Great Central Railway

Facilities

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• Uncover the story - Pioneer of popular tourism, Thomas Cook, arranged his first one-day rail excursion in 1841 by chartering a steam train to take 500 passengers from Leicester to Loughborough and back for a shilling. <hr> The success of this and other excursions led Thomas Cook to set up his own travel agency business, earning Leicester the title of the ‘birthplace of popular tourism’. Thomas Cook was one of the oldest travel firms in the world and a company credited with changing the global tourism landscape. <hr> Today visitors can still follow the same landmark route through the Leicestershire countryside, taking a restored steam train from Leicester North station to Loughborough Central. <hr> An excursion on the Great Central Railway will truly recreate the magic of the golden age of steam. It has a double track section giving passengers the thrill of full-size steam trains passing each other at speed and is in fact the only place in the world where this can be experienced. <hr> In its heyday the Great Central Railway linked cities in the north and Midlands to London. Today it’s not the destination that’s important, but the journey passengers take on this delightful heritage railway. Steam and diesel trains take passengers between a series of charming restored stations, past working signal boxes and water towers, over viaducts and through the rolling fields of the beautiful Leicestershire countryside. <hr> Trains run every weekend of the year, bank holidays and selected weekdays through the summer. In addition, First Class Restaurant Car services provide five course meals whilst travelling between Loughborough and Leicester. As passengers wait for their next train, they can enjoy the refreshments provided at station buffets or browse for gifts at the Emporium. <hr> A full programme of events includes Steam Galas, 1940s Wartime Weekend and themed events for the family.