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It has been revealed that the only operational GCR Engine is to visit the Nottingham Transport centre for two events this summer.

Great Central Railway Gala:

Saturday 12th July: Grand Station Opening at 2pm, real ale tent & evening band planned along with GCR 8K (O4) top and tailing with RHS No. 56 to Loughborough
Sunday 11th July 2009: GCR 8K (O4) top and tailing with RHS No. 56 to Loughborough


Saturday 18th July 2009: GCR 8K (O4) top and tailing with RHS No. 56 to Loughborough
Sunday 19th July 2009: Edwardian re-enactment for Rushcliffe Golf Club Centenary: GCR 8K (O4) top and tailing with RHS No. 56

The GCR 8K (LNER O4) 2-8-0 heavy freight locomotive will once again be seen and heard on the Great Central Mainline in Nottingham.

The Gala will also see use of the new platform at the Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre, set in Rushcliffe (Ruddington) Country Park, south of Nottingham.

The 8K is regarded by many as the most successful steam locomotive ever, being built in more numbers than any other type for freight and then war duties in WW1. The 8K is one of only two surviving GCR locomotives in the UK and the only GCR locomotive in steam. Its boiler ticket expires later this year. As one of the largest Edwardian Locomotives, designed to haul huge trains through the demanding gradient of the Woodhead Tunnel between Sheffield & Manchester they were rather ironically named "tinies" and saw widspread use until the end of steam. Many on coal trains throughout Nottingham.

This is the 8K's first visit to the preserved Great Central Railway (Nottingham).

Vintage Carriages

The gala shall also offer tours of the GCR Rolling Stock Trust's vintage carriage fleet where progress of the 6 wheeler No. 946 and famous fleet of Barnum Carriages can be seen.

The trust will also be able to show progrsss on the new carriage building No.4 that should eventually house some of these historic vehicles. Donations towards this historically important project would be welcome.

More details to come as available.

The GCR 8K will also see service on 19th July as part of an Edwardian celebration of 100 years of the nearby Rushcliffe Golf Club. The Public Trains hauled by the 8K will also run all this day.