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BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:880@rchs.org.uk
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260910T101500
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260910T163000
DTSTAMP:20260804T110549Z
URL:https://rchs.org.uk/events/walk-the-great-central-railway-grand-union-
 canal-in-leicester/
SUMMARY:Walk: The Great Central Railway & Grand Union Canal in Leicester.
DESCRIPTION:The canal and the railway\, once rival trade routes\, ran in pa
 rallel from Leicester city centre to Glen Parva. The Leicester Line of the
  Grand Union Canal was completed in the early 1800s with the aim of connec
 ting Leicester to Market Harborough and Northampton\, this connected with 
 the River Soar which had been made navigable from Loughborough to Leiceste
 r by 1794 and provided a through route for commercial traffic. In 1840 the
  Midland Counties Railway (Midland Railway from 1844) reached Leicester\, 
 followed some time later by the Great Central Railway in 1898\; both these
  railways severely impacted the canal leading to declining revenue and eve
 ntually it became part of the railway-controlled Grand Junction Canal in a
 n attempt to survive by aligning with the larger transport network. The ca
 nal survived despite the decline of coal traffic and has become a major le
 isure route on the canal system.\n\nThe Great Central Railway ran through 
 Leicester on a 1.5 mile long viaduct\, it was designed for speed and provi
 ded a rapid and direct link between Leicester and London. However\, follow
 ing rationalisation in the 1960s it was considered to be a redundant dupli
 cate of other routes and closed in 1969. Following closure a section of tr
 ackbed south of the city centre was converted into a multi-user trail know
 n as the Great Central Way.\n\nMeet at Leicester St Margaret’s Bus Stati
 on (Stand SN) at 10:15 to catch bus service 158 (destination Nuneaton) at 
 10:20 for the short journey West Bridge.\n\nSt Margarets Bus Station is 12
 00 yard from Leicester Railway Station - a 16-minute walk along Granby Str
 eet (opp railway station).\n\nThe walk distance is 6 miles and is consider
 ed easy but appropriate footwear is recommended. Please bring a packed lun
 ch.\n\nReturn to Leicester city centre (St Margarets Bus Station and other
  city centre stops) by bus service 84 or 85 from Aylestone. There are four
  buses per hour for this 25-minute journey.\n\nFurther details from Sally 
 Bramson on 07856 579793 or email  sallybee1@btinternet.com
CATEGORIES:East Midlands
LOCATION:Leicester St Margarets Bus Station\, Gravel Street\, Leicester LE1
  3AG\, England
GEO:52.639238;-1.134158
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