great central railway

What a day out! Absolutely packed with super things to see and enjoy - apart from the great steam train rides! The wartime experience was a fascinating twist to the visit with so many in period clothes. We liked the way they handed over each station to a particular country. The axis forces 'man in a raincoat' going down the train asking for 'papers...' was VERY scary!! We're down to go again this year - 2015. Wouldn't miss it for the world.

What a great treat this is for anyone. We had a fantastic 5 course meal on board a delightful steam train.First of all the station takes you back in time, really gives the feel of a bygone era to get you in the mood for the train trip. The train has been lovingly restored to a very high standard. It is so cosy and romantic , perfect for a special treat. The food was outstanding! So top quality and plenty of it too. All served very hot which is great. It's a credit to the chef and his team. Well done them ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️ . You get the chance to get off the train at a station stop too. Again this is a really old authentic station with gas lighting. So atmospheric. The trip lasts about 3 hours as you travel the Leicestershire country side. There is plenty of free parking outside the station too. Highly recommended!

My grandson loves steam trains and loved this themed outing. He met characters from Frozen and superheroes and villains. However the queue for face painting was too long for us to wait and the sandwiches at Loughborough cafe took 25 minutes to arrive. We could not get seats on the first train from Quorn. An excellent day out tainted by the obvious lack of preparation on the part of Great Central Railway. The volunteers had not anticipated the numbers and grandma should have taken some provisions. Despite all that we both had a wonderful day,

We went on the half term Frozen Express from Loughborough station to Leicester North (Birstall) and back again. Managed to get a seat in a first class compartment was very nice on this fully packed train. The Frozen Express experience was very nice, with professional singers dressed up as Olav, Elsa and Anna who all stopped by each compartment for a chat, a sing song, handing out sweets and to pose for photos. Especially our 2 year old daughter loved it. Having been on this train many times now it is still always a nice experience with lovely views over the reservoir and always something going on at each station. The stations alone are worth a visit. I especially like that they have kept the old waiting rooms. This is always a good day out. Looking forward to more events through the year and will be exciting when the gap to Nottingham is finally closed.

This was bought for me as a birthday gift, full weekend package, 2 nights accommodation, breakfast and dinner included but best of all the murder mystery evening on a steam train. We had a great day exploring the rail network too, I would definitely recommended a weekend trip here.

This attraction is great for all ages, steam buffs as well as those not quite so knowlegeable. The museum and sheds at the Loughborough sidings are a must and so too are the coffee shops on Quorn and Rothley Stations.

We tend to visit the Loughborough Great Central station on gala days, both steam and diesel. We have also been fortunate enough to enjoy several murder mystery Xmas trips as well as Santa specials.Although somewhat weather dependant, the galas are always enjoyable events and visiting locos add further interest. Car parking can be a problem however, as the steam galas in particular, are very well attended. We also go to Quorn station, usually as part of a long walk, and enjoy refreshments at the 'Master Cutler' cafe.The murder mystery nights are great fun and the food is very good indeed.Finally, the Santa Specials are well done and enjoyed by children and parents alike.

Lovely day out .Staff are really friendly and the station really is a step back in time .They do a lot of themed events & have character engines that are popular with young children Their restaurant carriage is a must for a special occasion it could rival the Orient express

Since we're both fans of history and heritage trains, we decided to spend our Valentine's Day on the Great Central Railway. It turned out to be a wonderful day.We drove to Loughborough from Nottingham. In advance we were a little concerned there didn't seem to be any designated parking, but there was actually plenty on the road outside the station, even though it was a Saturday.The station creates a fabulous first impression and it was very easy to buy a ticket as soon as we entered, from a friendly and polite member of staff.We were just in time for the first steam-hauled train of the day so we jumped on and made our way all the way to Leicester North - about 30 minutes. We used the time to have a good look at the timetable and plan the rest of our day, including where we could stop to eat etc. The leaflet gives good information about what you will find at each station and the timetable doesn't just have the times, it also tells you if the train is steam or diesel and if there is opportunity to buy hot food on the train. My tip for the day - either read the leaflet/website in advance and plan your visit that way or read the leaflet when you get there. It's the best way to make sure you really get the most out of this fabulous attraction.The scenery is lovely for much of the journey too, especially crossing the reservoir, so don't forget to look out of the window!Once we'd made it all the way to Leicester, we stayed on the steam train back to Rothley, spent about half an hour there, got on the next train - a 1950s diesel multiple unit - and rode it down to Leicester North and then back up to Quorn and Woodhouse, where we spent an hour, including refreshments. We then caught the steam train as it passed, back to Loughborough, where we spent time looking at the shops and museum, managed to get a tour of the locomotive sheds, and ate a late lunch. All in all we were there from 10.00 until 15.45, so the £15 each for the tickets felt very much worth it.The trains are, of course, the stars of the attraction and the locomotives are beautifully kept. It was also fascinating to see them in the sheds, to realise what complex machines they are and what a fabulous job the (mostly volunteer) engineers and workers do to renovate them and keep them running. For anyone who is fascinated by trains, this is a great place to spend a few hours.However, it's a lot more than just the trains and the train rides. The stations are wonderful - you really do feel like you've travelled through time. Here's a quick run down of the highlights:Leicester North - the end of the line, created to look like it's the 1960s but with less to do than at the other stations, so we really just waited for the next train.Rothley - restored to its Edwardian glory with gas lamps, appropriate advertising. Don't miss the waiting rooms - with open fires - and toilets which are very fitting to the time! The platform tearoom looked lovely - delicious looking cake - but we'd decided to wait until the next station.Quorn and Woodhouse - in my opinion, the most interesting station. It's the wartime station, with appropriate 1940s advertising and public information posters, 'Dig for Victory' vegetable patches and sandbags around the doors. Again, the waiting rooms are spot on for the period and you can watch some wartime news footage in one of them. The highlight was the NAAFI tearoom (staffed by volunteers and, I believe, only open at weekends and in school holidays) which is (safe from air raids) under the bridge. It really does feel like you've gone back to the 40s and the copies of wartime newspapers on the table, the roaring fire and the memorabilia around the place really add to it. A great place for a cuppa and biscuit, especially on a chilly day. Again, the toilets are as fascinating as everything else!Loughborough - the station with the most to see. You can watch the trains coming and going from here all day and take a walk down to the maintenance sheds. They sometimes do tours - with one of the engineers - look out for the notices of dates and times. There is a small museum which is interesting if you're interested in some of the history of the GCR. There are also two shops, one selling second hand books, DVDs etc with a railway theme (mostly!) and one gift shop, also with a good range of books and some nice gifts. There are two lovely waiting rooms - again with the open fires - and also the Refreshment Room which serves really good, freshly cooked food at a very reasonable price. They offer all day breakfasts, jacket potatoes, soup and sandwiches, along with tea and coffee and other snacks. It's a cosy, friendly place to eat.It was a really wonderful day. Being from Nottingham, we were excited to see that the fund to 'Bridge the Gap' with Great Central North running through to Ruddington is now close to achieving its target. It's amazing that such a long stretch of such an important railway has been preserved and is now presented with such authenticity. So much of the work is undertaken by volunteers and they must be applauded.We'll definitely be back. We got the leaflets about special events in the future and intend to come to as many of them as possible.Highly recommended - as long as you like trains and a bit of history!

It was my dads birthday, and it could not have been any better.We were given a coach to ourselves and the food was really something! - remember what the poor guys are cooking it on!! We were able to get there before and dress the coach up with balloons etc. The stations are immaculately clean, well done to all My dad was also able to "drive the train" back a couple of stationsWe all had a fantastic time!! Thanks!!

Went on this the train went 8 miles out before going back to the station. The manager tried lying stating it had finished its journey when it hadn't it was the fact the kitchen had a fault. Sat in the station the rest of the time. Did not want to help out , refund or even acknowledge that the staff had lied. Worst experience ever!!!

The Great Central Railway is a great day out for all the family with very helpful and friendly staff. Well worth a visit.

We went here with a large group of friends (24 of us in total) and enjoyed it immensely.the staff are faultless ,polite and very efficient.the food is all cooked fresh in a small galley and it was amazing!!!! Every course was delicious and the main course of lamb was the best I've tasted it just fell off the bone. Well done to everyone involved ,thank you for an amazing evening we will DEFINATELY be back !!!!!!!!!!

We visited the railway as a treat for my birthday. We chose Quorn as the station to park at rather than Loughborough for ease especially it's disabled access. The railway is the only twin track heritage railway in the world at present limited to 9 miles each way but due to be longer in the next few years. The staff are mostly volunteers and as such are helpful and enthusiastic ensuring you get as much as possible out of your visit. During the day of our visit we heard lots of accents from all over the world but no complaints. What you can expect to find on the GCR varies depending on the time of year or what theme is running from 1940's to traction type. Remember also that each station is themed from 1900's to 1940's and 1960's so that there is always something to see railway history based and the chance to ride the only double track heritage railway in the worldIF you are like me using your own wheels (mobility scooter) there is access at all stations but Quorn and Ropley are best together with their car parking and disabled concessions ticket to ride all day and your carer can also travel with you for free. There are wheelchair ramps at every station so it's easy and all you do is tell the guard where you want to get off and you are sorted unlike the network where they need 24 hour notice here you just turn up and ride

We took our three year old Granddaughter on the Santa Train on 21st December 2014, this was our first visit to the Station and first time at anything like this.We had a lovely few hours, I suppose we view through rose tinted glasses, because our Granddaughter just loved it, and was awe struck when she met Santa. Which is what the trip was all about - her enjoying the time. I will never forget her little face, and for that I thank everyone involved in the trip. Well done to you all.A really good 'Santa', in excellent costume (not cheap and tatty looking) - and with that perfect 'Santa Voice' - he was so warm and friendly, as too were his 'helpers'.....The present my Granddaughter received was very good, considering the rubbish you get in shopping centres - she loved it anyway. Wouldn't let go of the package all the way home....still plays with it.Along with the Christmas cracker, drink, chocolate Santa, giant cookie and mince pie and sherry for us adults - I think it was well worth the visit.Some might argue a little expensive, I disagree. There is a lot of upkeep, lots of staff to run the event etc., and "what price can you put on a child's perfectly happy mood/experience"? We have been to attractions that are more expensive than this, without half the satisfaction.Santa sat with us for probably a little bit longer than you would normally get, in shops or garden centres. However, enhanced because he did return for photographs and some extra time with our Granddaughter, letting her ring Rudolf's bell......which she loved. Yes, the train interior is tatty and a bit dirty, but this is forgotten once you get involved.I think the entertainer was mediocre, he didn't engage with all of the children, our Granddaughter was desperate for him to talk to her, but he didn't....but then she is only 3, and perhaps his tricks would not have been understood or suitable. To his credit, he did lead the carriage in an excellent impromptu carol sing-along, when the train was stopped on the tracks for a while due to a technical hitch with the signal.We did enjoy the nostalgic feel of the station platform too, and the only disappointment was that the fire was not lit in the waiting room, having read how cosy it is and seen pictures on the web site....despite being really cold, the fire was not lit, the waiting room was very chilly.We will definitely take her back next Christmas.