 At that time, passenger trains were still running as far as Rothley, but, without an adequate supply of working mainline locomotives, the trust had to resort to using industrial tank engines working single track - some way short of the original vision of the MLPG seven years previously.To purchase the land and track, Great Central Railway (1976) PLC issued shares, and the MLPG was transformed into the MLST, a charitable body, to support the company.Charnwood Borough Council agreed to purchase the land from BR and lease it to the railway for 99 years.