We hope to get more building underway on our Reunification project in 2026.
The ambitious scheme will rebuild 500 metres of missing railway, which will relink two halves of the heritage line, creating an eighteen mile rail corridor through Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.
Next Summer a further 60 metres of new formation will be built, including crossing a factory car park on a viaduct and a bridge over a minor road (Railway Terrace) in Loughborough. This will add to the three phases of the project which are already complete.
Malcolm Holmes, General Manager of the Great Central Railway said, “Now we have planning consent to build all the remaining infrastructure needed to complete Reunification, we want to move forward with physical work. It shows everyone we mean business while ticking off more of the job and locking the funds we’ve raised into concrete. There is a little more work to do before we can begin, like the final design of the new structures but we are confident of starting to build the next sections in 2026, providing we can raise another £900,000.”
The estimated cost of the next two sections is £3.5m. Fundraisers and supporters at home and around the world have already secured £2.6m for this work leaving £900,000 to find. Already more than £5m has been invested into delivering the scheme including all the building work so far, securing the planning consent and ground investigation work.
Andy Fillingham of Great Central Railway (Nottingham) said, “We are moving forward all the time with our plans to reunify but we know everyone wants to see more railway appearing - and so do we! Building in 2026 is a really exciting prospect as we chase the remaining funds we need. Thank you to everyone who makes a donation because every pound will really count towards getting contractors on site”.
Supporters can donate on line and even set up regular standing orders at www.gcrailway.co.uk/unify The recently refreshed website also has all the news about the project and videos of what’s being planned.
The latest project visuals and news are available at the GCRs YouTube channel, search for GCROFFICIAL