The Great Central Railway

Note: This section concetrates on the Great Central Railway, and will be expanded to give better coverage of the MS&LR. Hence this section should be considered as under construction.

Map of the GCR Railway Network
Click for detailed map

The Great Central Railway (GCR) came into being in 1897 in anticipation of the opening, in 1899, of the "London Extension" by the "Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway" (MS&LR), the change of name implying a perception of grandeur. Notable amongst the personages of the MS&LR was the Chairman, Sir Edward Watkin. His drive and ambition lead to the building of the new mainline from Nottinghamshire, through the Midlands to the London terminus of Marylebone Station. As events subsequently proved, this was a very questionable move; shareholders in the GCR saw very little return for their investment. Nevertheless, the GCR was a most interesting company; in the early years it employed men such as Sam Fay, the General Manager and John Robinson, the Locomotive Superintendent, who were top rate. They and other colleagues were most innovative and helped the company to provide exceptional customer service. The first decade of the new century was filled with change and expansion.

Brief History

Timeline

Liveries

Locomotives and Rolling Stock

Traffic

Marine

Joint Lines

The Mansfield Railway

Trivia

Bibliography and Further Reading

Acknowledgements

Thank you to Richard Barron for the above brief introduction.