Tramways and Tramroads in the Forest of Dean

[rogerfarnworth]

I am not aware of any inclines, but others may be more knowledgeable than me.

[F-UnitMad]

Sure I've seen a photo of an old tramway incline published somewhere. It was at Viney Hill near Blakeney, and dated from the 1950s; derelict then, so it may be long gone or overgrown now.

There wasn't much to see in the photo, to be honest - a hillside that almost "could be anywhere", with stone blocks going up it. I believe they were the equivalent of sleepers back when the tramways were built.

[rogerfarnworth]

A picture of the Bicslade tramway route and the stone blocks used to hold the rails.

 

[Tom Burnham]

And a piece of tramway rail used in a fence near the top of the tramway (sorry picture shows sideways...)

Edited October 11, 2018 by Tom Burnham

[Re6/6]

That's interesting Tom.

 

Here's the picture upright!

 

[Tom Burnham]

Thanks - saves getting a crick in the neck!

[rogerfarnworth]

Recently, I have begun researching some of the tramways/tramroads in the valleys of South Wales. The first of these that I looked at was the Penydarren Tramroad.

 

While I was looking at the website of the Industrial Railway Society (https://www.irsociety.co.uk) I came across a story which related to the Forest if Dean and, in particular, the Severn & Wye Railway & Canal Company.

 

The link below highlights the story of what appears to have been the research necessary before purchasing the first steam locomotive the Forest of Dean. It also pints to what could have been a far earlier introduction of steam traction into the Forest.

 

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/02/08/a-first-steam-locomotive-for-the-severn-and-wye-tramway

[rogerfarnworth]

I have been researching some of the tramways/tramroads in the valleys of South Wales. The first of these that I looked at was the Penydarren Tramroad.

While I was looking at the website of the Industrial Railway Society (https://www.irsociety.co.uk) I came across a story which related to the Forest if Dean and, in particular, the Severn & Wye Railway & Canal Company.

The link below highlights the story of what appears to have been the research necessary before purchasing the first steam locomotive the Forest of Dean. It also pints to what could have been a far earlier introduction of steam traction into the Forest.

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/02/08/a-first-steam-locomotive-for-the-severn-and-wye-tramway

[rogerfarnworth]

The Guardian carried an article on 31st August 2019 about old rail routes being used as cycleways. It suggested the 10 best routes where old railway formations are in use as cycleways. Theirs is not the only list of routes which seeks to provide a "Top Ten."

I have pulled together a few examples in the linked post below. I'd like to add at least one which does not feature in the top ten lists, and that is the Forest of Dean.

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/09/13/railways-and-cycleways-no-1-a-top-ten

[rogerfarnworth]

The industrial history of the Forest of Dean is such that the intensity of activity was high throughout the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. Innovation was rife and nowhere was this more true than in its transport infrastructure.

 

In, what history will ultimately regard as, a very short period of time, tramroads were built and became the dominant form of transport. They waned and were replaced by broad gauge railways which in turn lost out to what was the dominant but probably inferior standard-gauge. For a time all were active in the Forest at once. ....

 

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/09/15/different-railway-gauges-in-operation-the-forest-of-dean

[rogerfarnworth]

My wife and I stay in the Forest of Dean most years. September 2019 was no exception. We stayed in a cottage close to what were Cannop and Speech House Collieries which were both rail served when they were active collieries. I have already posted about Cannop Colliery as part of this series of posts. It seems appropriate that I post something about Speech House Colliery.

 

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/09/14/speech-house-hill-colliery-and-railway

Edited September 15, 2019 by rogerfarnworth

[rogerfarnworth]

Another Forest of Dean Colliery. .... Flour Mill Colliery. ...

 

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2017/09/30/the-flour-mill-colliery

[rogerfarnworth]

Trafalgar Colliery - I have enjoyed reviewing the available documentation about Trafalgar Colliery in the Forest of Dean. I hope this post is of interest.

 

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/09/24/trafalgar-colliery-and-railway

Edited September 24, 2019 by rogerfarnworth

[rogerfarnworth]

I have recently encountered two small books, both of which are facsimile editions of much older books. The first is a 19th century guide to the Forest of Dean for early holiday makers. The second provides a guide to the various coal mines in the Forest. ...

 

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/10/05/two-pocket-books-about-the-forest-of-dean

[rogerfarnworth]

The Bream Heritage Walk, the Oakwood Tramway and The Flour Mill Ltd

 

The Forest of Dean continues to be one of my favourites places. In 2020 we, once again, stayed there in the first week of September. 

 

This post returns to two earlier themes from the Forest.

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2020/09/04/the-forest-of-dean-bream-heritage-walk-the-oakwood-tramway-and-flour-mill-colliery

 

On 1st September 2020 we followed a sign-posted circular walk which started in the centre of the village of Bream on the Southwest side of the Forest. The route was planned with the support of the Big Lottery Heritage Fund and featured a series of different heritage locations around the village. ............. The walk took us first along the route of the China Bottom Branch of the Oakwood Tramway which was covered in an earlier post about the tramways in the Forest (http://rogerfarnworth.com/2017/10/02/oakwood-and-dikes-tramways).

[phil_sutters]

While scanning a mountain of family photo albums left in my care by my late parents, I found out that I have ancestors from Dean Forest. Mainly from the English Bicknor area. Among the family photos from the 1860s & 70s there were these three photos, none of which show any railways or tramways, regrettably. They contrast the rural open fields and the dark smokey environment of the collieries.

[rogerfarnworth]

This short addendum to my most recent post provides photographs with comments which were taken at the site of Flour Mill Colliery where The Flour Mill Ltd undertakes heavy engineering work maintaining and refurbishing steam locomotives.

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2020/09/04/the-flour-mill-colliery-and-the-flour-mill-ltd-again

[rogerfarnworth]

Darkhill Ironworks, Titanic Steelworks and associated railways and tramways. .....

 

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2020/09/12/the-forest-of-dean-milkwall-tramway-at-dark-hill

 

In early September 2020, while staying in Bream in the Forest of Dean we walked around the Titanic Steel Works and the Dark Hill Ironworks of father and son David and Robert Mushet. These two establishments sit adjacent to what was the Coleford branch of the Severn and Wye Joint Railway. They were also served, in its time, by the Milkwall branch of Severn and Wye Tramway.

 

[phil_sutters]

My family photos from English Bicknor and some scenes from the Forest of Dean area can be seen in my photo-sharing page at http://www.ipernity.com/doc/philsutters/album/1276568

[rogerfarnworth]

A great set of photos, Phil!

[rogerfarnworth]

Humphrey Household included a short chapter about the Forest in his 1984 book about the railways of Gloucestershire in the 1920s

 

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2021/09/17/the-forest-of-dean-tramways-and-railways-an-addendum

 

While on holiday in the Forest of Dean in September 2021, I picked up a secondhand copy of "Gloucestershire Railways in the Twenties" by Humphrey Household. [1]  It consists of a review of the development of the railways in Gloucestershire supported by a series of photographs which were predominantly taken in the 1920s by Humphrey Household. The photos are a significant resource. The text of the book is well-written. Its final two chapters were of real interest to me.

[rogerfarnworth]

I continue to find tramways and railways in the Forest of Dean of great interest. For this next post we return to Mr Brain's Tramway which primarily served Trafalgar Colliery in the Forest.

 

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2022/06/26/brains-tramway-forest-of-dean

 

Further research has resulted in a bit more information about the locomotives that worked on the Tramway. ....

[rogerfarnworth]

The Purton Viaduct and the Purton Steam Carriage Road. ....

 

On the road between Purton and Etloe on the Northwest side of the Severn Estuary there is a railway viaduct. Seemingly it sits remote from any former railway. Although you might just be forgiven for thinking that it is a remnant of the Forest of Dean Central Railway which ran through Blakeney, or even associated with the Severn & Wye Railway which ran close to, but to the South of, the hamlet of Purton.

 

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2023/09/10/the-purton-viaduct-and-the-purton-steam-carriage-road/

 

Edited September 20, 2023 by rogerfarnworth
Correcting link. ..

[figworthy]

4 hours ago, rogerfarnworth said:

The Purton Viaduct and the Purton Steam Carriage Road. ....

 

On the road between Purton and Etloe on the Northwest side of the Severn Estuary there is a railway viaduct. Seemingly it sits remote from any former railway. Although you might just be forgiven for thinking that it is a remnant of the Forest of Dean Central Railway which ran through Blakeney, or even associated with the Severn & Wye Railway which ran close to, but to the South of, the hamlet of Purton.

 

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2023/09/10/the-purton-viaduct-and-the-purton-steam-carriage-road/

 

 

Thanks for that, most interesting.

 

The URL for your site links back to your article here (the text and the link are different).

 

Adrian