed and old-style N couptlers did not fit. Also a buffer replaced, bogie refixed and wheel clean.

 

Today I worked on the end board, quite short which includes the junction with the chord line to the MML, a length of rail inexplicably missing  from this so that was replaced. Attention to the track joints between the boards and installing wiring and plugs between the boards as there were none. By the end of the afternoon I could run the DMU all the way along the line! Progress.

 

Over Easter I hope to get the 'shuttle' unit and wiring finished and start on the  'new' bridge works. Also, on the real thing, walk round and photograph the bridgeworks which are now happening and the surrounding buildings as I'll have to refurb the model versions and the road areas in the vicinity of Railway Terrace.  

 

And of course catch up with operations on both the GCRN and the southern section. Thought I'd fancy a trip to 'Rocks by Rail' on the 17th for their Quarry Day....

 

 

Keen-eyed viewers may spot some unusual visiting locos!

 

Dava

 

 

 

 

[Dava]

The GCR model Bridge works continue even as the real abutment foundations are being prepared on each side of the MML.

 

I've received copies of the engineering drawings for the MML, Railway Terrace and Precispark bridge works from FJD, the bridge civil engineering design/lead contractors, showing exactly what the bridge works will look like. I've taken dimensions from these and converted to N 1/148 scale for the model. They even show the colors, holly green metal/girders and engineers blue brick arches/abutments....like the originals. So I can make a start on the model bridge works. Hope to get to the Derby show next Sunday for supplies (and a beer!).

 

Dava