A Visit to: Great Central Railway | The Ultimate Family Day Out in Leicestershire on the UK's Only Double-Track Main Line Heritage Railway
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- 6 min read
If you're looking for family days out in Leicestershire, things to do with kids during the school holidays, or somewhere a little different to explore, this is one to put on your list.
Because this isn't just any train ride, it's like stepping back in time.
The Great Central Railway is the UK's only double-track main-line heritage railway, and its story dates all the way back to 1899.
The original line opened to passenger and goods traffic in March 1899 as part of the Great Central Railway's London Extension, which ran from Annesley, through Nottingham, Leicester and Rugby, to London Marylebone.
After years of decline, the original main line finally closed in 1969.
But a group of determined railway enthusiasts set out to save the line and recreate the experience of a main-line railway. More than 50 years later, their hard work has resulted in the heritage railway you can visit today.
Today, the preserved railway runs between Loughborough Central and Leicester North, with four main stations along the route: Loughborough Central, Quorn & Woodhouse, Rothley and Leicester North.
And the moment you arrive, it feels like you've stepped onto a film set.
There are steam locomotives, heritage diesel trains, vintage carriages, historic signals and beautifully restored stations.
The stations aren't just places to get on and off the train. Each one has its own story.
Loughborough Central is the headquarters of the Great Central Railway and was opened in 1899.
Today, it has been restored to reflect the 1950s, with its impressive glass canopy, period interiors, museum, shop and refreshment room.
It's also where you'll find the railway's locomotive shed and signal box, so there's plenty to explore before you even board your train.
Quorn & Woodhouse has been restored to recreate Wartime Britain in the 1940s, reflecting its important role during the Second World War. Troops and equipment were loaded here as part of preparations for D-Day.
There's a recreated air-raid shelter, period advertising, a NAAFI-style refreshment room, a Dig for Victory garden and the Butler Henderson Café.
The Rothley station has been restored to its 1912 appearance, complete with restored gas lighting.
There are period buildings, a recreated parcels room, a signal box and even a garden railway in the station's grounds.
Leicester North is the southern terminus, but it isn't the original station.
The current station was opened in 2002, replacing the former Belgrave & Birstall station as the railway was extended towards Leicester.
Today, it's a lovely place to finish your journey, with the Tail Lamp Tea Room, waiting room and free car park.
And there's another reason Leicester North is particularly useful for a The National Space Centre is just a 10–15 minute walk from Leicester North, according to the Great Central Railway.
We decided to take a taxi, which made things a little easier.
We spent a couple of hours at Leicester North before heading off to the National Space Centre and then returning to catch the train back to Loughborough.
It meant we could combine two completely different attractions into one brilliant day.
If you're travelling with young children, we'd just recommend checking the railway timetable before you head off so you know when you need to be back at Leicester North for your return train.
Another thing we loved about the Great Central Railway is that the experience doesn't have to be rigid.
With the appropriate Runabout/Day Rover ticket, you can travel on the passenger services and hop on and off at the stations to explore.
The GCR specifically highlights this as part of its visitor experience, with the ability to travel between Loughborough Central, Quorn & Woodhouse, Rothley and Leicester North.
For families, this makes such a difference. If the children want to get off and explore, you can. If they're having a brilliant time on the train and want to stay onboard, you can do that too. There's no need to rush.
Our visit also included one of those moments that will probably become a family story we tell for years.
During our footplate visit at Leicester North, Stanley somehow managed to lose his beloved wellie down onto the track. Of course he did.
Thankfully, the staff knew exactly what to do and were so calm and helpful.
They retrieved it, and Stanley was reunited with his beloved wellington.
The whole team we met throughout the day were incredibly friendly and passionate about the railway, and that really added to our experience.
You could tell that this isn't simply somewhere people work.
There is genuine pride in what they're preserving.
We also managed to sneak into first class during our visit, and Edward has already decided that next time we're going to experience it properly.
The Great Central Railway offers a whole range of events and experiences, including first-class dining, from lunches toevening meals and Sunday roasts.
Current experiences include The Midlander, The Carolean, The Elizabethan, The Charnwood Forester and other special dining services. Current listed prices include £51 per person for The Midlander, £63 for The Carolean and £67 for The Elizabethan.
There are also more unusual options such as Wine, Cheese & Steam, currently advertised from £50 per person.
So if you're looking for a special birthday treat, anniversary experience or simply want to experience heritage railway travel in a slightly more luxurious way, this is definitely worth looking at.
The Great Central Railway has a full calendar of events throughout the year, meaning you can return and have a completely different experience.
There are Steam Galas, Diesel Galas, family events, 1940s weekends, Railwayana Swapmeets, photo charters, food and drink festivals, Christmas events and behind-the-scenes experiences.
Stanley is three, and he was completely captivated.
And the GCR confirms that children under three travel free on standard services, while
children aged 3–16 are charged at the child rate.
The railway also offers family tickets and the Explorer Ticket, which includes an activity pack and museum entry.
There are some lovely opportunities for children to see the locomotives up close too.
When it's safe to do so, GCR crews may allow children to visit the footplate of a static steam locomotive at the platform.
Just remember that this is a real working heritage railway, so children need to be supervised carefully around platforms and trains.
Everything you need to know:
📍Location: Leicestershire
🚉 Stations: Loughborough Central, Quorn & Woodhouse, Rothley and Leicester North
⭐ Why it's special: The UK's only double-track main-line heritage railway
👨👩👧 Best for: Families, children, railway enthusiasts and history lovers
👶 Under 3s: Travel free on standard GCR services
🎟️ Family tickets: Available, with current fares shown on the GCR's ticketing pages
🧒 Explorer Ticket: Includes a steam train ride, activity pack, keepsake badge and museum/exhibit entry
🚆 Travel: Runabout/Day Rover tickets allow travel on standard passenger services and hopping on and off at the stations
💷 2026 event prices: From £5 for Railwayana Swapmeets, £11 for the Autumn Diesel Gala, £13 for the Beer, Cider & Gin Festival and £39 for the Autumn Steam Gala
🎄 Santa Express: 28th November–24th December 2026, currently from £27.50
📦 Goods Experience: £99 per person
🔎 GCR Guided Tour: From £125 per person
🚂 Driver Experiences: Steam Driver, Diesel Driver, Class 55 Deltic and Heritage Railcar Driver experiences are available; prices vary by package
🍽️ Dining: First-class lunches, Sunday roasts, evening dining and specialist experiences are available
🚀 National Space Centre: Around a 10–15 minute walk from Leicester North
🧺 Picnics: You can bring your own food for designated picnic areas or your seat on the train
🚗 Parking: Available at the stations, with free parking at Quorn & Woodhouse and Leicester North
♿ Accessibility: Accessible facilities and an accessible carriage are available, although the railway is a historic environment
📅 Top tip: Always check the GCR's official website before travelling as event dates, locomotives, timetables and ticket prices can change
If you're planning a future visit, some of the remaining headline events in the 2026 calendar include:
🚆 Autumn Diesel Gala: 3rd–6th September
📸 Photo Charter – Inter-regional Express: 3rd September
🛍️ Railwayana Swapmeet: 13th September
🍺 Beer, Cider & Gin Festival: 17th–20th September
🚂 Autumn Steam Gala: 1st–4th October
🔥 Bonfire & Fireworks Night: 5th November
🚂 Discover Your Railway: 7th–8th November
🎖️ Remembrance Sunday: 8th November
🚂 Last Hurrah Steam Gala: 14th–15th November
🚆 Last Hurrah Diesel Gala: 21st–22nd November
🎅 Great Central Santa Express: 28th November–24th December
The GCR also has dining services, driver experiences, guided tours and other specialist events throughout the year.
For the latest timetables, events, fares and booking information, visit the Great Central Railway.
Charlie
Please note: This is marked as an AD because the experience it was kindly gifted in exchange for content creation and my honest review, feedback and testimonial. As always, all opinions are entirely my own.
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