Dean Forest Railway

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Dean Forest Railway

Gloucestershire

9681 lydney junction north 2.jpg
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

  • Coleford Junction [4]
  • Bicslade Wharf [4]
  • Speech House Road [4]

Locomotives

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

Commons-logo.svg
("Wikimedia Commons" has material
about Dean Forest Railway)

References

  1. "Dean Forest Railway History". Dean Forest Railway website. Dean Forest Railway. http://www.deanforestrailway.co.uk/section.php?xSec=20. Retrieved 11 March 2012. 
  2. "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. 
  3. "Trains to the Dean Forest Railway". CrossCountry. http://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/Special_offers/Treats_and_discounts/. Retrieved 11 March 2012. 
  4. 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. 
  5. "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. 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. 
  7. "Hunslet Austerity 3806 "Wilbert"". Dean Forest Railway website. Dean Forest Railway. http://www.deanforestrailway.co.uk/section.php?xSec=39. Retrieved 11 March 2012. 
  8. "Don Corbett undergoing restoration at Norchard". Flickr. http://www.flickr.com/photos/48169669@N03/5378651264/in/set-72157624374153950/. Retrieved 11 March 2012. 
  9. "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. 
  10. "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. 
  11. "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. 
  12. "No. 1499 at Lydney Junction Platform 2". Flickr. http://www.flickr.com/photos/48169669@N03/5378651264/in/set-72157624374153950/. Retrieved 11 March 2012.