The Nottingham Heritage Railway (formerly known as Great Central Railway (Nottingham) and Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre) is a
heritage railway
A heritage railway or heritage railroad (US usage) is a railway operated as living history to re-create or preserve railway scenes of the past. Heritage railways are often old railway lines preserved in a state depicting a period (or periods) i ...
and
transport museum
A transport museum is a museum that holds collections of transport items, which are often limited to land transport (road and rail)—including old cars, motorcycles, trucks, trains, trams/streetcars, buses, trolleybuses and coaches—but can als ...
on the south side of the village of
Ruddington
Ruddington is a large village in the Borough of Rushcliffe in Nottinghamshire, England. The village is south of Nottingham and northwest of Loughborough. It had a population of 6,441 at the 2001 Census, increasing to 7,216 at the 2011 Censu ...
in Nottinghamshire. The route consists of almost of the former Great Central Railway Main Line from Loughborough South Junction (with the
Midland Main Line
The Midland Main Line is a major railway line in England from London to Nottingham and Sheffield in the Midlands. It comprises the lines from London's St Pancras station via Leicester, Derby/Nottingham and Chesterfield in the East Midlands.
...
) to Fifty Steps Bridge and the site of Ruddington's former GCR station, plus a branch line from Fifty Steps Bridge to Ruddington Fields station which is located on a former
Ministry of Defence
{{unsourced, date=February 2021
A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...
site next to
Rushcliffe Country Park
Rushcliffe Country Park (Grid Reference SK577320) is an open park space covering approximately , located on Mere Way just south of Ruddington on the A60 in the borough of Rushcliffe, Nottinghamshire, England. The park has maintained the Gre ...
.
There are stations open to the public at Ruddington Fields (within the main centre site) and at
Rushcliffe Halt
Rushcliffe Halt is a railway station on the former Great Central Railway London Extension from London Marylebone serving the north of East Leake, Nottinghamshire, currently in use as part of the Nottingham Heritage Railway.
The station was buil ...
. The GCR(N) aim to re-open the former station at
East Leake
East Leake () is a large village and civil parish in the Rushcliffe district of Nottinghamshire, England, although its closest town and postal address is Loughborough in Leicestershire. It has a population of around 7,000, measured in the 201 ...
in the longer term.
The railway is currently not connected to
Great Central Railway
The Great Central Railway in England was formed when the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed its name in 1897, anticipating the opening in 1899 of its London Extension. On 1 January 1923, the company was grouped into the ...
(at Loughborough Central in Leicestershire), although there are plans well underway and work has started to reunite the two preserved lines by bridging the
Loughborough Gap
The Loughborough Gap is a missing section of the Great Central Railway to the north-east of Loughborough, England. The gap was created by the removal of embankments and bridges during the 1980s and the restoration project has been branded Bri ...
. This is a major engineering project that is expected to be completed during 2024 - 2028. Some of the line is used by gypsum trains serving the
British Gypsum
BPB Ltd (formerly BPB plc) (British Plaster Board) was a British building materials business. It once was a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. In 2005, the company was purchased by Saint-Gobain of France. The company subsidiary British Gypsum, ...
works at
East Leake
East Leake () is a large village and civil parish in the Rushcliffe district of Nottinghamshire, England, although its closest town and postal address is Loughborough in Leicestershire. It has a population of around 7,000, measured in the 201 ...
.
Preservation history
After the major part of the GCR main line was closed by
British Rail
British Railways (BR), which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was a state-owned company that operated most of the overground rail transport in Great Britain from 1948 to 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the Big Four British rai ...
in 1968, a section from Nottingham to Rugby was retained until 1976. Preservationists had hoped to convert that into a live heritage line, but funding was impossible to obtain — except for the length from Loughborough to Belgrave and Birstall, north of Leicester. British Rail decided to maintain rail connection from Loughborough to Ruddington MoD depot until closure and the GCR main line became an unsignalled BR single-track branch. When the
Ministry of Defence
{{unsourced, date=February 2021
A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...
depot at Ruddington was closed, the of track from
East Leake
East Leake () is a large village and civil parish in the Rushcliffe district of Nottinghamshire, England, although its closest town and postal address is Loughborough in Leicestershire. It has a population of around 7,000, measured in the 201 ...
to
Ruddington
Ruddington is a large village in the Borough of Rushcliffe in Nottinghamshire, England. The village is south of Nottingham and northwest of Loughborough. It had a population of 6,441 at the 2001 Census, increasing to 7,216 at the 2011 Censu ...
was no longer needed by BR. It was also considered that
British Gypsum
BPB Ltd (formerly BPB plc) (British Plaster Board) was a British building materials business. It once was a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. In 2005, the company was purchased by Saint-Gobain of France. The company subsidiary British Gypsum, ...
was unlikely to bring in any more bulk materials from coal-fired power stations by rail. The GCR Northern Development Association was formed with the aim of reconnecting the then two GCR sections once again. Work initially concentrated on restoring Rushcliffe Halt, but when Nottinghamshire County Council, which had acquired the whole of the 220 acre MoD site, agreed to lease 12 acres of the former MOD site to the Association, the grand scheme of the Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre was devised to encompass not only railway preservation but any transport heritage relevant to the area.
In the 1990s, work on what had become the Great Central Railway (Nottingham) Ltd was concentrated mainly at Ruddington. The transfer of former BR property to
Railtrack
Railtrack was a group of companies that owned the track, signalling, tunnels, bridges, level crossings and all but a handful of the stations of the British railway system from 1994 until 2002. It was created as part of the privatisation of ...
and then
Network Rail
Network Rail Limited is the owner (via its subsidiary Network Rail Infrastructure Limited, which was known as Railtrack plc before 2002) and infrastructure manager of most of the railway network in Great Britain. Network Rail is an "arm's leng ...
hindered attempts to purchase the line. Ironically, it was
British Gypsum
BPB Ltd (formerly BPB plc) (British Plaster Board) was a British building materials business. It once was a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. In 2005, the company was purchased by Saint-Gobain of France. The company subsidiary British Gypsum, ...
's intention to renew rail freight traffic that was the catalyst that allowed the GCR(N) to buy the line and restore it initially for freight use.
At East Leake station, houses were built on the former goods yard in the 1980s and some were built only yards from the remaining track. The disused nature of the line combined with a solicitor's error led the new occupants to believe that the line was closed, but BR had never listed the line as closed and could have resumed operations at any time. However, when the GCR(N) applied for a
Transport and Works Act 1992
The Transport and Works Act 1992 (TWA) was established by the Parliament of the United Kingdom to provide a system by which the construction of rail transport, tramway, inland waterway and harbour infrastructure could proceed in the UK by orde ...
Order to purchase and operate the line, objections from local residents resulted in a permanent limit on hours of passenger train operation through the former East Leake Station and the station remaining closed.
For Network Rail to route freight trains onto the line during the week and GCR(N) to operate heritage trains at the weekend, a length of rail north of East Leake was removed to create two separate railways. However, because of the 'rail break', the GCR(N) were unable to access Rushcliffe Halt. This has now been updated with an alternative system of work. Despite the full line between Loughborough South Jn and Ruddington being owned by the GCN(N), when the GCR(N) require to operate trains into East Leake or through to Loughborough, possession of the line is taken from Network Rail. Network Rail then lock the line out of use from their end allowing GCR(N) operation through to Loughborough. In 2003, regular services to Rushcliffe Halt resumed. Passenger trains further south now run on a regular basis to "Loughborough High Level", although no station facilities exist here.
In 2021, the "Great Central Railway (Nottingham)" was renamed as the "Nottingham Heritage Railway". This follows the temporary closure of the line after being served with an improvement notice by the
Office of Rail and Road
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) is a non-ministerial government department responsible for the economic and safety regulation of Britain's railways, and the economic monitoring of National Highways.
ORR regulates Network Rail by setting its ...
in October 2020 for not having an "established a safety management system in relation to the examination, maintenance and repair of structures on their railway infrastructure such as the bridges and Barnstone tunnel." This was followed by public arguments between the groups preserving the two sections of the route of the original
Great Central Main Line
The Great Central Main Line (GCML), also known as the London Extension of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway (MS&LR), is a former railway line in the United Kingdom. The line was opened in 1899 and built by the Great Central Railw ...
, and the
Great Central Railway
The Great Central Railway in England was formed when the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed its name in 1897, anticipating the opening in 1899 of its London Extension. On 1 January 1923, the company was grouped into the ...
sending a
solicitor
A solicitor is a legal practitioner who traditionally deals with most of the legal matters in some jurisdictions. A person must have legally-defined qualifications, which vary from one jurisdiction to another, to be described as a solicitor and ...
's letter ordering the "Great Central Railway (Nottingham)" to stop using the GCR title due to customer confusion relating to the closure of sections of the "Great Central Railway (Nottingham)". The line remained closed for the 2020 and 2021 seasons.
The railway route
Ruddington Fields is the main station on the line and the home of the Great Central Railway (Nottingham). It features a road transport building, locomotive sheds, GCR signal box (ex Neasden), miniature and model railways, cafe, visitor centre, toilets and car park. The Rushcliffe Country Park, created over the balance of the ex MoD site, surrounds the GCRN facilities here. In 2009, a new platform was opened and a second platform is currently part way through construction.
![Train crossing Asher Lane](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/Train_crossing_Asher_Lane.JPG)
The gated Asher Lane Crossing is on a private road which was formerly the MOD depot perimeter road. It is a short walk from the Country Park to the crossing, where it is possible to see trains passing and the crossing keeper at work. There was a set of sidings here, called Asher Lane Exchange Sidings, but they have since been removed.
Fifty Steps Bridge is the end of the spur from Ruddington Fields, known as Ruddington South Junction, where trains reverse for the onward journey to Loughborough. The bridge itself originally had 'Fifty Steps' but subsequent modifications have increased that number. The former Ruddington station is further north and, following the reunification of the two halves of the preserved GCR, could see improvements made to aid towards eventual reopening, the trackbed being owned by the charity, East Midlands Railway Trust, to support the eventual extension of the line.
The Gotham branch-line was a short, freight branch connected to the Great Central Mainline via
Gotham Sidings
Gotham Sidings , was a set of railway sidings on the Great Central Main Line, where the line crosses Gotham Moor near Gotham, Nottinghamshire. The sidings were set between Rushcliffe Halt and Ruddington railway station.
The sidings were constru ...
; it was lifted in 1969. The branch originally served a gypsum mine which was located on the north-western side of the village of Gotham. The sidings will be reinstated along with a short section of the branch line following reunification as part of a project to double-track the Nottingham section of the GCR. Trains pass across wide open countryside at Gotham Moor, which has much wildlife, and the line passes under a few bridges.
Rushcliffe Halt railway station is named after the nearby "Rushcliffe Golf Club". Station development is ongoing with a new footbridge being prepared to replace the original which was dismantled. Just next to the station at Hotchley Hill is the
British Gypsum
BPB Ltd (formerly BPB plc) (British Plaster Board) was a British building materials business. It once was a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. In 2005, the company was purchased by Saint-Gobain of France. The company subsidiary British Gypsum, ...
works. On weekdays, trainloads of gypsum are delivered to the works and unloaded on the concrete pad visible from the station platforms. An Art Deco LNER signal box (Hotchley Hill) replaced the original GCR structure in the late 1940s when the sidings were extended.
The original station near the centre of the village of
East Leake
East Leake () is a large village and civil parish in the Rushcliffe district of Nottinghamshire, England, although its closest town and postal address is Loughborough in Leicestershire. It has a population of around 7,000, measured in the 201 ...
is currently disused and exists only as an island platform with the stairwell of the station's subway bricked up. There are long-term aspirations to reopen the station but this would require the
Transport and Works Order under which the railway powers were transferred to the present company to be amended.
![Stanford bridge](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f7/Stanford_bridge.jpg)
Barnstone Tunnel (which is 98 yards long) is the only tunnel on the preserved line. It was built by the Victorian navvies and was dug out by hand. Located close to the tunnel was another set of sidings, which although removed could be reinstated in the future for extra storage. Between that Tunnel and Loughborough the line follows the ridge forming the Eastern side of the Soar Valley. The railway continues towards Loughborough, passing close to the hamlet of Stanford-on-Soar. The line travels over the
River Soar
The River Soar () is a major tributary of the River Trent in the English East Midlands and is the principal river of Leicestershire. The source of the river is midway between Hinckley and Lutterworth. The river then flows north through Leicest ...
at Stanford Viaduct, close to the Brush works, now part o
WABTEC
GCRN services currently terminate at a Stop Board close to the
A60 road
The A60 is a road linking Loughborough in Leicestershire, England, with Doncaster in South Yorkshire, via Nottingham. ...
. Beyond that is the connection to Network Rail and the
Midland Main Line
The Midland Main Line is a major railway line in England from London to Nottingham and Sheffield in the Midlands. It comprises the lines from London's St Pancras station via Leicester, Derby/Nottingham and Chesterfield in the East Midlands.
...
(MML) at Loughborough South Junction. The loco sheds of the Great Central Railway at Loughborough are just visible across the MML, about away. Plans are under way reconnect the two halves of the preserved GCR with the new bridge across the MML now completed and fundraising for the next stage underway.
Once the two preserved sections are re-connected (with the bridging of the Loughborough Gap of 500 metres, three bridges and a 400m embankment), this would extend to a total of over in length. Since then GCR is seeking some £7 million of which £1 million has been raised by donors so far.
Railway collection
![3717 'City of Truro' leaves 50 steps, GCRN](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/3717_%27City_of_Truro%27_leaves_50_steps%2C_GCRN.JPG)
The railway operates classic steam / diesel hauled services to Rushcliffe Halt and Loughborough. Most trains are steam-hauled, but the resident classic heritage diesel collection is extensive. GC Railway (Nottingham) operate every Sunday and Bank Holiday Mondays from Easter through to October, and also Saturdays during school holidays, and during December ('Santa Specials' during weekends before Christmas and on Christmas Eve, and post Christmas services on 27/28 December).
As well as regular services, GCRN also operate a host of Special Events and 'Gala' days.
There are 7 steam locomotives permanently based at the railway, 6 of them being of industrial origin, 4 of these being locomotives which once worked at
Stewarts & Lloyds
Stewarts & Lloyds was a steel tube manufacturer with its headquarters in Glasgow at 41 Oswald Street. The company was created in 1903 by the amalgamation of two of the largest iron and steel makers in Britain, A. & J. Stewart & Menzies, Coatbridge ...
at Corby, Northamptonshire. The line has also hosted locomotives of BR/Big 4 pedigree, notable examples in recent years being
GWR 3700 Class 3440 City of Truro
GWR 3700 Class 3440 ''City of Truro'' is a 4-4-0 steam locomotive built in 1903 for the Great Western Railway (GWR) at Swindon Works to a design by George Jackson Churchward. It was partially rebuilt in 1911 and 1915, and renumbered 3717 in ...
,
LBSCR Terrier 662 "Martello" and
LNER O4 63601 and currently is home to a Stanier 8F 2-8-0.
Locomotives
![56 leaving Ruddington](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/56_leaving_Ruddington.JPG)
*Steam locomotives
*
Hudswell Clarke
Hudswell, Clarke and Company Limited was an engineering and locomotive building company in Jack Lane, Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.
History
The company was founded as Hudswell and Clarke in 1860. In 1870 the name was changed to Hu ...
No. 54 "Julia", built in 1937 Undergoing restoration
*
Manning Wardle
Manning Wardle was a steam locomotive manufacturer based in Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.
Precursor companies
The city of Leeds was one of the earliest centres of locomotive building; Matthew Murray built the first commercially s ...
No. 1762 "Dolobran", built in 1910 Undergoing restoration
*
Manning Wardle
Manning Wardle was a steam locomotive manufacturer based in Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.
Precursor companies
The city of Leeds was one of the earliest centres of locomotive building; Matthew Murray built the first commercially s ...
No. 2009 "Rhyl", built in 1921 Undergoing restoration
*
Manning Wardle
Manning Wardle was a steam locomotive manufacturer based in Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.
Precursor companies
The city of Leeds was one of the earliest centres of locomotive building; Matthew Murray built the first commercially s ...
No. 2015 "Arthur", built in 1953 Stored in Ruddington Yard awaiting restoration
*
S160 No. 1631. Stored in kit form around the yard at Ruddington complete with a large number of spares. Long-term restoration is underway.
*
GCR Class 2
The GCR Class 2 was derived from a Kitson (Leeds) built/Thomas Parker designed prototype 4-4-0 locomotive No. 561, (the first single frame locomotive built for the MSLR) exhibited in Manchester in 1887. The design lead to the production of a se ...
No. 567. Under construction.
*Main line diesel locomotives
*
Class 20 Bo-Bo No. 20154. (BR Blue, full yellow ends). Operational.
*
Class 31 A1A-A1A No. 31463 (D5830). (BR Golden Ochre). Operational, visiting from Great Central Railway.
*
Class 37 Co-Co No. 37340 (37009). (BR Blue). Undergoing restoration.
Class 56 Co-Co No. 56097. (BR Trainload Coal). Operational.
![Class 08 13180](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/22/Class_08_13180.JPG)
* Diesel Shunters
*
Ruston and Hornsby
Ruston & Hornsby was an industrial equipment manufacturer in Lincoln, England founded in 1918. The company is best known as a manufacturer of narrow and standard gauge diesel locomotives and also of steam shovels. Other products included cars ...
165 No. D2959 (Non standard livery). Stored awaiting engine repairs.
*
Sentinel
Sentinel may refer to:
Places Mountains
* Mount Sentinel, a mountain next to the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana
* Sentinel Buttress, a volcanic crag on James Ross Island, Antarctica
* Sentinel Dome, a naturally occurring grani ...
No. H014 (RMS Locotec Blue). Undergoing repairs prior to entering service.
*
Class 03 No. D2118 (BR Blue). Undergoing overhaul.
*
Class 08 No. 08114 (BR Blue). Operational.
*
Class 08 No. 08220 (BR Blue). Operational.
* Diesel multiple units
* BR
Class 116 hybrid unit 51138+59501+51151 running with
Class 117 (BR Mid-Brunswick DMU Green) Under overhaul.
* BR
Class 108 unit 53645+53926. (Blue and Grey) Under restoration.
Carriages
* BR Mk1 carriages
*
Mk1 RMB
The renminbi (; symbol: ¥; ISO code: CNY; abbreviation: RMB) is the official currency of the People's Republic of China and one of the world's most traded currencies, ranking as the fifth most traded currency in the world as of April 2022. ...
(Restaurant Miniature Buffet) 1811 in lined maroon. (Undergoing overhaul)
* Mk1 CK (Composite Corridor) 16168 in lined maroon livery. (Operational)
* Mk1 CK (Composite Corridor) 16190 in lined maroon livery. (Operational)
* Mk1 TSO (Tourist Standard Open) 4207 in plain maroon livery. (Operational)
* Mk1 RSO (Restaurant Second Open) 1012 later Cinema Coach 150353. (Stored)
* MK1 SK (Corridor Second) 25693 in blood and custard livery. (Operational).
* BR Mk2 carriages
*
Mk2 BSO (Brake Standard Open) 9389 ( Under major repair)
*Mk2a TSO 5365 (Stored pending disposal)
*Mk2a TSO 5376 (Stored pending disposal)
*Mk2b TSO 5497 (Stored pending disposal)
*Mk2a BSK 35512 (Stored - overhaul abandoned)
*BR Mk3 carriages
*
Mk3 MK3 may refer to:
* ''Mortal Kombat 3'', the third game in the '' Mortal Kombat'' series
* '' Mario Kart: Super Circuit'', the third game in the ''Mario Kart'' series, released in 2001 for the Game Boy Advance
The (GBA) is a 32-bit handheld ...
SLEP (Sleeper Coach) 10602.(Stores vehicle. Private Owner. Unserviceable)
*
Mk3 MK3 may refer to:
* ''Mortal Kombat 3'', the third game in the '' Mortal Kombat'' series
* '' Mario Kart: Super Circuit'', the third game in the ''Mario Kart'' series, released in 2001 for the Game Boy Advance
The (GBA) is a 32-bit handheld ...
RFM 10202 (Under restoration - BR blue grey livery. Owned b
125 Group
*
Mk3 MK3 may refer to:
* ''Mortal Kombat 3'', the third game in the '' Mortal Kombat'' series
* '' Mario Kart: Super Circuit'', the third game in the ''Mario Kart'' series, released in 2001 for the Game Boy Advance
The (GBA) is a 32-bit handheld ...
RFM 10206 (Operational - BR reverse blue grey livery. Owned b
125 Group
*
Mk3 MK3 may refer to:
* ''Mortal Kombat 3'', the third game in the '' Mortal Kombat'' series
* '' Mario Kart: Super Circuit'', the third game in the ''Mario Kart'' series, released in 2001 for the Game Boy Advance
The (GBA) is a 32-bit handheld ...
TSO 12087 (Operational - Intercity livery. Owned b
125 Group
*
Mk3 MK3 may refer to:
* ''Mortal Kombat 3'', the third game in the '' Mortal Kombat'' series
* '' Mario Kart: Super Circuit'', the third game in the ''Mario Kart'' series, released in 2001 for the Game Boy Advance
The (GBA) is a 32-bit handheld ...
TSO 12134 (Operational - Intercity livery. Owned b
125 Group
*
Mk3 MK3 may refer to:
* ''Mortal Kombat 3'', the third game in the '' Mortal Kombat'' series
* '' Mario Kart: Super Circuit'', the third game in the ''Mario Kart'' series, released in 2001 for the Game Boy Advance
The (GBA) is a 32-bit handheld ...
TGS 44000 (Under restoration - GWR green livery. Owned b
125 Group
*Six wheelers
*MSLR 6 wheeler 946. (Stored)
*MSLR 6 wheeler 373. (Stored)
*GCR Barnum carriages
*GCR Barnum dining coach 664. (Stored)
*GCR Barnum brake coach 695. (Stored)
*GCR Barnum Dining coach 666. (Stored) (NOTE: Is the only original GCR coach owned by the National collection)
*GCR Barnum bar coach 228. (Being restored undercover)
*Other carriages
*GCR Clerestory brake coach 1663. (Stored)
*GCR Suburban brake coach 555. (Stored)
*GCR Suburban composite coach 799. (Stored)
*Non-passenger carrying stock
*BR Mk1 GUV (General Utility Van) 86565. (Stored)
*BR Mk1 GUV (General Utility Van) 86129 in lined maroon livery. (Operational)
Wagons
![Two NTHC rail cranes](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/64/Two_NTHC_rail_cranes.JPG)
*Brake vans
*
BR 20-ton Brake Van 952282 built in 1954. (Stored pending overhaul)
* LMS 20-ton Brake Van 357771 built in 1927. (Awaiting resumption of overhaul)
* BR 20-ton Brake Van 954353 built in 1958. (Operational, painted in BR Bauxite)
*Vans
* BR Palvan 779761 built in 1958. (painted army green)
* BR Widefit 784455 built in 1962. (painted BR Bauxite)
* BR 29-ton VAA 200631 built in 1976.
* BR Widefit 783447 built in 1962. (painted army green)
* BR Palvan 778771 built in 1959. (painted BR Bauxite)
* BR Palvan 776155 built in 1957. (painted army green)
* BR Palvan 782111 built in 1960. (painted army green)
* BR Widefit 783257 built in 1962. (painted army green)
*
Railfreight
Railfreight was a sector of British Rail responsible for all freight operations on the British network. The division was created in 1982 when BR sought to assign particular stock and management to the evolving requirements of freight traffic ...
Pressed Steel Box Van 786902.
* Railfreight Pressed Steel Box Van 201055.
* BR Ferry Van 786902 built in 1962.
*Ballast wagons
*
BR Dogfish ballast hopper wagon 993039 built in 1959. (Operational, painted BR Black)
* BR Dogfish ballast hopper wagon 983586 built in 1960. (Operational, painted BR Black)
* BR Dogfish ballast hopper wagon 993597 built in 1959. (Operational, painted BR Black)
* BR Dogfish ballast hopper wagon 993230 built in 1957. (Operational, painted BR Black)
* BR Grampus open wagon 991831 built in 1958. (Operational, painted BR Black)
* BR Shark ballast plough 993874 built in 1959. (Operational, painted BR Black)
*Open wagons
*
LMS 12-ton open wagon 411453 built in 1937. (painted BR Bauxite)
* Flat wagons
*
LMS 50-ton Warwell 721218 built in 1949. (Operational, painted Brown)
*
BR Weltrol 900936 built in 1960. (Operational)
*
LNER LNER may refer to:
* London and North Eastern Railway, a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1923 until 1947
* London North Eastern Railway, a train operating company in the United Kingdom since 2018
* Liquid neutral earthing resistor, a typ ...
22-ton Lowmac wagon 230964 (Operational, painted BR Grey)
* BR Bogie Bolster 943545 built in 1953. (painted brown)
* BR Bogie Rail Sturgeon A 994271 built in 1956.
* BR Bogie Rail Sturgeon A 994770 built in 1953.
* BR Weltrol 900937 built in 1960, a standard gauge well wagon for carrying narrow gauge rolling stock ; built 1960
* Rail cranes
*
LNER LNER may refer to:
* London and North Eastern Railway, a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1923 until 1947
* London North Eastern Railway, a train operating company in the United Kingdom since 2018
* Liquid neutral earthing resistor, a typ ...
Cowans Sheldon
Cowan or Cowans may refer to:
Places Australia
* Cowan, New South Wales
* Cowan Creek, a waterway to the north of Sydney, Australia
* Division of Cowan, a federal division of the Australian House of Representatives, in Western Australia
* Hundr ...
45-tonne Steam Rail Crane 941602 (9017). (painted Lined BR Black with early crest)
GCR Rolling Stock Trust
A Charity called the GCR Rolling Stock Trust based at the Great Central Railway (Nottingham) owns the third largest (after the
Bluebell Railway
The Bluebell Railway is an heritage line almost entirely in West Sussex in England, except for Sheffield Park which is in East Sussex. It is managed by the Bluebell Railway Preservation Society. It uses steam trains which operate between an ...
and
Isle of Wight Steam Railway
The Isle of Wight Steam Railway is a heritage railway on the Isle of Wight. The railway passes through of countryside from to station, passing through the small village of Havenstreet, where the line has a station, headquarters and a depot ...
) collection of pre-grouping rolling stock known to exist in the UK, including the famous 'Barnum' carriages (so named as these were the type hired by
P.T. Barnum
Phineas Taylor Barnum (; July 5, 1810 – April 7, 1891) was an American showman, businessman, and politician, remembered for promoting celebrated hoaxes and founding the Barnum & Bailey Circus (1871–2017) with James Anthony Bailey. He was ...
's travelling circus) and some items that even herald from the days of the
Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
The Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway (MS&LR) was formed in 1847 when the Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway joined with authorised but unbuilt railway companies, forming a proposed network from Manchester to Grimsb ...
—the GCR's title before completing the London extension. The details of the stock are below.
* Six Wheeler GCR No 946. At the Mountsorrel & Rothley Heritage Center Museum shed where it is displayed in fully-restored condition.
*
Barnum
Phineas Taylor Barnum (; July 5, 1810 – April 7, 1891) was an American showman, businessman, and politician, remembered for promoting celebrated hoaxes and founding the Barnum & Bailey Circus (1871–2017) with James Anthony Bailey. He wa ...
Bar coach No 228 built in 1910. The group's current restoration project.
* Barnum Brake Coach No 695 built in 1910. Awaiting restoration.
* Barnum Open Saloon No 666 built in 1910. Awaiting restoration. Now moved to Swithland Sidings on the other GCR site.
* Barnum Open Saloon No 664 built in 1910. Awaiting restoration.
*
Clerestory
In architecture, a clerestory ( ; , also clearstory, clearstorey, or overstorey) is a high section of wall that contains windows above eye level. Its purpose is to admit light, fresh air, or both.
Historically, ''clerestory'' denoted an upper l ...
1st and 3rd class No 1663. Awaiting restoration.
*
Suburban
A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area, which may include commercial and mixed-use, that is primarily a residential area. A suburb can exist either as part of a larger city/urban area or as a separate ...
No 799. Outside with good framework and the roof has recently been tarpaulined.
*
Suburban
A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area, which may include commercial and mixed-use, that is primarily a residential area. A suburb can exist either as part of a larger city/urban area or as a separate ...
GCR Coach No 555. Parted from its frames at the moment.
* Six Wheeler No 373 GCR. Stored with poor body and major work needed on the frames.
GCR suburban 1905 No.793, not part of the RST collection but under the wing of the GCR 567 Group is currently stored at Swithland Sidings — just been examined and found to be in very poor condition. Now placed under a new tarpaulin for further weather protection.
Nottingham Area Bus Society
Also located at the GCRN is the Nottingham Area Bus Society,
which is a collection of vintage buses that originally operated for local bus companies. Bus rides are offered several times a year during vehicle rallies. The bus collection is available to view during the railway's open days.
![Operational Vehicles](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/Buses_at_the_Nottingham_Transport_Heritage_Centre.jpg)
* Operational Vehicles
**
AEC Regent V
The AEC Regent V was a front-engined double-decker bus built by the Associated Equipment Company between 1954 and 1969. It was the last AEC Regent series double-decker model, and was the successor to the AEC Regent III (not to be confused with ...
854 FNN, built in 1960.
**Barton Transport
Leyland PD1 JVO 230, built in 1947.
**Barton Transport Leyland PS1/1 WAL 782, built in 1948. (Originally a single-decker, re-bodied as a double-decker when sold to Barton in 1957).
**Barton Transport
Leyland Leopard
The Leyland Leopard was a mid-engined single-decker bus and single-decker coach chassis manufactured by Leyland between 1959 and 1982.
History
The Leyland Leopard was introduced in 1959. It was developed from the Leyland Tiger Cub, one of ...
XRR 615M, built in 1973.
**Barton Transport Bedford YMT RRR 517R, built in 1976.
**
AEC Regent III
The AEC Regent III (also known as Regent 3 or Regent Mark III) was a type of double-decker bus chassis manufactured by AEC.
It was mainly built for operation outside London and overseas. It could be fitted with AEC's 9.6-litre diesel engine ( ...
OTV 161, built in 1954.
**Nottingham City Transport
Leyland Atlantean
The Leyland Atlantean is a predominantly double-decker bus
A double-decker bus or double-deck bus is a bus that has two storeys or decks. They are used for mass transport in the United Kingdom, the United States, New Zealand, Europe, Asi ...
ARC 666T, built in 1978.
**Midland General
Bristol MW
The Bristol MW (MW stands for "Medium Weight") is a bus and coach chassis. designed and built between 1956 and 1966 by Bristol Commercial Vehicles in Brislington, Bristol.
Design and construction
It had a horizontally mounted engine under the f ...
DNU 20C, built in 1965.
**Midland General
Leyland National
The Leyland National is an integrally-constructed British step-floor single-decker bus manufactured in large quantities between 1972 and 1985. It was developed as a joint project between two UK nationalised industries – the National Bus Co ...
XRB 415L, built in 1972.
**
Northern General Leyland Atlantean ORC 545P, built in 1976. (An open-topper. Painted in a
Trent
Trent may refer to:
Places Italy
* Trento in northern Italy, site of the Council of Trent United Kingdom
* Trent, Dorset, England, United Kingdom Germany
* Trent, Germany, a municipality on the island of Rügen United States
* Trent, California, ...
red and cream livery).
**
Leicester City Transport Leyland PD1 DJF 349, built in 1946. (Operational but restoration still ongoing).
**
Bedford SB1 618 KRA, built in 1959.
* Non-operational Vehicles
**Barton Transport
AEC Reliance
The AEC Reliance was a mid-underfloor mounted engined single-decker bus and coach chassis manufactured by AEC between 1953 and 1979. The name had previously been used between 1928 and 1931 for another single-decker bus chassis.
History
Two p ...
DAL 771J, built in 1970. (Under repair).
**Barton Transport Leyland Leopard HAL 703J, built in 1970. (Undergoing restoration, originally of Tyne Valley with the identity of VTY 543J).
**Barton Transport Leyland PD1 KNN 254, built in 1949. (Undergoing overhaul).
**Barton Transport Leyland BTS1 VVO 735, built in 1957. (Undergoing restoration).
**
South Notts Leyland Lion LT5 VO 8846, built in 1933. (Stored in the workshop awaiting restoration).
**South Notts
Leyland Royal Tiger PSU1/11 MAL 310, built in 1951. (Undergoing restoration in the workshop).
**
Trent Buses Volvo Citybus
The Volvo B10M was a mid-engined city bus and coach chassis manufactured by Volvo between 1978 and 2003. It succeeded the B58 and was equipped with the same 9.6-litre horizontally mounted Volvo diesel engine mounted under the floor behind the ...
B10M-50 F609 GVO, built in 1989. (Undergoing restoration).
References
External links
Railway website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Great Central Railway (Nottingham)
Heritage railways in Nottinghamshire
Great Central Railway (preserved)
Railway museums in England
Museums in Nottinghamshire