The Great Central Walk - Newton Lane to Rugby Central

[@rodsmith3911]

I never fail to be amazed at the bridges on the GC line. That bridge over the Avon reminds me of the lovely huge arch over Thurcaston Road in Leicester at the bottom of Mowmacre Hill now sadly gone. It was like one of the wonders of the world to me as a child. Whenever we went under it I would look up at the brickwork and marvel at the skill of the bricklayers who built it. The scale of the construction of these structures is still impressive in the days of motorways and concrete, but to see the sheer amount of brickwork is amazing. The size of the GC bridges is truly that of giants. The only other brick structure to match this scale is Larpool Viaduct near Whitby which also stirs up awe and wonder when I look at the work involved in its building. It is fantastic what man has built by hand using bricks and mortar! So sad that the trains have been gone for over 50 years. Thanks for another great video showing what still remains.

[@MiddyExplores]

Thanks for watching. I too am always in awe at the sheer numbers involved and the effort involved. Sadly most of it is left or demolished.

[@steveayres4736]

Enjoy watching, always very interesting. Should do one on Rugby's old railway infrastructure. Shame they went to great lengths to destroy this railway.

[@MiddyExplores]

Thanks for watching. I am planning a day or two in rugby. I have done some bits there but need to explore more!

[@greywebs1944]

​@@MiddyExploresThat'll be awesome because Ashlawn Road bridge is my favourite it's huge. My mother lives nearby 😊

[@StuBar2]

Great video, must walk it myself at some point. Love the superimposed photos too, really helps visualise what it would have looked like!

[@MiddyExplores]

Thanks for watching and your kind comments. It really is a lovely walk and there is so much to see I recon. Mend it when you get chance!

[@paulboyle6857]

Good to see you doing this stretch once again & the little dog loves it I would think?! It's right on my doorstep & I have'nt visited for a while.Favourite section,old Central Station to Onley Lane.Someone has said you can't go any further but I have! Before the farmer put a gate up you could scuttle down his driveway & then quickly access the trackbedabove & from there you could get all the way down to the M45 bridge &,yes,I've been over that as well & on down towards the prison! There's a bit by the car wash & the former station masters house at Willoughby where you can still get up to the trackbed but overgrown. The familiar bridge recess just below where Willoughby Station was can still be seen & then before the line crossed the Oxford Canal there was a viaduct.Happy exploring!

[@MiddyExplores]

Thanks for watching and the information. Of you have a look on my channel I have done most of that with the exception of the bit straight after onley Lane. Some great exploring in there!!

[@Design2winLew]

Great to watch this again , so nice to see that most of the infrastructure is still in situ . Have to get up to this and walk it for myself .

[@MiddyExplores]

Thanks for watching. I walk it regularly and it's worth the effort

[@Design2winLew]

@@MiddyExplores How long do the parts take roughly ?

[@ceanothus_bluemoon]

Ah so I have seen this before in 3 parts...I was going to say, I remember you being here before! The recess after the 5 arch is the site for a proposed signal box that never actually happened, I believe. Gorgeous infrastructure. Still looking magnificent after 125 years and graffitti vandals.

[@MiddyExplores]

Thanks for watching. Yes I put this out as quite a few people had asked about the walk and I am away this week so no new video!!

[@peterstudley1804]

The feature at the 3.00 min mark was the proposed site for a signal box that was never built.

[@MiddyExplores]

Thanks for watching. Thanks for the info. I thought it was but always good to get confirmation

[@peterstudley1804]

​@MiddyExplores something you said : this line has never run in the whole of my life , it's hard to get your head round isn't it , as some parts are in such good condition you'd think it were still open, especially the blue engineering brick work, looks as good today as it did in 1899.

[@jwdavies777]

I recommend getting hold of a copy of Mac Hawkins book, the Great Central Then and Now. It has all the major landmarks of the line in photographs. Fascinating read.

[@MiddyExplores]

Thanks for watching. I will try and get hold of a copy thanks for the advice

[@NWP_EXPLORING]

@@MiddyExplores bear in mind that book was released in 1989 and does miss a lot but is brilliant, and you get a map on each area and bridge numbers, great book I have a copy but a more up to date one needs to be done.

[@jwdavies777]

@@NWP_EXPLORING yes - the 'now' photographs are historic in their own right today as much has changed.

[@PrinceJohn84]

Wasn't the five arch bridge at Newton completely buried up until fairly recently? Great explore Pete 👍👍

[@steveayres4736]

Yes it was. There is information about it somewhere.

[@MiddyExplores]

Thanks for watching. Yes the bridge was buried and only recently dug out, hence why it's in such good condition!

[@coalvillenitewalker]

Have U ever done the Ashby Woulds Heritage Trail...and this looks like it could be a nice circular walk if I looped back by footpaths parallelish to the route? 🤔👍

[@MiddyExplores]

No not done that although have done the cloud trail which is a good walk. This one in rugby is longer than I show as you have to walk around the main line as the bridge has gone.

[@darrencarnall9025]

The great central railway should never have been shut down what a great peice of engineering and built to last. Such a shame that most of the infostructher has disappeared forever.

[@MiddyExplores]

Thanks for watching. I totally agree this would be so good today

[@darrencarnall9025]

@@MiddyExplores I'm from Leicester and my mam and dad's house backed right on to the great central railway not far from Belgrave and Birstall station which was still there but highly vandalised such a shame also remember walking the tracks with my dad right up to great central station on great central street

[@darrencarnall9025]

If you Google great central railway demolition if you've not already looked there's alot of pics showing the demolition around Leicester.

[@steveayres4736]

It was built too late also there was 2 railways going north, the East Coast and the West Coast railway.

[@edbridges1164]

Or if it was shut the track should have been left down on a care and maintenance scheme! Effectively mothballed until a time where with Advertising they could have relaunched the Route or even left it open for freight because there were ways Freight centres could have been reached! But again at that time Cities wanted whatever land was available in the form of Closed railways and Leicester, Nottingham went ahead and bulldozed everything sadly!

[@edbridges1164]

The alcove at 3:19 was for a signal box that was never built sir

[@MiddyExplores]

Thank you for watching and the information I am planning to walk there again in the future so all these updates help so much.

[@gslug1]

The concrete trough at 39:30 looks like a sand bin.

[@MiddyExplores]

Thanks for watching and looking again I think you are right. It just seemed in too good condition!

[@gslug1]

@@MiddyExplores The condition of things like that always seems rather random. The Southern Railway installed a huge number of concrete permanent way huts, some of which are completely intact, whilst others have very little concrete left, and are just the steel rebar.

[@tobiasjenkins2427]

As i said meny times it can still returned rugby to ruddington with a slight diversion via a new junction onto melton to nottingham track going into 1st route nottingham then up sheffield and none stop to manchester 2nd route Melton mowbray,oakham onto corby terminus. Later reconnect the rugby to aylesbury vale parkway for the london Marylebone to aylesbury vale parkway extend to rugby by Chiltern railway and cross-country trains to run rugby to Manchester or corby For anyone say its impossible look at east west rail project as loads said impossible it will never return but look oxford to bletchley return so if it's possible for east west rail then there's a future for great central railway

[@MiddyExplores]

It would work although I can never see it being done. I don't think any government would set aside funding for it after the billions that have disappeared into hs2!

[@tobiasjenkins2427]

You never know so never say never ​@MiddyExplores

[@DNWARR1]

You should have continued a little further to the end great scenery over the countryside, you cannot continue after the end of this section to Onley Lane

[@MiddyExplores]

Thanks for watching. I have done that but and then onto the m45 bridge and beyond they are all on my channel 👍

[@DNWARR1]

@@MiddyExplores it is a lovely bike ride of a Sunday morning, or come to think of it anytime