Loughborough Central railway station
| Loughborough Central | |
|---|---|
Platform and clock
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| Location | |
| Place | Loughborough, Leicestershire |
| Coordinates | 52°46′07″N 1°11′45″W / 52.7686°N 1.1959°WCoordinates: 52°46′07″N 1°11′45″W / 52.7686°N 1.1959°W |
| Grid reference | SK543193 |
| Operations | |
| Original company | Great Central Railway |
| Post-grouping | London and North Eastern Railway |
| Operated by | Great Central Railway (preserved) |
| Platforms | 2 (1 Island) |
| History | |
| 15 March 1899 | opened |
| 5 May 1969 | closed |
| 23 March 1974 | reopened |
| Stations on heritage railways in the United Kingdom | |
| A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | |
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Loughborough Central Station is a railway station on the Great Central Railway and the Great Central Railway (preserved) serving Loughborough.
The station was opened by the Great Central Railway on 15 March 1899, built to the standard GCR arrangement of having an island platform set between the two main running lines. The platforms are 400 feet (120 m) long, capable of accommodating consists of up to 8 coaches and/or mail vans. The station buildings are unique on the preserved railway, the only station with a complete canopy, the longest in railway preservation. The station was closed by British Rail under the Beeching Axe, on 5 May 1969.
Reopened by the Great Central Railway as part of the restored heritage railway in 1974, train services currently run south from the station to Leicester North. Within the station complex, the station buildings, original GCR signal box sited to the north, and the three original water tanks are all Grade II listed.
Original station facilities include: ladies' waiting room and powder room; general waiting room; gentlemen's toilets; and a refreshment room/cafe. In 2009, a £20,000 grant allowed the station to have new toilets, and a lift in the entrance hall to be installed for the benefits of the disabled visitors. The railway society have also added a book and gift shop, a museum, and an emporium/shop.
All stations on the preserved Great Central Railway are set in a specific era; at Loughborough this era is the 1950s. Many artefacts around the station aid in this atmosphere, including original and recreated British Railways posters, British Railways totem poles, a 1950s TV showing 1950s transportation films in the general waiting room, and a display of 1950s platform trolleys and bicycles.
The station also plays host to the command centre of the heritage railway operations, from which the Duty Traffic Manager organizes all movements which take place on the railway from the Station Master's Office.
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Wikipedia