Loughborough has a famous Carillon Tower situated in Queen's Park. This Grand Carillon commemorates the fallen of the First and Second World Wars and subsequent conflicts. In it there are 47 bells weighing between 20 lbs and 4 tons and were made locally at Taylor's Bell Foundry.
Nearby are two locations used by the 'Y' wireless interception service during World War 2. These are Beaumanor Hall and Garats Hay.
Loughborough is one of the termini of the Great Central Railway, a restored steam line, once part of the route between London Marylebone and the North. Visitors to the line can ride and take dinner in style.
To the west of Loughborough lies the town of Shepshed once noted for it's manufacturing of textiles, but more known nowadays as a dormitory area for the nearby cities.
Also nearby is the town of Coalville, which as it's name suggests, was once a centre for coal mining.
Our Radio Club
L oughborough and District Amateur Radio Club (LADARC) takes it's membership from the north west part of Leicestershire encompassing Loughborough, Shepshed, Coalville, Whitwick and Castle Donington. The club meets every Tuesday evening from 1930 local time at the Glenmore Community Centre in Shepshed. Tuesday evenings are formally organised with lectures, demonstrations, visits to places of interest, and, in the summer months, direction finding competitions. Most evenings are rounded off by a visit to a local hostelry for refreshments and further ragchewing.
The club is affiliated to the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB), and with a number of members with links to the Royal Air Force, to the Royal Air Force Amateur Radio Society (RAFARS 4192).
E ach year, the club, tries to do at least one special event activity for the local community and at the same time promote the hobby of amateur radio. Recent years have seen events at International and regional scout and guide camps, anniversary celebrations for WW2, and at local summer functions. Members of LADARC have also provided security cover, by setting up a control station and numerous mobile checkpoints, for local scout groups on overnight cross-country hikes.
Our members have a wide variety of interests within the hobby and an equally wide variety of interests outside of the hobby including, amongst others,photography, astronomy, wild life, fishing, music.
We welcome visitors who may like an introduction to our hobby. Any licenced amateur can also call us on 145.425 (S17) on Tuesday evenings after 7.30 pm.