Great Central Railway (GCR) January 2012

The Great Central Railway had the 2012 honor of being the first preserved railway to use a 31 that season. To save on running round there were three round trips planned, with 20098 on the Leicester end and 31563 on the Loughborough end of the stock, at 1215, 1415 & 1535 ex Loughborough. Both locos performed without issue and the railway even plugged the stock into a steam heat van at Loughborough in between trains to put some heat through the stock, after all it was January, even if it was a sunny day.