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REFURBISHED AND OVERHAULED '4 BIG' UNIT TO STAR IN ITS OWN GALA WEEKENDREFURBISHED AND OVERHAULED '4 BIG' UNIT TO STAR IN ITS OWN GALA
Posted on 29/06/09
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Looking splendid in all over green, the Great Central Railway's 4 BIG unit is to star in its own special weekend. On the 4th and 5th of July the four carriage unit which has recently had a complete cosmetic interior and exterior overhaul will make several runs along the line.
Helen Ashby, the National Railway Museums head of Knowledge and Collections and Tim Shoveller, the Managing Director of East Midlands Trains will formerly re-commission the unit at a special ceremony. This will take place at 11.15am on Sunday 5th of July at Loughborough Central station.
"The Unit was acquired to be a people mover," said GCR president Bill Ford, "to help ease overcrowding at some of our most popular special events like Wartime weekend and Bonfire night. Clearly these units never operated on the Great Central Railway, but as a prime commuter vehicle, the Mk 1 style vehicles are an important part of British railway history. The fact it can run in push pull mode means, just like a DMU we can use our double track to capacity and provide a very frequent service with it. Now it is in all over green livery it really looks superb and I'd like to congratulate everyone involved in the refurbishment."
The unit arrived in 2005, fresh from finishing its days on the national network. In 2006 it was able to run for the first time in full 'push pull mode' with the national Railway Museum's class 33 (D6535). The units were seen across the Southern Region but were often found running between London and Brighton. (The "IG" part of their name comes from the London Brighton and South Coast Railway telegraphic code for Brighton.)
When it arrived at the railway the unit was a 4 CIG - its buffet car having been removed and replaced with a modern CEP coach. This carriage was sold to another owner and an appropriate buffet car was sourced to replace it. Now a BIG once more, it is ready for passenger traffic although it will be a while before the buffet car is open for anything more than light refreshments. Real ale is planned for the 4 BIG buffet for the special weekend.
Normal fares will apply for the weekend (12 adult runabout tickets), with a special intensive timetable. The 4-BIG could cover up to 66 miles each day - further than London to Brighton! Two steam engines and a further diesel locomotive will also be in action making the weekend a mini gala. More details are available on the GCR website at www.gcrailway.co.uk
Further Information From the Loughborough Based Great Central Railway
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. Its the only place in the world where full size steam engines can be seen passing each other just as it was when steam ruled the rails. The preserved railway has been operating for over 36 years, and is manned by around 700 volunteers and a small team of permanent staff. Preservation of this section of the Great Central Railway began in 1969. The route was originally part of a main line from Sheffield to London. The 8 mile preserved section between Loughborough and Leicester is fully operational and the 4 stations reflect a different period of the railways110 year history.
Trains run every weekend of the year, bank holidays and daily in the summer. In addition, First Class Restaurant Car Services provide 4 or 6 course meals, whilst travelling between Loughborough and Leicester or childhood dreams can come true with a Drive a Train Experience. We also run a number of family events, including Days Out with Thomas the Tank Engine, Bonfire Night and Santa Specials.
The railway has won a number of awards including independent railway of the year, and a gold award for the East Midlands best visitor experience and is a quality assured visitor attraction as designated by Enjoy England.
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