Looking north along the Great Central Way underneath the bridge carrying the Leicester to Burton line. Behind the photographer the Great Central entered a cutting which is now filled in. The footpath rises steeply and there is a small industrial estate over the track bed.

For comparison with the previous photograph, this is the same scene in 1985 when the Great Central Way footpath had not long been completed and before the shrubbery had taken over. This is 1-Co-Co-1 “Peak” class 45 001 heading north on the ex-Midland Railway Leicester to Burton line with a train of ballast empties for one of the granite quarries.

The small industrial estate over the filled in cutting at Wolverton Road. The track bed lies underneath the road and the buildings on the left, looking north.

The bridges were simply left in place round here when the cutting was filled in, as here at Evelyn Road.

The Great Central Way is popular, especially with dog walkers. At this bridge off Evesham Drive there is a small parking area.

Click here for a street map and aerial photograph of the south part of this area from multimap
Notes on using the multimaps:
The map linked to is a 1:10000 street map. Click on “Aerial Photo” to see the aerial photograph of that area.
Click on “Overlay Map” to see a moveable section of street map overlaying the aerial photograph - very interesting and useful.
The large scale street map unfortunately does not show the disused railway or the Great Central Way. Zoom out to 1:25000 to see the standard ordnance survey map version, but with no street names.
When finished with multimap click on “Back” till you return here.

The track bed is dead straight across Aylestone Meadows, as can be seen here at the bridge over the River Soar, looking south.

Down at river level

The bridge across Braunstone Lane East, looking south.

Down on Braunstone Lane East.

In March 2006 the bridge carrying the Great Central Way over Braunstone Lane East is undergoing repairs. On weekdays there is a single lane open controlled by traffic lights, but the road will be closed completely for several weekends.

Repair work taking place on the sides of the bridge over Braunstone Lane East.

Bridge over the Grand Union Canal, which has finally separated from the River Soar, looking south.

Underneath the bridge over the Grand Union Canal, from the east.

The site of a well-known photograph by Horace Gamble of lads fishing while a Black Five heads south with a passenger train. The vegetation has greatly increased since then.

Bridge at the end of Marsden Lane, leading to a small car park for walkers, and steps up to the Great Central Way.

The Great Central Way dips down to go under the new Soar Valley Way, which is the Outer Ring Road, here looking north.

The Great Central Way continues a little further south, but one proposal would use the track bed as a bypass.