GCR_Winter_Steam_Gala_2025

Great Central Railway

Winter Steam Gala 2025

: With steam condensing beautifully in the cold, crisp morning air, Great Western Railway ‘Hall’ Class No. 6990 ‘Witherslack Hall’ comes off Loughborough shed at 9am on Saturday 25th January 2025, Day 3 of Winter Steam Gala 2025. Photo: Michael Smyth.

: At the start of the day on Saturday 25th January 2025, GWR 5600 Class 0-6-2 Tank engine No. 6695 comes off shed at Loughborough Central to begin its duties with the 10.00 departure to Quorn & Woodhouse and then empty stock to Rothley Brook. Photo: Michael Smyth.

: Caught in the backlighting of the low, early morning Winter sun, former Great Western Railway 5600 Class 0-6-2 Tank engine No. 6692 is seen coming off shed to start the day’s work at Loughborough Central on Saturday 25th January, 2025. Photo: Michael Smyth.

: Getting ready to start the day on Saturday January 25th 2025, newly-built ‘Grange’ Class No. 6880 ‘Betton Grange’ comes off shed under the watchful eye of one of the Great Central Railway’s members. Very appropriately, 6880 carries an 84E Tyseley shed plate. Photo: Michael Smyth.

: In addition to being an outstanding example of Main Line preservation, the Great Central Railway contains some of the finest examples of mechanical signalling on a preserved railway. Passing the once-commonplace sight of a stop signal and subsidiary, calling-on arm, ex Great Western Railway 0-6-2T No. 6695 comes off shed at Loughborough Central on Saturday 25th January 2025 to work the 10,00 to Quorn, which then ran empty stock to Rothley Brook. Photo: Michael Smyth.

: With steam catching the low morning sunlight on Saturday 25th January 2025, ex Great Western Railway 2-8-0 No. 3850 back towards its demonstration freight train of 10-foot wheelbase vacuum fitted vans that it will take South at 10.20 as part of the Great Central Railway’s superlative Winter Steam Gala. Photo: Michael Smyth.

: A special working was laid on during the Great Central Railway’s 2025 Winter Steam Gala: a double-headed non-stop run from Loughborough to Leicester behind ‘Grange’ Class No. 6880 ‘Betton Grange’ and ‘Hall’ Class No. 6990 ‘Witherslack Hall’. The pair is seen making a spectacular departure South from Loughborough Central at 13.45 on Saturday 25th January 2025. Photo: Michael Smyth.

: There is nothing quite like a black and white photograph to capture the atmosphere of steam in high-contrast, back-lit conditions. This image captures that atmosphere perfectly at Loughborough Central on Saturday 25th January 2025 during the Great Central Railway’s Winter Steam Gala. On the far left, GWR 0-6-2T No. 6695 will form the 10.00 to Quorn, whilst in the centre 6880 ‘Betton Grange’ heads the 09.45 to Leicester. On the right, 2800 Class 2-8-0 No. 3850 prepares to take a demonstration van train South. The Great Western Railway has it! Photo: Michael Smyth.

: A morning view at Loughborough Central on Saturday 25th January 2025, during the Winder Steam Gala. Great Western Railway ‘Hall’ Class No, 6990 ‘Witherslack Hall’ prepares to work the 10.30 to Leicester whilst 2-8-0 No. 3850 prepares to work the 10.20 Van train. Photo: Michael Smyth.

: The Great Central Railway’s Winter Steam Gala 2025 included a formation of empty unfitted 16-Ton mineral wagons, in the style of the famous Woodford-Annesley ‘Runners’. Although unfitted, Down Runners (empties) were timed as Class E trains at 45 mph. They can be seen in the Down pages (D21 to D34) of the Summer 1962 Working Timetable of Freight Trains on the Great Central, on the “August 1962 at Woodford Halse” pages of the RCTS Cambridge Branch Gallery and are indicated by E UB (Class E Un-Braked) at the head of the column. Photo: Michael Smyth.

: Great Western Railway ‘Hall’ Class No. 6990 ‘Witherslack Hall’ is a resident locomotive on the Great Central and was beautifully turned out for the Winter Stem Gala 2025. The locomotive makes a fine sight entering Quorn and Woodhouse on Saturday 25th January 2025 with the 10.30 Loughborough to Leicester North. Photo: Michael Smyth.

: 6880 ‘Betton Grange’ was built between 1998 and 2024, originally on the Llangollen Railway but then at Tyseley, in response to none of the 80 original Grange’s (6800-6879) being preserved. It was a welcome visitor to the Great Central’s Winter Steam Gala 2025, courtesy of Didcot Railway Centre, and is seen pulling out of Quorn & Woodhouse with the 12.00 Loughborough to Leicester North. Photo: Michael Smyth.

: The Great Central Railway’s Winter Steam Gala 2025 was hugely successful, attracting many visitors over its four days of operation (Thursday 23rd January 2025 to Sunday 26th January 2025). Just a small selection of these can be seen at Quorn and Woodhouse station on the Saturday as ex-GWR ‘Hall’ Class No. 6990 ‘Witherslack Hall’ prepares to depart with the 10.30 Loughborough to Leicester North. Photo: Michael Smyth.

: Derby Single Car unit No. M79900 must have felt a little out of place on the Great Central Railway’s Winter Steam Gala. Nevertheless, it made a welcome sight and looked very much of-the-period at Quorn and Woodhouse on Saturday January 25th 2025 with the 11.05 from Loughborough to Rothley Brook. After Quorn, this working ran non-stop to Rothley Brook where it had a two-minute turnround before heading back North at 11.43 and making its Rothley stop at 11.45. Photo: Michael Smyth.

: During the Great Central Railway’s Winter Steam Gala 2025, Great Western Railway 2800 Class 2-8-0 No. 3850 passes through Quorn and Woodhouse with a demonstration freight train of 10′ wheelbase vacuum-fitted vans. Photo: Michael Smyth.

: On a beautifully sunny Saturday 25th January, during the Great Central Railway’s 2025 Winter Steam Gala, BR Standard Class 5 No. 73156 has a little steam to spare as is draws into Quorn and Woodhouse with a demonstration rake of empty 16-ton mineral wagons, in the style of one of the famous Woodford to Annesley ‘Runners’. Photo: Michael Smyth.

: At Swithland Sidings on Saturday 25th January 2025, Great Western Railway 2800 Class 2-8-0 No. 3850, hauling the 12.45 Loughborough to Leicester, passes the delightful BR Standard Class 5 4-6-0 No. 73156 on a Northbound van train. Photo: Richard Tremaine.

: 6880 ‘Betton Grange’ was built between 1998 and 2024, originally on the Llangollen Railway but then at Tyseley, in response to none of the 80 original Grange’s (6800-6879) being preserved. It was a welcome visitor to the Great Central’s Winter Steam Gala 2025, courtesy of Didcot Railway Centre, and is seen pulling out of Quorn & Woodhouse with the 12.00 Loughborough to Leicester North. Photo: Michael Smyth.

: The low, Winter sun makes for marvellous backlighting conditions at Rothley on Saturday January 25th 2025, the third day of the Great Central Railway’s Winter Steam Gala 2025. In the distance, BR Standard Class 2 No. 78019 approaches with the 11.58 from Rothley Brook which will depart at 12.02 for Loughborough Central. Photo: Michael Smyth.