Volume 7 Number 49 GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAY WEEKLY NEWSLETTER December

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1 Volume 7 Number 49 GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAY WEEKLY NEWSLETTER December From Bill Ford Dear All An exceptionally busy week as we move quickly towards the festive season. The good news is that, Richard Patching is out of hospital following a hip replacement and is on the road to recovery. He sends his best wishes to you and although I offered to collect him, complete with wheelchair, he sensibly declined the offer. He will be in e mail contact from now on but unable to drive for 6 weeks. What fantastic news in that the S&T department have won the major Signalling Award from the N.R.H.A. presented by Simon Jenkins, Chairman of the National Trust. On behalf of the railway Graham Bannister, joined by Malcolm Freckelton, who represented DCRT, went down to London to receive the award. There were major contenders, including two from Network Rail, so the achievement is even more of an accolade and one to be savoured for a long time to come. The overall project took some twenty years to finalise, but it gives us yet another reason for enthusiast sand the public to come to GCR, so many congratulations to all the S&T team. The Santa season is well under way and all records have once again been broken. We are already ahead of last year s record year, but are now running out of seats to sell despite all of Richard s and Kate s efforts to put on more trains. In an era of deep recession it says a great deal that we remain one of the few Heritage Railways ahead of turnover last year. We managed to keep our negotiations with the National Railway Museum and Leicester City Council away from the press until we announced the proposed development for a major museum at Leicester North. Now the really hard work begins, but the challenge is exciting. Next week it will be time for final Christmas preparations, which from our household have not even started! Page 1 / 5

2 NATIONAL AWARD FOR SWITHLAND SIDINGS SIGNALLING The Great Central Railway picked up a prestigious gong on Wednesday 5 th December at the National Railway Heritage Award. Presented by the head of the National Trust, Simon Jenkins, the signalling award was presented to the GCR in recognition of the completion of the Swithland Sidings scheme; the culmination of the ambitious multi-million pound double track project. The signalbox at Swithland was commissioned in the Summer of 2012, two decades after it was proposed by the projects main sponsor, the late David Clarke. His vision was to return the section of the Great Central between Loughborough and Rothley to double track status. At Swithland, an impressive installation of loops and sidings has been installed together with a restored signalbox and complex signalling. Trains can now, not only pass each other heading in opposite directions, but slower trains can be put into loops to allow faster services to overtake. The whole installation has been finished to a very high standard by the railways Signal and Telegraph department, using hundreds of thousands of volunteer man hours. Managing Director of the Great Central Railway Bill Ford said, We are immensely proud to collect this award. It is a tribute to our team who completed the project to such a high standard, the fundraisers who helped make it a reality and most of all to the late David Clarke, the man who inspired and provided a large amount of funding for the project. He had a passion for signalling and while he never lived to see Swithland Signalbox commissioned, I am sure he would have been extremely impressed. His vision is now an educational legacy for future generations. The Great Central Railway s steam and diesel gala events have already been enhanced by the new installation. In 2013 a gala is planned which will allow the enthusiasts to get into Swithland Sidings and see the award winning signalling in action close up. Christmas Lunches at Ellis Tea Room and Butler Henderson Café Ellis Tea Room and Butler Henderson Café would like to wish all their customers old and new Seasonal Greetings and invite members to join them for some festive good cheer during the Christmas celebrations. Butler Henderson will be taking booking for their Christmas Lunches offering Traditional turkey with stuffing, roast potatoes and seasonal mixed vegetables, tea or coffee for 7.75 on Wednesday 12th and Thursday 13th December between 12:00 and 2:30 pm. Call Kathy on Page 2 / 5

3 Cook required Kathy is looking for a cook to join her catering team at Butler Henderson. She is looking for a mature person who has cooking experience and Food Hygiene Certificate Level 2. Members will appreciate that at times this can be a very pressured job and on gala's and events not for the faint hearted. Working with Kathy and Nic it would be initially to cover Monday and Saturday with some flexibility where possible. Butler Henderson prepare dishes from fresh ingredients and are looking to build on a basic menu of Jacket potatoes, panini, homemade soups, cakes and scones. Experience of working with the general public is also peferred. If you know someone who might be happy to work under pressure and has a sunny disposition to engage with customers and would like to be considered for an interview, please contact Kathy Hayes on GCR Christmas gifts Available from Loughborough Station Gift Shop whilst stocks last: 2013 GCR Calendars 7.00 each GCR Christmas cards 5.99 (pack of 5) We also have a large range of books, DVDs, Thomas and other railway items available which make ideal Christmas stocking fillers for the rail enthusiast. Visit our online shop! We have loads of new items on the new website - perfect for Christmas. Buy your Christmas presents and support GCR at the same time! Just visit: Happy Shopping & Happy Christmas! Hilary Cooper and Kate Tilley Christmas Holiday Trains December 26 to January 1 From December 26th through to January 1st 2013 ride on our Christmas Holiday Trains and steam away those winter blues Every day over the Chirstmas holiday period we re running some of the gems of our locomotive fleet on a busy train services. Our normal fares and Friends of the Great Central Main Line discounts apply. Visit our new website or call for more info. Kate Tilley Page 3 / 5

4 Leicestershire area group December 14 Main Line Steam, 2012, on Video PSOV The usual superb footage from Karl and Dave. January 11 The Final Years Roger Jones Images of the last five years of B.R. steam nationwide. February 8 Steam in Scotland, Part 4 Perth to Carlisle Chris Banks From Perth, over the Forth Bridge to the Edinburgh area, and finally the Waverly route. March 8 Steam in the Snow Les Nixon Wintry scenes from pre-60 s to the present century in the U.K. and worldwide. All meeting are held at St. Bartholomews Church Hall, Church Lane, Quorn, near Loughborough, starting at Free admittance, although donations welcome to defray costs. Refreshments available during the interval. Any enquiries to John Calton on , Keith Satterly or Peter Hack Northamptonshire area group January 2 Steam in action GB Productions Preserved steam in action on and off the mainline. February 6 GCR steam David Putt Slide show of all the locos that have run on the preserved railway March 6 Last years of BR steam Roger Jones Slide show from the last 5 years of BR All meetings are held at Weston Favell Parish Hall, junction of Booth Lane and Wellingborough Road, Northampton, NN3 3EP, starting at 19:30. Free admittance, although donations welcome to defray costs. Refreshments available. Any enquiries to Tony Hemmings Shed news Everyone buzzing around Cromwell like wasps round a honeypot. On Wednesday the old flue tubes were being reclaimed by trimming the reduced diameter firebox ends, known as bottle ends, where they had been removed by flame cutting, and shot blasting the outsides. The upset ends are in fact a piece welded onto the larger diameter tube, if you are both lucky and careful there is enough of this smaller diameter bit to cut a new thread onto, when you know the size of the one you have cut in the firebox tubeplate. The problem then is that you have made the assembly too short, so you have to weld a compensating standard diameter bit onto the other end. All worth doing though, as a bit of plain tube is a lot cheaper than a new bottle end. A commercial contractor was busy boring the left cylinder, a very long winded task requiring special equipment. All new motion bearings are being fitted, each one of the multitude has to be machined to its own individual size, and every lathe is knee deep in bronze, brass or gunmetal swarf. James continues his stoical task of white metalling axle boxes, as far as I can see he has completed ten for the 8F and is now well into the Butterley 7F, which are much smaller as Page 4 / 5

5 it was a Midland design. The Midland had this thing about making driving wheel bearing surfaces as small as possible, even ruining the Garrett design with their dogma. Santa's steeds this weekend are the two '2's and the N2, although was receiving attention to its left cylinder lubrication system on Wednesday. David Mathews If you have any news or photos you d like included in the weekly newsletter, please forward to martin.ward@gcrailway.co.uk by 10.30am Wednesday. GCR Plc Page 5 / 5