Great Central Railway

Great Central Railway Step back in time to the golden age of travel at GCR! 🚂 We’re a heritage railway and award-winning tourist attraction.
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Open all year round, visit us for our Running Days, Dining or Drive a Train experiences - all in the heart of the East Midlands. The official Great Central Railway page - accept no substitutes! Voted number 12 on the list of the 50 greatest railway journeys in the world the Great Central Railway is the UK's only double track, main line heritage railway. It’s the only place in the world wh

ere full size steam engines can be seen passing each other – just as it was when steam ruled the rails. Trains run every weekend of the year, bank holidays and selected week days through the summer. In addition, First Class Restaurant Car Services provide 5 course meals, whilst travelling between Loughborough and Leicester. For a very special night out, step aboard the Great Central Pullman and return to an age of luxury and glamour, the quintessential orient express experience. Childhood dreams can come true with a Drive a Train Experience. We also run many family events, including Bonfire Night, Wartime Weekend and Santa Specials

It's the GCR's quirky and usually quiet wayside halt!The visit by Flying Scotsman and Tornado brought hundreds of people...
04/06/2026

It's the GCR's quirky and usually quiet wayside halt!

The visit by Flying Scotsman and Tornado brought hundreds of people to Rushcliffe Halt station every day, giving the station its busiest days ever.🛤️

🎥Watch our new YouTube video and enjoy a look back at the sites and sounds and the hard work needed make the visit a success here www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALO_jYrNoQw

03/06/2026

💛 Volunteer Opportunities – Volunteer Appreciation Week! 💛

As part of Volunteer Appreciation Week, we’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who gives their time to the Railway.

It’s been fantastic recently to see so many volunteers getting involved in different areas across the GCR, with many people stepping into new roles and helping out wherever needed. 🚂

To build on this, we’re looking to grow our volunteer “dipping pool” – a group of volunteers who can provide extra support across key areas, particularly at weekends and during our busiest periods.

Current opportunities include:
Booking Office Clerks (mainly weekend cover)
Gift Shop Support (our shop has grown significantly recently!)
Ticket Inspector Roles
Driving Experience Hosts, including goods train experiences, station tours, and other visitor-facing activities

Whether you’re looking to learn something new, meet more people, or simply get involved in another part of the Railway, we’d love to hear from you!

📧 Interested in getting involved? Contact Jenny Barsby at [email protected]

Diesel Running Day-Class 14 D9525 & Iris Day 🛤️Join us for one of our special Diesel Running Days on 12 June, featuring ...
03/06/2026

Diesel Running Day-Class 14 D9525 & Iris Day 🛤️

Join us for one of our special Diesel Running Days on 12 June, featuring visiting Class 14 D9525 and Iris, the railcar, operating across the railway. Enjoy an intensive timetable with plenty of mileage to experience, dedicated to these unique heritage diesel vehicles – all included within our standard fares.

🎟️Get your tickets on our website at www.gcrailway.co.uk/visit/events/20260712-diesel-running-day/

Celebrate National Cream Tea Day at Butler HendersonJoin us on Friday 26th June and enjoy a delicious traditional cream ...
02/06/2026

Celebrate National Cream Tea Day at Butler Henderson

Join us on Friday 26th June and enjoy a delicious traditional cream tea, including classic scones with clotted cream and jam, available all day.
Why not make it extra special? Prosecco and Pimm’s will also be available to purchase and enjoy alongside your cream tea. 🥂🍹

Gather your friends and family and treat yourselves to a relaxing day at Butler Henderson's.

This week is Volunteer Appreciation Week, and we wanted to thank everyone who volunteers their time at the Great Central...
01/06/2026

This week is Volunteer Appreciation Week, and we wanted to thank everyone who volunteers their time at the Great Central Railway!💛

The Great Central Railway exists today because a group of determined volunteers, back in 1969, following closure by British Railways, wanted the line to be saved to recreate the experience of mainline steam for generations to come.

Today we proudly cherish and develop their legacy with over 600 volunteers generously dedicating their free time to a large variety of different roles. By volunteering with us, you have become an integral part of Great Central Railway, whether it’s by maintaining and operating our historic trains, ensuring our stations run smoothly or helping us organise the memorable events and experiences that our guests cherish.

If you would like to get involved and join us in preserving the magic of steam and heritage at the Great Central Railway, visit our website at gcrailway.co.uk/volunteer/

30/05/2026

The sun is shining and day 1 of our 1940s weekend is in full swing! ☀️

There’s plenty of live entertainment, re-enactments, period displays and more throughout the weekend- all recreating Britain's post-war story alongside the backdrop of a real working heritage railway.

Make sure to come along!

Introducing Patreon Tier 2: Guard! We are pleased to announce the next tier in our Patreon journey, The Guard.Much like ...
30/05/2026

Introducing Patreon Tier 2: Guard!

We are pleased to announce the next tier in our Patreon journey, The Guard.
Much like the Guard who watches over the train from departure to arrival, this tier is for those who want to play a vital role in helping keep the Great Central Railway alive and thriving.🛤️

✨For just £10 (+VAT) a month, you’ll receive all the benefits from our Porter tier, plus even more exclusive perks:
• Submit your questions for a monthly Q&A video with General Manager Malcolm Holmes
• Your name listed in the credits of the General Manager’s update video
• Early access to behind-the-scenes videos
• An invite to an exclusive Patreon event at the Great Central Railway
• 10% off at Great Central Railway cafés
• An exclusive Patreon T-shirt after month 3

By joining as a Guard, you’re giving dependable support to our railway while unlocking unique experiences and special thank-you rewards along the way.

📅Launching June 1st!

We would love to welcome you aboard to our Patreon family!
Will you be taking your place as one of our Guards or joining us as a Porter?

We’re honoured to welcome a special appearance from the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight across both da...
28/05/2026

We’re honoured to welcome a special appearance from the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight across both days of our 1940s Weekend on 30th & 31st May.✈️

A true highlight of the event, the Memorial Flight pays tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of those who served during the Second World War.

This year, the plane Spitfire will take to the skies on both days:
Saturday 30th May – 14:03pm
Sunday 31st May – 13:57pm

Don’t miss the chance to witness this incredible aircraft flying above the railway as we step back in time for a weekend of vintage entertainment, music, reenactments and steam trains.

Click here to book your tickets - https://www.gcrailway.co.uk/visit/events/20260530-1940s-weekend/

Address

Great Central Road
Loughborough
LE111RW

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 4pm
Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm
Sunday 10am - 4pm

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