Dean Forest Railway
| 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 1⁄4 in (2,140 mm) Brunel gauge (1868 to 1872) 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge (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) standard gauge |
| Commercial history | |
| Opened | 1813 |
| 1868 | Converted to 7 ft 1⁄4 in (2,140 mm) Brunel gauge |
| 1872 | Converted to 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| 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 |
Coordinates: 51°44′53″N 2°32′38″W / 51.748°N 2.544°W
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. 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 was placed at the newly restored Whitecroft railway station.
...
Wikipedia