About This Event
Join us for a special weekend celebrating the Great Central Railway’s journey towards reunification. Explore both halves of the railway as we look ahead to reconnecting Loughborough and Nottingham, creating an incredible 18-mile heritage railway through the heart of the East Midlands.
With one inclusive ticket giving access to all sites, train travel, and our special Heritage Rail Replacement Bus Service, there’s plenty to discover across the railway. From behind-the-scenes and guided tours to heritage transport, exhibition and interactive experiences, there’s plenty to explore.
Whether you’re a long-time supporter, a family looking for a great day out, or someone visiting us for the very first time, the Mind the Gap Reunification Weekend promises something for everyone.
Share the Love
For every adult Runabout ticket purchased, you can add a free ticket for a guest to join you and discover the Railway together. We’ll also have Kids for a Quid tickets available, making it a great family day out.
Simply add your adult Runabout Ticket to your basket and then select either a free adult Runabout Ticket or our Kids for a Quid offer.
One Ticket, Two Railways
Your ticket includes unlimited travel across both Great Central Railway and Great Central Railway Nottingham, plus access to our special reunification bus service linking Quorn & Woodhouse and Ruddington. Trains will be running across all four stations of The Great Central Railway, along with trains running from Ruddington to Rushcliffe Halt.
Heritage Rail Replacement Bus Service
Travel between the two halves from Quorn and Woodhouse Station and Ruddington Station and explore all attractions across the weekend with our special connecting bus service using classic London Routemaster buses. You will also be able to enjoy NABS bus trips to and from Ruddington to Rushcliffe Halt.
InterCity 125 HST Simulator Experience
Step into the driver’s seat and experience our HST simulator. Originally used to train drivers at GNER and East Midlands Trains, you can now take the controls yourself with a simulator session.
Guided Tours
There will be a range of guided tours across the weekend, including our Trackbed Guided Tour, where you can join BBC’s Tom Ingall for exclusive guided tours of the reunification trackbed, each day from Loughborough Central Station. There will be one walk Saturday Mid Afternoon and two on Sunday – one Mid Morning and the other Mid Afternoon. You can book your spot from the Friends Stand. Talks will be held in the Visitor Centre by the Watkins Society celebrating the lives and achievements of Absalom and Sir Edward Watkin. Sir Edward is best known for his ambitious vision of a railway link between Britain and Europe, reflecting the bold engineering and industrial ambition of the Victorian era.
Loughborough Loco Shed Viewing Area
Take a look behind the scenes at how steam locomotives are stripped down, repaired, and restored in our dedicated viewing area. There will also be tours over the weekend. Our experienced guides from the Boscastle team will lead you through the shed on the Boscastle Shed Tours, giving you a chance to see how our locomotives are overhauled and maintained.
Quorn Goods Shed & Wagon and Wagon
Discover the important role railways played in transporting freight and learn more about the GCR wagon fleet and historic goods operations by speaking to our Quorn Wagon & Wagon Team.
Friends of the Great Central Main Line Stand at Loughborough Central Station
Find out more about the Reunification Project and discover ways you can support the future of the railway.
Exhibitions at Rothley
Explore the fascinating history of railway communications and signalling technology, with our Telecoms Exhibition. Our Carriage and Wagon Works at Rothley will also be open for you to explore, offering a fascinating insight into the restoration and maintenance of our historic carriages and wagons.
Ruddington Miniature Railway
Experience rides on the miniature railway systems, including the Nottingham Society of Model Experimental Engineers’ impressive 5″ and 7 1/4 gauge railways.