Loughborough Central railway station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Loughborough Central
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| Station on heritage railway | |
Platform and clock
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| Location | Loughborough, Leicestershire England |
| Coordinates | 52°46′07″N 1°11′45″W / 52.7686°N 1.1959°W |
| Operated by | Great Central Railway (preserved) |
| Platforms | 2 (1 Island) |
| History | |
| Original company | Great Central Railway |
| Post-grouping | London and North Eastern Railway |
| Key dates | |
| 15 March 1899 | opened |
| 5 May 1969 | closed |
| 23 March 1974 | reopened |
Loughborough Central Station is a special train station in Loughborough, England. It's part of the Great Central Railway, which is a preserved heritage railway. This means it's an old railway line that has been saved and restored so people can still enjoy train rides and see old trains.
Station History
This station first opened a long time ago, on March 15, 1899. It was built by the original Great Central Railway company. It has a unique "island platform," which means the platform is in the middle, with train tracks on both sides.
The platforms are about 400 feet long. That's enough space for up to six train carriages! What makes this station really special is its long roof, called a canopy. It's the longest complete canopy on any preserved railway.
Sadly, the station closed on May 5, 1969. This happened because of something called the "Beeching Axe," which was a plan to close many railway lines in Britain.
However, the station was reopened in 1974 by the Great Central Railway as a heritage railway. Today, you can catch trains from here that travel south to Leicester North. The station buildings, the original signal box, and three old water tanks are all protected as "Grade II listed" buildings. This means they are important historical structures.
Station Features
Loughborough Central Station has many original features. These include a ladies' waiting room, a general waiting room, gentlemen's toilets, and a cafe. In 2009, new toilets and a lift were added to make the station more accessible for everyone, including visitors with disabilities. There is also a book and gift shop, a museum, and another shop.
All the stations on the preserved Great Central Railway are set in a specific time period. Loughborough Central Station takes you back to the 1950s! You'll see old British Railways posters, special "totem poles" (signs), and even a 1950s TV showing old transportation films. There are also displays of 1950s platform trolleys and bicycles.
The station is also the main control center for the heritage railway. From the Station Master's Office, the Duty Traffic Manager organizes all the train movements on the line.
Filming Location
Because of its classic look, Loughborough Central Station has been used in many movies and TV shows. Some films shot here include Enigma, Shadowlands, and Cemetery Junction. The station and railway line were also featured in an episode of the BBC show Top Gear in 2011.
Train Shed
If you walk along a fenced path next to the tracks, you can see the running shed. This big building has three tracks and is where trains are stored and repaired. Unlike many other railways, you can often go inside and see many of the steam locomotives being worked on. Only one of the three tracks is usually closed to the public.
There's a big project called the "Loughborough Gap" that will change the running shed. The old shed will be replaced with a new, larger shed. This new shed will have eight tracks and enough space for 16 large steam engines. It will also include a second carriage workshop, storage areas, and an education center for school groups.
See Also
- Loughborough railway station - This is another train station in Loughborough, sometimes called Loughborough Midland.
