Industrial And Transport

Safeguarding the Great Central Railway: People, Heritage and a Sustainable Future

The Great Central Railway (GCR) is the UK’s only mainline double-track heritage railway - a living piece of history, saved by volunteers in 1969. Today, we are a not-for-profit, volunteer-led organisation powered by over 650 passionate people, from teenagers taking their first steps in heritage, to lifelong railway and heritage enthusiasts. In a time of growing social and financial pressures, we recognise the need to strengthen our foundations to safeguard the GCR’s future. This project will help us support and grow our volunteer community, create more engaging and inclusive visitor journeys, and embed sustainability into our operations and governance. We will also nurture the next generation of leaders across the organisation, ensuring we have the skills and confidence to meet future challenges. By bringing in dedicated personnel to guide this work, we will keep the GCR relevant, resilient, and rooted in community — preserving its legacy for generations to come.