The Great Central Railway exists today because a group of determined volunteers, back in 1969, following closure by British Railways, wanted the line to be saved to recreate the experience of main line steam for generations to come.
Today we proudly cherish and develop their legacy as a contemporary visitor attraction to educate, entertain and bring value to our local communities.The UK's only double track, main line heritage railway, trains operate every weekend, Bank Holidays and selected weekdays during the summer and school holidays with steam and heritage diesel locomotives as well as our heritage railcars. Start your experience at any one of our stations: Loughborough Central, Quorn & Woodhouse, Rothley or Leicester North. All our stations are presented in periods to reflect the golden age of train travel offering visitors an informative glimpse into the past.
You can refresh yourself at one of our station cafes, or onboard our trains and why not visit Loughborough Central Station’s Souvenir Shop and second hand Emporium that’s full of railwayana, to pick up a memento of your visit.
At Loughborough Central Museum you can learn about the history of the Great Central Railway and take a look behind the scenes with one of our specialist tours that looks at what life was like at a working main line station as well as what it takes to preserve our stations and rolling stock for future generations to enjoy.
Step into a world of vintage luxury and enjoy First-Class Dining aboard our historic main line steam locomotives. Options include a luxurious Afternoon Tea, a delicious lunch or romantic evening meal aboard. For those looking for something unique, our themed experiences including thrilling Murder Mystery evenings, our GastroPub service, romantic Valentine's Day and, of course, the grand celebration that is Christmas and New Year on board are not to be missed!