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The railways of Ben Ashworth country.

Forest of Dean Lines and the Severn Bridge


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How about an exhibition sequence where the FoD line is closed for relaying works, so everything is diverted via Drybrook Road. The coal trains from Northern United would have struggled up the gradient from Bilson Jct, so why not have double-headed panniers, perhaps with the pilot loco being taken off at Drybrook Road, to return to Bilson Jct to pilot the next Berry Wiggens tank train (think of the double-headed ICI ammonia trains that ran via Torpantau for a few years)?

Excellent idea, thanks.  With the space restraints necessary to fit the clubroom space I'm allocated, I am looking to only being able to have 10 wagons plus brake van so, in reality, I doubt if a DH train would be required.  However, in my version of the multiverse, anything is possible!

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Incidentally the Lionheart 0 gauge Air Ministry tankers in Berry Wiggins should be available soon... you could always move up a scale ;)

I wish I hadn't just read that.... :O agh!! Temptation awaits!! :nono: :D

 

Saw this book at my local model shop today, & succumbed to the temptation in this case as well..!! In fact I think at £30:00 it's an absolute bargain!! Awesome amount of information to wallow in.

Can anyone confirm that the "unidentified" Class 37 at Marsh Sidings (pages 169 & 170) was 37 270 ? I've quoted it myself before, but can't now recall where or how I found that info!! :blush:

Edited by F-UnitMad
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  • 2 weeks later...

I've just lent this wonderful book to an old friend of mine. Leafing thro' he came to the Severn Bridge. Apparently, towards the end of WW2, or possibly shortly afterwards, he & a friend were out on a cycle ride & came to Sharpness. Viewing the bridge they witnessed a RAF Mosquito flying low up the river & under one of the far (& larger) spans. My friend would have been about 15 or 16 at the time & I've no reason to doubt the reliability of his story - I don't think he's made it up!

Tales of planes flying underneath bridges are numerous (sometimes with tragic results as in the case of the Vampire beneath the Clifton Suspension Bridge in 1957) but has anyone heard of the Severn (Railway) Bridge being 'buzzed' like this?

Martin

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Can anyone confirm that the "unidentified" Class 37 at Marsh Sidings (pages 169 & 170) was 37 270 ? I've quoted it myself before, but can't now recall where or how I found that info!! :blush:

 

There is a photo of 37270 crossing the road by the (then closed at the time) Fountain Inn leaving Marsh Sidings on 7 May 1976 in 'Rails through the Forest - The Severn & Wye Railway (etc)' by Silver Link Publishing.

 

It's working to Marsh Sidings was to bring in GWR Autocoach No167 to the Dean Forest Railway which then had its base at Parkend.

 

I'm also sure that there is footage of 37270 both bringing in the Autocoach and leaving with the last revenue train on a DVD (B&R Vol 120?).  I don't have access to my DVDs at the moment to check but I also seem to remember that the Class 37 is seen leaving Parkend to dubbed in Class 25 sound! (or maybe there is a class 25 leaving Parkend to Class 37 thrash earlier on the DVD, its one or the other).

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I've just lent this wonderful book to an old friend of mine. Leafing thro' he came to the Severn Bridge. Apparently, towards the end of WW2, or possibly shortly afterwards, he & a friend were out on a cycle ride & came to Sharpness. Viewing the bridge they witnessed a RAF Mosquito flying low up the river & under one of the far (& larger) spans. My friend would have been about 15 or 16 at the time & I've no reason to doubt the reliability of his story - I don't think he's made it up!

 

Tales of planes flying underneath bridges are numerous (sometimes with tragic results as in the case of the Vampire beneath the Clifton Suspension Bridge in 1957) but has anyone heard of the Severn (Railway) Bridge being 'buzzed' like this?

 

Martin

I think it's mentioned in the book?  I've read it somewhere recently, I know that!

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Yes, an excellent book. If I wasn't so committed to the Welsh valleys the S&W would be a hot favourite for a model, though the Mineral Loop would possibly be the setting.

 

Jonathan

I think it's great that the FoD is so popular with modellers, both those who are actually building layouts and those who are still dreaming of doing so (my own example included), but it's ironic that most of these layouts would have to be far, far busier in model form than they ever were in real life! Mind you, I was thrilled when the Wild Swan Vol. 4 on The Mineral Loop came out (imagine that, a whole book devoted just to the Mineral Loop!), so I'd love to see a layout set on it sometime.

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I think it's mentioned in the book?  I've read it somewhere recently, I know that!

Yes, it is, found it today near the end in the chapter on the bridge.  However, it mentions a Wellington!  A tad bigger than a Mosquito.

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  • 3 months later...

Brian,

 

I doubt you'd get much below the cover price, and to be honest, given the small margins that publishers and booksellers operate to over here, why would you want to?

 

I'd try an e-mail to Simon Castens at The Titfield Thunderbolt in Bath, see if he posts to the USA.

 

It's a fantastic book, and well worth the wait and the cover price.

 

 

Well its been a while but as my birthday is next month, I found a copy from Ian Allan and they only wanted 8 Pounds for mailing.  A lot better than others, especially those who didn't want to bother to send to the US!

 

A bit quiet from the FoD recently.

 

Brian.

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