Money Match March drive towards ‘super’ GCR
AN unnamed benefactor is backing the scheme to join two heritage-era Great Central railways at Loughborough – by matching all donations pound for pound up to £100,000 made during March.
The offer has come after the reunification project raised a total of £500,000.
Scope
To link the Great Central Railway with the GCR (Nottingham) via the bridge that has already been rebuilt over the Midland Main Line and the refurbished bridge over the Grand Union Canal, more than 500 yards of the original line needs to be constructed in Loughborough at a cost of £3 million – including the ‘Factory Flyover', crossing a factory car park and a road.
Regarding the match funding offer, Andy Fillingham, chairman of the Friends of the Great Central Main Line, which is arranging the fundraising drive, said: “It's an incredible moment for the project. We already have good news to share, because our totaliser has reached half a million pounds. As much as we would like to, we can't build the next stages until we have the vast majority of the funding in place. That's why Money Match March is so important.
“We can take the half a million already raised and supercharge our fundraising thanks to this amazing offer. Every contribution takes us closer to building again and delivering the benefits of reunification.
“The completed railway will be used not only for heritage trains and boosting tourism, but to attract more commercial work to the line, including testing and training for other rail companies. This will help secure the GCR's long term future as well as bringing income to the East Midlands economy.
“These are really exciting times for the reunification scheme, which was once described as impossible. People power is making it happen though and if everyone gets behind Money Match March, we'll really have some momentum going.”
Design
The latest plans for the next section have just been published by the GCR. Developed by engineering consultants Cass Hayward, they show concrete beams being used to construct the car park and road crossing. A reclaimed bridge deck donated by Network Rail will also be used.
➜ Donations online are invited at www.gcrailway.co.uk/unify while cheques, made payable to The David Clarke Railway Trust, can be posted to: DCRT, Lovatt House, 3 Wharncliffe Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire , LE11 1SL