Great Central Railway

Reliable ‘Warship’ steps in and takes a turn on GC freight

by

Sam Hewitt

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1st November 2019

SEVERN Valley Railway-based Class 42 No. D821Greyhound, along with South Devon Class 25 No. D7535, have been the most frequent and reliable gala visitors this season, both attending the Great Central Railway’s September 6-8 diesel event. Here, the ‘Warship’ (a last-minute replacement for ‘Clayton No. D8568), heads a rake of mineral wagons at Swithland on September 6. This…
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Lazarus Locomotives: A Clan for all season

by

Sam Hewitt

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12th September 2019

One of the most exciting new-build steam locomotive projects is that to recreate a BR ‘Clan’. Robert Ife, commercial director of the Standard Steam Locomotive Company, brings readers up to speed with progress, and the next stages. POSSIBLY not all readers will have heard of The ‘Clan’ Project, one of the many new-build steam projects…
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Main line Travelling Post Office run to mark 85th anniversary of Night Mail?

by

Sam Hewitt

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26th August 2019

“THIS is the Night Mail crossing the border, Bringing the cheque and the postal order…” W H Auden’s opening lines to 1936’s evocative GPO documentary film Night Mail about the work of the Travelling Post Office (TPO) are known by thousands, and to many conjure images of Fowler 4-6-0s on the West Coast Mail Line,…
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‘8F’ 48642 bows out at Great Central

by

Sam Hewitt

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24th August 2019

HEAVYFREIGHT 2-8-0 No. 48624 was withdrawn from service at the Great Central Railway (GCR) at the end of July pending its next 10-yearly overhaul. The Stanier ‘8F’ has been a stalwart member of the GCR steam fleet, and on June 26 took part in a special ‘8Fs’ charter organised by Timeline Events, and also featuring…
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‘King’ and ‘A4’ to head 15-engine North Yorkshire Autumn Steam Gala

by

Sam Hewitt

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10th July 2019

Didcot’s GWR ‘King’ No. 6023 King Edward II will break new ground for the class this autumn when it takes a starring role in the North Yorkshire Moors Railway’s (NYMR) September 27-29 Autumn Steam Gala alongside ‘A4’ Union of South Africa. The visit will mark the BR blue Collett 4-6-0’s first foray north of the Midlands…
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Cavalcade tops off ‘8F’ return at GCR’s goods gala

by

Sam Hewitt

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15th June 2019

Seven BR-liveried locomotives, from the humble ‘Jinty’ to the mighty ‘9F’, provided an impressive grand finale for the Great Central Railway’s Goods Galore gala on May 11-12.
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‘Hoover’ Royal Oak saved by Great Central Railway

by

Sam Hewitt

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20th March 2019

CLASS 50 No. 50017 Royal Oak has been acquired by the Great Central Railway (GCR) from Boden Rail, Eastcroft, Nottingham. This followed a few days when the loco’s future was in doubt, with various means of disposal being considered, including dismantling for spares. A sale fell through in late-January, and as funds and space were required…
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‘Caley’ tank for NNR, East Lancs and Swanage lines

by

Sam Hewitt

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13th March 2019

THE Caledonian Railway’s No. 419 played a starring role at the Churnet Valley Railway’s Winter Steam Gala on February 23-24, and the Scottish Railway Preservation Society is capitalising on the 0-4-4T’s presence in England by adding in further visits to heritage lines. First up for the Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway-based loco is the East Lancashire Railway’s…
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My BR involvement in early GCR operations

by

Sam Hewitt

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6th March 2019

Graham Oliver’s article (Saving a Main Line Railway) about the early years of today’s Great Central Railway brought back memories, as I was one of those from British Rail charged with supervising operations. At the time I was a divisional inspector at Nottingham, and my involvement started with preparation for the 75th anniversary in March…
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GCR to become ‘Cromwell’s’ new custodian?

by

Sam Hewitt

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4th March 2019

THE 14-year relationship between ‘Britannia’ No. 70013 Oliver Cromwell and the 5305 Locomotive Association (5305LA) has come to an end. The BR Pacific’s owner, the National Railway Museum, has decreed the custodial agreement between the two organisations would not be extended. Instead responsibility for the locomotive could be passed directly to the Great Central Railway…
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