Dean Forest Railway

Coordinates: 51°44′53″N 2°32′38″W / 51.748°N 2.544°W

Dean Forest Railway
9681 north of Lydney Junction station
Locale	West Gloucestershire
Commercial operations
Built by	Severn & Wye Railway
Original gauge	Tramway (prior to 1868) 7 ft (2,134 mm) (1868 to 1872) 4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) (from 1872)
Preserved operations
Stations	5 open
Length	4 ^1⁄4 miles (6.8 km)
Preserved gauge	4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Commercial history
Opened	1813
Closed	1977
Preservation history
1970	The Society is formed
1971	First open day at Parkend
1978	First open day at Norchard
1983	The Duke of Gloucester visits
1986	Route purchased from BR
1991	Norchard to Lakeside opened
1995	Lakeside to Junction opened
2001	Lydney Town opened
2002	Norchard to Tufts opened
2003	Tufts to Whitecroft opened
2006	Parkend opened by HRH Princess Anne
2012	Whitecroft opened
Headquarters	Norchard

Dean Forest Railway
Legend
Severn and Wye Railway Parkend Station Crossing Parkend Whitemead Park Crossing Oakenwood No.3 Crossing Oakenwood No.2 Crossing Oakenwood No.1 Crossing Grove Road Crossing Whitecroft Crossing  B4234  Whitecroft Severn and Wye Railway Mineral Loop Tufts Bridge over River Lyd Severn and Wye Railway to Princess Royal Colliery Tufts Junction Norchard ^High/Low Level Middle Forge Crossing Middle Forge Jn Lydney High Street  B4234  Lydney Town St Mary's Halt Pidcock's Canal Lydney Bypass Crossing River Lyd Lydney Junction Link Road Lydney Junction for Gloucester to Newport Line

The Railways of Lydney
For canal icons used below, please refer to waterways legend instead.
Legend
Dean Forest Railway Severn and Wye Railway Mineral Loop Princess Royal Colliery Tufts Junction Tinworks Tufts Bridge Norchard High Level Norchard Low Level Engine Shed Middle Forge Junction Lydney Town St Mary's Halt Lydney Junction Severn Bridge Tunnel Severn Bridge Lydney Gloucester to Newport Line Lydney Harbour Branch Pidcock's Canal Severn Railway Bridge (Dismantled 1970) Forges Lydney Canal Lower Docks Upper Docks River Severn Swing bridge over Gloucester & Sharpness Canal Locks onto River Severn River Severn Severn Bridge Railway

The Dean Forest Railway is a 4 ¹⁄₄-mile (6.8 km) long heritage railway that runs between Lydney and Parkend in the Forest of Dean, 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 GWR 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 2 ¹⁄₂ miles (4.0 km) through/into the middle of the Royal Forest at Speech House Road (close to the nearby Beechenhurst Visitor Attraction), bringing the line to a total of about 6 ³⁄₄ miles (10.9 km) 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

• 

  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	Built in 1968
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)	Scrapped 2012	South West Trains
Unit No. 1499 [12]	BR Class 421(4-CIG)	Scrapped 2012	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	Operational	Chocolate and Cream	Built in 1948

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	Chocolate and Cream
BR Mk1	BCK	W21129	Stored	Chocolate and Cream	Awaiting Assessment & Repair
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 (cafe).

Coach type codes

• FK - First Corridor
• BCK – Brake Composite Corridor
• BSK – Brake Standard Corridor
• BSOT – Brake Standard Open (Micro-Buffet)
• RMB – Restaurant Miniature Buffet
• RBR – Restaurant Buffet Refurbished
• TSO – Tourist Standard Open

References

1. "Dean Forest Railway History". Dean Forest Railway website. Dean Forest Railway. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
2. "A combination of rail and add-on discounted ticket to Dean Forest Railway". National Rail Enquiries. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
3. "Trains to the Dean Forest Railway". CrossCountry. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
4. "Dean Forest Railway History". Dean Forest Railway website. Dean Forest Railway. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
5. "5541 - Great Western Prairie". Dean Forest Railway website. Dean Forest Railway. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
6. "Dean Forest Railway Locomotives". Dean Forest Railway website. Dean Forest Railway. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
7. "Hunslet Austerity 3806 "Wilbert"". Dean Forest Railway website. Dean Forest Railway. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
8. "Don Corbett undergoing restoration at Norchard". Flickr. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
9. "08238 and 08769 at Parkend during the 2010 Diesel Gala". Flickr. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
10. "31466 at Lydney Town during the 2010 Diesel Gala". Flickr. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
11. "E6001 approaches Lydney Town during the 2010 Diesel Gala". Flickr. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
12. "No. 1499 at Lydney Junction Platform 2". Flickr. Retrieved 11 March 2012.

External links

• Dean Forest Railway Website
• Historical site
• Dean Forest Diesel Association
• Dean Forest Railway Society Website