Great Central Railway
The Great Central Railway is the UK’s only “mainline” heritage railway. Unlike many lines which have recreated quiet and previously closed railways, the Great Central is an ex mainline, and this ethos for size and speed has continued into preservation. Probably the most famous aspect of this remarkable renaissance is the five miles of double track, a feature no other railway has yet to rebuild.
For many years DMUs have been a part of the scene at the Great Central. A 127/120 3-car set was operational for many years throughout the 1980s and 1990s, however this later fell out of use and the railway went a few years without any operational DMUs.
However in 2004 this changed after an influx of Class 101 vehicles from the mainline into preservation and a second active group emerged operating these vehicles.
During 2012, restoration work to return the Class 127 set to service was undertaken, giving the line two operational sets for the first time, but this proved short-lived with the 127 set returning to store, eventually departing the line several years later.
In 2014, the only surviving Class 111 vehicle made the headlines by entering service in the Class 101 set, the first time such a formation had been seen for 40 years.
In the late 2010's, Renaissance Railcars further grew with the restoration of their second Class 101 set, giving the railway two operational sets again but this time on a more secure footing.
In 2020 a suburban vehicle returned to the DMU scene in the form of a Class 122 single unit, which brought variety to the Metro Cammell dominated fleet and in many ways filled the gap that the 127's demise had left. This was further bolstered by Class 117 vehicles the following year.
In 2023, the second generation story started after two Class 153 single units were acquired by the railway for testing and contract work.
Nowadays, the Class 101/111 sets sees often weekly use operating the first train of the day. Other "all day" diagrams/timetables, branch running to Mountsorrel, special events and works trains all add to the varied amount of DMU running on the railway. Members remain active with another Class 101 being prepared to join the operational fleet aliong with the Class 122 restoration project.