Volume 7 Number 41 GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAY WEEKLY NEWSLETTER October 17 2012 From the M.D. We get many accolades these days across the board from catering to every other department. Some of these point the way forward in our growth. The attached letter from Guhring, who are a major supplier to Cromwell Tools, speaks volumes of everyone’s efforts as we concentrate on building our name at the very forefront of the Heritage Railway experience. Over the last month, we have entertained not only Guhring but also Cromwell Tools, Caterpillar, Lafarge and other major corporate entities which afford us significant networking opportunities. This week I am enclosing two letters received after the Gala and I am sure will be appreciated by all who read the Newsletter. It is easy from the inside to criticise our railway, but we receive letters like these on a daily basis which make the volunteer work worthwhile. Everyone connected to the railway needs to be congratulated. Due to activities underway in the various growth areas, I’ve decided I will hand over the responsibility for the Newsletter to our General Manager Richard Patching who has a much better grip on the day-to-day workings of the railway and it is only right and proper that he should continue He has the full backing of the Board and obviously my full support whilst we continue to work closely together. SPOOKTACULAR GHOST TRAINS AT THE GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAY Frightful goings on at Half Term and on Halloween Night Dare you ride the trains that go shunt in the night? The Great Central Railway is challenging its passengers to be brave as they buy tickets for the award winning Leicestershire attractions Halloween trains. Receive the newsletter direct to your inbox! Subscribe at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GCR-Announce or send a blank email to [email protected] Page 1 / 7 There's double the ghoulish goings on this year! On Saturday the 27th of October, at the end of half term, spooky steam trains will run all day between Loughborough Central and Leicester North stations. With story telling, circus performers, fancy dress, face painting and a funfair rides, it will be fun for even the youngest of spook spotting travellers and their families. On Halloween night (Tuesday 31st October) the railway’s ever popular fright night returns. A ghost train filled with ghastly creatures will rumble through the night. Dare you join the dastardly diesel service? The train leaves Loughborough at 6pm, 7pm and 8pm for a return trip through the gloom to Rothley station. With creepy crawlies in a waiting room, a display of owls and an ectoplasm slime lucky dip there is plenty of fun on offer. At Rothley - the GCRs officially haunted station – a paranormal expert will be leading supernatural station explorations! "Halloween is a great time at the Great Central Railway" said marketing manager Kate Tilley, "Everyone loves dressing up and getting into the spirit of the occasion. We have a lot of fun to offer travellers brave enough to step on board our ghost trains. One thing that isn't scary is our ticket prices. On Saturday the 27th, a family of two adults and up to three children can get a ticket for just £25. On Halloween night, the young and the young at heart can ride for just £5 each, with under 2s free." There is more information about the ghastly trains that go shunt in the night at the GCRs brand new website at www.gcrailway.co.uk Half Term at Greenacres Wondering what to do with the little ones during half term next week? Why not come along to Greenacres and let them run around to their hearts content, then keep them entertained on the arts and crafts table, followed by a tasty treat from the Platform Café! The Platform Café will be open 10am – 4pm from Tuesday 23rd through to Sunday 28th October. Receive the newsletter direct to your inbox! Subscribe at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GCR-Announce or send a blank email to [email protected] Page 2 / 7 Main Meal & A Mince Pie The Platform Café will be launching their Christmas Menu on November 24th but would like to invite all of GCR (including volunteers, members & staff, plus partners) to join us in celebrating the festivities at The Platform Café, Greenacres, during two special evenings reserved for GCR. A Christmas Main Meal & a Mince Pie, with a choice of; Traditional Turkey meal with all the trimmings Premier Nut Loaf with Honey Roast Parsnips & Cherry Vine Tomatoes Winter Vegetable Medley & Brussel Sprouts with Chestnuts served with all meals Home-made Hot Brandy Mince Pies served with Vanilla Ice Cream £9.99 per person Wednesday 5th December or Monday 10th December at 7.00pm, Entertainment from 8.00pm. This is a ticket only event, reservations and tickets will need to be booked and a £5 deposit paid for in advance please, by contacting; Lesley Allardyce on (01509) 633870 or 077785 12275 Halloween Volunteers Our Halloween events are fast approaching, and we still require some help with various activities across the two events. Please, if you can help, be it just an hour here or there, do get in contact and let me know. We have plenty of dress up materials, so you will not need to get these yourselves. I look forward to hearing from you – please email [email protected] Hayley Stevenson HALLOWEEN HALF TERM FUN DAY - Saturday 27th Coming Events October October 24-28 Dare you ride our ghoulish steam trains? There's spooky stilt Half-term trains walkers, circus tricks, giant bubbles, fancy dress competition and October 31 free face painting. Visit the trick or treat museum - who knows Halloween Fright Night what you'll find inside... There's also arts and crafts in the witches November 5 grotto & fairground rides. With out of this world family fares (just Bonfire night £25 family of 5) you would be a ghoul to miss it! November 24-December 24 Santa Specials At Loughborough • Ghostly steam trains operating all day – This will have costumed characters on board telling stories giving out sweets and acting scary!! • Fancy dress competition - one winner to be picked from each Ghost train! • Spooky stilt walkers, circus tricks and giant bubbles • Free Freaky face painting • Creepy music playing on the platform Receive the newsletter direct to your inbox! Subscribe at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GCR-Announce or send a blank email to [email protected] Page 3 / 7 • Visit the ‘Trick Or Treat Museum’ – inside will be buckets of slime in which prizes will be placed and different flavoured ‘potions’ for the children. • Spooky story telling: There will be spooky tales told by Halloween characters Activity at Quorn • Halloween themed images will be placed around the station for children to find and fill in a form to win a prize. Activity at Rothley • Fairground at Rothley • Children’s workshop located in the waiting room ‘Witches Grotto’ where children can make use of arts and crafts to decorate the room. • The Charnwood Forest Railway will be showing a number of scary figures and models. Can the children spot them? Children can also drive Thomas the tank engine for £2.00 Activity at Leicester North • Arts and crafts, colouring in corner in The Platform Café. • There will be some Halloween hidden pumpkins for the children to find dotted around the station HALLOWEEN FRIGHT NIGHT - Wednesday 31st October Take a ride into the unknown on the spooky ghost trains; there are round trips from both Loughborough & Rothley. Search for the Rothley station ghost with our enchanting spiritualist (as seen on Tv's Most Haunted), paranormal mysteria - join in if you dare! Ectoplasm slime lucky dip - everyone's a winnner! Free face painting, owl talks with live owls, spooky storytelling and a fancy dress competition. At just £5 per person, it's spectacular value If you are available to help with either of the above events, please do contact Hayley Stevenson or Kate Tilley at the Loughborough office of by email [email protected] BONFIRE NIGHT - Monday 5th November Take a train to the flame! Our bonfire night takes place at Quorn & Woodhouse station, but to beat the crowds, take the train! Trains leave all stations from 6pm onwards. There is a huge bonfire, a great firework display, children's rides, hot food and a beer tent. The bonfire is lit at 7.30pm. Receive the newsletter direct to your inbox! Subscribe at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GCR-Announce or send a blank email to [email protected] Page 4 / 7 Leicestershire area group Northamptonshire area group November 9 November 7 Beware of Engines John Hunt GNR/LNW Joint Line Robin Cullup Leading photographer and stalwart of NYMR, shows a selection of pictures from Britain to China. December 14 December 5 Main Line Steam, 2012, on Video PSOV GCR behind the scenes Tom Ingall The usual superb footage from Karl and Dave. GCR at the movies featuring clips from some of filming on the railway January 11 January 2 The Final Years 1963-1968 Roger Jones Steam in action GB Productions Images of the last five years of B.R. steam Preserved steam in action on and off the nationwide. mainline. February 8 February 6 Steam in Scotland, Part 4 – Perth to GCR steam David Putt Carlisle Chris Banks Slide show of all the locos that have run From Perth, over the Forth Bridge to the on the preserved railway Edinburgh area, and finally the Waverly route.