STEAM MEETS SCREEN: GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAY STEALS THE SPOTLIGHT ON NETFLIX

The Great Central Railway has once again taken centre stage, with one of its home-fleet steam locomotives, Great Western Railway icon 6990 Witherslack Hall, appearing in the brand-new Netflix series Seven Dials.

While filming took place outside of GCR’s home turf of Charnwood in Leicestershire, the locomotive’s on-screen role is a powerful stamp of authenticity – reinforcing the Great Central Railway’s reputation as the UK’s most cinematic heritage railway and the only one to offer a true double-track main line steam experience.

Whether a production calls for dramatic railway action, an atmospheric period station scene, or a picturesque rural branch line, the Great Central Railway delivers the versatility, facilities, and specialist expertise to bring creative visions to life. Offering a truly authentic main line experience unmatched by any other heritage railway in the UK, GCR is firmly established as the filmmaker’s premier railway location of choice.

In fact, the Great Central Railway’s impressive screen credits include major films such as The Hours starring Nicole Kidman, Shadowlands with Sir Anthony Hopkins, Goodnight Mister Tom, Enigma, Victoria, and Cemetery Junction. The line has also appeared in some of the UK’s most popular television dramas, including The Crown, Happy Valley, Ripper Street, and Casualty.

With double-track running, large period station buildings, a fully operational turntable, and an extensive fleet of steam and diesel locomotives, heritage carriages, and freight wagons, the railway offers an unparalleled backdrop for film, television, music videos, and photography. Its convenient location – just ten minutes from Junction 23 of the M1 – ensures easy access for production crews and equipment, making it a practical as well as visually striking choice.

As audiences discover Seven Dials on Netflix, the Great Central Railway continues to cement its status as one of the UK’s most versatile and authentic filming locations – where history, heritage, and cinematic storytelling meet on the main line.