RAILWAY UNDER THREAT

The Great Central Railways, which begins, in Ruddington, is under threat after losing more than £10,000 in the last month from metal thefts and damage. Thieves have damaged carriages, tracks and equipment on the line which runs from Ruddington to Loughborough. Volunteers who fund and operate the railway are now making a desperate plea for help by offering a £1,000 reward for anyone who comes forward with information that leads to the arrest of the thieves.
One of GCRN’s directors, Mark Fowler, said: “The issue we have got is they are coming back on almost a daily basis. Ultimately if it continues we could get to the point of not being able to operate at all. Our railway isn’t owned by some faceless bureaucracy. It is staffed by a committed team of volunteers, and all our rolling stock is privately owned by enthusiasts. All of our development funding comes from our ability to operate trains and through the goodwill of our members and the community.”