Dean Forest Railway
| Dean Forest Railway | |
|
Gloucestershire | |
|---|---|
 9681 north of Lydney Junction station | |
| Gauge: | 4 ft 8.5in |
| No. of stations: | 5 open |
| Track: | 4¼ miles |
| Headquarters: | Norchard station |
| Information | |
The Dean Forest Railway is a heritage railway 4¼ miles long that runs between Lydney and Parkend in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire.
The route was part of the former Severn and Wye Railway which ran from Lydney to Cinderford. The society that operates the line started steam locomotive operations in 1971, and bought the trackbed and line from British Rail in 1986. Reaching Both Lydney Junction and Parkend railway stations by 1995 and 2005 respectively.[1] Trains are operated by both steam and heritage diesel locomotives, and heritage diesel multiple units.
The Dean Forest railway has been given the former Great Western Railway signal box that stood slightly to the east of Codsall station in Staffordshire. Its removal was completed in July 2007, and is expected to be placed at the newly restored Whitecroft railway station.
CrossCountry are now providing a combined fare for travel to Lydney mainline station (on CrossCountry services only) and then onto the Dean Forest Railway.[2][3]
The Dean Forest Railway plans to extend its heritage services a further 2½ miles through or into the middle of the Royal Forest at Speech House Road (close to the nearby Beechenhurst Visitor Attraction), which would bring the line to a total of about 6¾ miles in length.[4]
Stations and Junctions of the DFR
- Lydney Junction (Terminus)
- St Mary's Halt (now closed, yet still in place).
- Lydney Town
- Middle Forge Junction – Line splits into High and Low Levels. No Station.
- Norchard Low Level (Terminus) - includes a railway museum and shop
- Norchard High Level - ramp and steps to Norchard Low Level
- Tufts Junction – Historic junction with disused mineral loop and freight branch. No Station.
- Whitecroft
- Parkend (Current Terminus)
Proposed future extension
Locomotives
-
1450 and Autocoach 178 at Norchard Low Level -
1450 passes through Oakenwood, just north of Whitecroft -
9681 sits at Parkend -
Class 25, D7633 at Lydney Junction Headshunt near St. Mary's Halt -
Class 73 number E6001, restored at Lydney, 7 May 2007
Steam
| Number & Name | Description | Current Status | Livery |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. 1450 | GWR 0-4-2T 1400 Class | Operational, on loan to the Severn Valley Railway built in 1935. | BR lined Green with late crest |
| No. 5538 | GWR 2-6-2T 4575 Class | Undergoing restoration, built in 1928. | N/A |
| No. 5541 | GWR 2-6-2T 4575 Class | Operational, built in 1928.[5] | BR lined Green with late crest |
| No. 9681 | BR(W) 0-6-0PT 5700 Class | Out of service for overhaul. Built in 1949 | BR Black (Early Emblem) |
| No. 2147 "Uskmouth 1" | Peckett and Sons 0-4-0ST | Stored, built in 1952.[6] | Light Green |
| No. 2221 | Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST | Stored, built in 1946 | N/A |
| No. 3806 "Wilbert" | Austerity Saddle Tank Engine 0-6-0ST | Operational, built in 1953.[7] | Dark Blue with Red Lining |
| No. 3823 "Warrior" | Austerity Saddle Tank Engine 0-6-0ST | Undergoing restoration, built in 1954.[6] | N/A |
Diesel and electric
| Number & Name | Description | Current Status | Livery | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 5622 "Don Corbett" | Hunslet 0-4-0 Diesel Shunter | Operational | Departmental Yellow with Wasp-Stripe bufferbeams [8] | |
| No. 6688 "Salty" | Hunslet 0-4-0 Diesel Shunter | Arrived from the Barry Island Railway in January 2009 and operational. | Red with Yellow ends and Wasp-Stripes | |
| No. 3947 "Pluto" | Hibberd 0-4-0 Diesel Mechanical Shunter | Operational | Green | |
| No. 08238 (13308 / D3308) "Charlie" | BR 0-6-0 Class 08 | Light duties at Lydney Jcn only | BR Blue with Wasp Stripes [9] | Built in 1956 |
| No. 08473 | BR 0-6-0 Class 08 | Scrapped 2011 | BR Blue | Built in 1958 |
| No. 08734 | BR 0-6-0 Class 08 | Undergoing a rebuild with parts from 08473 | BR Blue | Built in 1960 |
| No. 08769 (D3937) "Gladys" | BR 0-6-0 Class 08 | Operational, Norchard shunter. | BR Green with wasp stripes | |
| No. D9521 | BR 0-6-0 Class 14 | Operational | BR Green | |
| No. D9555 | BR 0-6-0 Class 14 | Operational | BR Green | |
| No. D7633 | BR Bo-Bo Class 25 | Stored awaiting overhaul; leaking header tank | BR Two-Tone Green | |
| No. 27066 | BR Bo-Bo Class 27 | Operational | BR Blue | Built in 1962 |
| No. D5634/31210 | BR A1A-A1A Class 31 | Undergoing restoration | N/A | |
| No. 31466 [10] | BR A1A-A1A Class 31 | Operational | EWS Maroon/Gold | |
| No. 37263 | BR Co-Co Class 37 | Undergoing restoration at Lydney Junction | BR Blue | Built in 1965 |
| No. E6001 [11] | BR Bo-Bo Class 73 | Operational | BR Blue | Built in 1962 |
| No. 73002 | BR Bo-Bo Class 73 | Static display/Spare parts donor for E6001 | BR Large Logo Blue | Built in 1962 |
| No. E50619 | BR Class 108 DMBS | Operational | BR Green | |
| No. M51566 | BR Class 108 DMCL | Operational | BR Green | Built in 1959 |
| No. M51914 | BR Class 108 DMBS | Operational | BR Green | |
| No. M56492 | BR Class 108 DTCL | Operational | BR Green | |
| No. M59387 | BR Class 108 TSL | Operational | BR Green | |
| Unit No. 1392 | BR Class 421(4-CIG) | Undergoing Restoration | South West Trains | |
| Unit No. 1499 [12] | BR Class 421(4-CIG) | Undergoing Restoration | South West Trains/Southern Region Malachite Green |
Coaches
Great Western Railway coaching stock
| Design | Type | Number | Status | Livery | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collett | Autocoach | 178 | Operational | Chocolate and Cream | Often paired with 0-4-2T No. 1450 and spends time away at gala events |
| Hawksworth | Autocoach | W238 | Operational | Maroon | Formerly at the Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway where it carried the name "Charlotte", now carries "Chaffinch" |
| Collett Standard | TK | 5813 | Static | Chocolate and Cream | Built in 1934 Used as sales coach to raise funds for 0-6-0PT No. 9681 |
| Collett Standard | TK | 5863 | Static | Chocolate and Cream | Built in 1934 Used as volunteer accommodation coach |
| Hawksworth (but to Collet Standard outline) | Inspection Saloon | W80943 | Out of Traffic | Chocolate and Cream | Built in 1948 Axle box issues |
British Railways coaching stock
| Design | Type | Number | Status | Livery | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BR Mk1 | TSO | 4862 | Operational | Chocolate and Cream | |
| BR Mk1 | TSO | 4891 | Operational | Chocolate and Cream | |
| BR Mk1 | TSO | 4980 | Operational | Chocolate and Cream | |
| BR Mk1 | TSO | 4923 | Operational | Chocolate and Cream | |
| BR Mk1 | BSOT | W9003 | Operational | Maroon | |
| BR Mk1 | BCK | W21129 | Operational | Chocolate and Cream | |
| BR Mk1 | BSK | 34742 | Stored | Maroon | Stored at Norchard and undergoing conversion to allow disabled access |
| BR Mk1 | RMB | 1803 | Operational | Chocolate and Cream | |
| BR Mk1 | RBR | M1665 | Operational | Maroon | "Rosie" - Part of Royal Forester Dining Train |
| BR Mk1 | RMB | 1829 | Operational | Maroon | Part of Royal Forester Dining Train |
The stock includes number of other coaches including a few at Lydney Jcn, in the DFDA siding; and at Norchard (café).
Coach type codes
- FK - First Corridor
- BCK – Brake Composite Corridor
- BSK – Standard Corridor|Brake Standard Corridor
- BSOT – Brake Standard Open (Micro-Buffet)
- RMB – Restaurant Miniature Buffet
- RBR – Restaurant Buffet Refurbished
- TSO – Tourist Standard Open
Outside links
 |
("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Dean Forest Railway) |
References
- ↑ "Dean Forest Railway History". Dean Forest Railway website. Dean Forest Railway. http://www.deanforestrailway.co.uk/section.php?xSec=20. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
- ↑ "A combination of rail and add-on discounted ticket to Dean Forest Railway". National Rail Enquiries. http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/promotions/praaf0bedf1843398453105e58511b0a/details.html. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
- ↑ "Trains to the Dean Forest Railway". CrossCountry. http://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/Special_offers/Treats_and_discounts/. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Dean Forest Railway History". Dean Forest Railway website. Dean Forest Railway. http://www.deanforestrailway.co.uk/section.php?xSec=23. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
- ↑ "5541 - Great Western Prairie". Dean Forest Railway website. Dean Forest Railway. http://www.deanforestrailway.co.uk/section.php?xSec=40. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Dean Forest Railway Locomotives". Dean Forest Railway website. Dean Forest Railway. http://www.deanforestrailway.co.uk/section.php/37/1/locomotives. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
- ↑ "Hunslet Austerity 3806 "Wilbert"". Dean Forest Railway website. Dean Forest Railway. http://www.deanforestrailway.co.uk/section.php?xSec=39. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
- ↑ "Don Corbett undergoing restoration at Norchard". Flickr. http://www.flickr.com/photos/48169669@N03/5378651264/in/set-72157624374153950/. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
- ↑ "08238 and 08769 at Parkend during the 2010 Diesel Gala". Flickr. http://www.flickr.com/photos/48169669@N03/5174750806/in/set-72157624374153950/. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
- ↑ "31466 at Lydney Town during the 2010 Diesel Gala". Flickr. http://www.flickr.com/photos/48169669@N03/5174142821/in/set-72157624374153950/. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
- ↑ "E6001 approaches Lydney Town during the 2010 Diesel Gala". Flickr. http://www.flickr.com/photos/48169669@N03/5174749338/in/set-72157624374153950/. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
- ↑ "No. 1499 at Lydney Junction Platform 2". Flickr. http://www.flickr.com/photos/48169669@N03/5378651264/in/set-72157624374153950/. Retrieved 11 March 2012.