Ruddington
Nottingham NG11 6JS
UK
Members from all areas (and prospective members) are welcome to join (or leave) this run at any point,
Please let the leader know if you intend to do this so we are not waiting for you, and if you are leaving mid route, ensure that the cars behind know you are leaving the convoy, or you may find you have extra guests at your house for tea !!!!
Starting from The Stockyard, Hellaby at 9:30 for a cuppa, leaving at 10:00 our route to The Nottingham Heritage Railway, Ruddington is via Maltby, Oldcotes, Blyth, Worksop, Clumber Parks 10:25 Limetree Avenue, Edwinstowe, Sherwood Forest Railway 11:00 – 11:45 Lowdham, Gunthorpe and on to Ruddington along theA46 and A52
There is no admission or parking charge at the centre, a small donation should be given
Formerly known as GCRN – The Great Central Railway – Nottingham,
A run to join the Lincs area for a joint meeting.
The Country Park in which the main station and facilities at Ruddington is located features an excellent children’s play area and a kiosk selling teas, coffees and ice creams. Ruddington village Centre (approx 20 minute walk from Ruddington station) has pubs and shops, as well as a fish & chip shop.
About the Great Central Railway – Nottingham
From the Lincs. Area Site
This site has a fascinating history which is well worth exploring. It normally has approx. 10 miles of track that people can travel on behind heritage trains, albeit when we visit, no trains will be running due to some infrastructure issues with Network Rail that has not been resolved yet. However there are plenty of exhibits to see, notably some recently arrived HST trains. There is a model railway society as well as an extensive network of a miniature train that takes you around the compound. The bus building is also a sight to be seen with many old vehicles.
On the day, please ensure that you only use the main entrance into the facility which is adjacent to the car park to the country park (pay and display). The road leading up to the venue can be parked up by vehicles trying to avoid parking fees for the country park so please do not arrive on the site much before 11am to ensure that the gates will be open for you and to avoid congestion. Once through the NHR gates you will be directed to park on the right handed side which will be marked up for the MX-5OC. You can then wander around at your leisure, visit the exhibits or ride on the miniature trains.
There are several picnic areas within the facility, one being in a grassed area behind the car parking area, another in front of the platforms, which is paved and another grassed one further down near the miniature trains.
The tea room will also be open to use and I have agreed, as long as you can provide proof of MX-5OC membership, you can have a 15% discount on food and drinks. It is however advised, if you want a full hot Sunday roast, that you let me have your choice by Friday morning so the chef can make provisions. I am happy to collate any details if necessary and I suggest that I come back to you a week before the event to let you know which types of roasts are available on the day. Otherwise there is also an All Day Breakfast being served that you can either consume in one of the two indoor seating areas or eat outside, it’s your choice and is of course weather dependent. There is also a Bric-a-Brac store where you can find old memorabilia as well as a shop to browse in.
Furthermore, due to the fact that the trains will not be running, I have asked whether we could have a little bus ride in the early afternoon that takes us round the surrounding country side and through some of the pretty villages around Ruddington. The manager of the site has promised to do what he can but it is really dependent whether there is a volunteer on site on the day who has the right PSV licence and would be prepared to drive us. So this is very much a ‘play by ear’ idea but it would be lovely if we could pull this off.
It is worth noting that the NHR is run entirely by volunteers and none of them are being paid for whatever service they provide. Any monetary intake is going straight into the running of the site. Lately there have been some serious issues with break-ins and vandalism which is heartbreaking when you see the dedication of these people in ensuring the NHR is a success for children and adults alike. You may find the odd bucket standing about so if you feel generous, please donate. Every penny helps.
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