Re: passenger services - final years

[Julian]

Can anyone tell me when passenger services on the Forest of Dean branches ceased? I'm guessing 1958-59 from what I've read? Were they mostly in the hands of  the 14XX'es  and autocoaches? Did 64XX Panniers work passenger turns in the FoD?  Did loco types other than various Pannier classes regularly work freights on the FoD branches in the BR years immediately prior to the use of the diesels? I've seen mention of the occasional 45XX 2-6-2 and Ivatt 464XX 2-6-0 in print but did Gloucester shed's 22XX's work freights, for example? Hope someone can offer some info. Researching the FoD for a small layout is proving to be a lot of fun, I must say, as I knew next to nothing about the area and its railways until we recently visited Norchard and had a superb DMU trip on the Dean Forest Railway. Lovely people working there too. Many thanks indeed for any help offered.

[brianusa]

Suggest you check out Railways in Forest of Dean by our friend Parknd, a regular poster.

 

Brian

[ParkeNd]

You ask lots of questions which are best answered by books like Rails Through the Forest. Anything I know has come from books and the Internet.

 

Passenger services ended in 1929 but seaside specials persisted into the early 60s. 57xxs did most of the later steam passenger and goods work because they handled the steep gradients well. An Ivatt 2MT slipped to a standstill on the first day of its trials and had to be rescued by a 57xx. 14xxs were rarely seen in the forest as was the case with Dean Goods.

[DCB]

The Severn and Wye rly Lydney Parkend Cinderford service ended in 1929 to release more capacity for coal traffic.   The passenger service on the other line to Cinderford can't remember where the junction to the GW was but it was North of Lydney continued into the 1950s if not early 60's.  2021 panniers  were forest engines, 16XX replaced them and 57XX became common later.  It does rather depend on period.  Pre 39  Pre 49 (no 16XX)  or late era.  I will do some research later.  Dean Goods were rare in the forest despite being allocated to Lydney so I expect the 22XX never appeared on the Severn and Wye between Lydney and Parkend.  I think I saw a picture of a 43XX running unsuccessful trials.

Lack of 2021 and 16XX stops me modelling the Severn and Wye (in the garden)

[Captain Kernow]

The Severn and Wye rly Lydney Parkend Cinderford service ended in 1929 to release more capacity for coal traffic.   The passenger service on the other line to Cinderford can't remember where the junction to the GW was but it was North of Lydney continued into the 1950s if not early 60's.  2021 panniers  were forest engines, 16XX replaced them and 57XX became common later.  It does rather depend on period.  Pre 39  Pre 49 (no 16XX)  or late era.  I will do some research later.  Dean Goods were rare in the forest despite being allocated to Lydney so I expect the 22XX never appeared on the Severn and Wye between Lydney and Parkend.  I think I saw a picture of a 43XX running unsuccessful trials.

Lack of 2021 and 16XX stops me modelling the Severn and Wye (in the garden)

I think it may have been 1959 when the Cinderford services finished, would need to check. The junction station on the main line was Newnham.