Great Central Railway Goes To Tender For Next Phase Of Multi Million Pound Reunification Project
The Factory Flyover phase will see 60 metres of new railway built with contractors expected on site early next year.
The Great Central Railway is about to embark on the biggest and most complex section of its ambitious Reunification project so far. The award-winning Midland’s heritage line is set to build another sixty metres of brand-new infrastructure at a cost of around £3.5m, as part of its plan to create an 18-mile living transport museum.
A tender process has begun which should see a contractor appointed before Christmas, with work expected to begin on site in early 2027.
An elevated concrete viaduct above a factory car park and a new bridge across Railway Terrace Road in Loughborough should be in place before the end of the year.
“This is a hugely significant moment for us,” said GCR General Manager Malcolm Holmes. “We’re actually building two sections of the Reunification project at the same time.
The new bridge and viaduct will add to the three pieces of Reunification already built, taking our total investment in the project so far to £8.5m, the vast majority being contributed by supporters around the world. It’s their passion which has helped us get this far."
The Reunification project will restore 500 metres of lost railway track, reconnecting the surviving Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire sections of the Great Central Railway for the first time since the intervening track was torn up in the 1970s.
Significant progress has already been made, with a new bridge spanning the Midland Main Line at Loughborough, the restoration of a historic canal bridge and the complete replacement of a road bridge.
Once complete, the reunited railway, supported by vintage bus connections, will create a major visitor attraction spanning Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire. It is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors to the East Midlands, support around 150 jobs and generate an estimated £250 million for the regional economy over 30 years.
Andy Fillingham of the Great Central Railway (Nottingham) said,
“Earlier this year we hosted Flying Scotsman and Tornado together and we could see the appetite everyone has for completing the link and running trains along 18 miles.
This project was once described as impossible and while there is much more to do, these next two stages, being built at the same time, will prove we are as committed as ever to finishing it!”
After the Factory Flyover stages around £18m is required to complete the railway, rebuild locomotive sheds and prepare for the link up.
Donations to the project are welcome at www.gcrailway.co.uk/unify where you can also read regular progress updates and videos from GCROFFICIAL on YouTube.
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