A main line, preserved
Passenger and goods traffic began on 9 March 1899. The line closed as a through route to London in 1966 and was finally closed in 1969, and the Main Line Steam Trust was formed and registered as a charity in 1971 (about the GCR). Today it runs “eight miles of the line between Loughborough and Leicester North” (same page), calling at Loughborough Central, Quorn and Woodhouse, Rothley and Leicester North.
The only double-track heritage railway
The operator describes itself as the “UK’s only double-track heritage railway”, an 8-mile main line with 6 miles of double track and absolute block signalling (testing and training page). That is why the line is used for testing and training as well as passenger trains.
Loughborough Central and the shed
Loughborough Central is listed Grade II; its list entry dates it to 1898 and names Edward Parry as the designer (list entry). The engine shed beside it has three roads and lifting jacks to take wheels off locomotives (engine shed page). Film and television crews come here too: the operator lists Happy Valley, Enigma, Goodnight Mr Tom and Cemetery Junction among them (filming page).
The fleet
The operator’s fleet list includes No. 30777, an N15 King Arthur class 4-6-0, BR Standard 7 No. 70013, and the Class 45 diesel D123 (GCR home page). With double track, two trains can be on the move side by side, which is something few preserved lines can show you. In December the Santa Express runs (same page).
Watkin’s dream and the Loughborough gap
The London Extension opened in 1899 for more direct journeys from the capital to Nottingham, Leicester, Sheffield and Manchester. Its chairman, Sir Edward Watkin, pictured his railway one day running through a Channel tunnel to France. It never happened. The Beeching report of 1963 called the line a duplicate of the Midland Main Line, 31 years before the tunnel was finished.
The story now is the gap. North of the shed at Loughborough, a stretch of embankment and bridges, including a big single span over the Midland Main Line, is all that keeps this railway apart from the Great Central Railway (Nottingham). Join them and you’d have around 18 miles of preserved main line (Wikipedia).
Planning the day
A Day Runabout was listed at £24.00 for an adult booked online or £26.00 at the booking office, with dogs, cycles and large luggage at a flat £3 (timetables and fares). Loughborough has on-street parking only, while Rothley and Quorn have free car parks (GCR home page).
Photographing the line
The Great Central lets you book a filming or photography session, which is the way in for anything more than a platform shot. Its events page lists the Last Hurrah Steam Gala and a Diesel Mileage Weekend before the year is out, and with double track you can see trains pass on the move.
Sources: GCR filming and photography; GCR events (checked 21 October 2026).
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