kirtleypete Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 It was visits to Parkend in the 70's that did it for me, though I am told that I did travel to Lydney over the bridge in the late 50's....I can't remember anything sadly, I was too young. I had a Forest layout years ago....I'll see if I can dig out some pictures. I'm delighted to see a 'Forest' section on RMWeb - I joined for the German Railways section and then stumbled across this too, a very nice surprise. I've got the LP too - it's recorded from the footplate pounding up the 1 in 30 and takes up the whole of one side - awesome! Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killybegs Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 My grandfather was vicar at Micheldean for many years so we spent a quite a few hols exploring the forest as kids. That was in the days when relatively young children were kicked out the door after breakfast with a packed lunch and told not to come back till teatime! Boy did we get into some scrapes! In the mid eighties I bought a mountain bike, long before they became popular (I had to order one), and spent a lot of time hurtling around the forestry tracks and old trackbeds in the Forest. A few years later when I was deciding on the location for my first P4 layout, the Forest of Dean was the obvious choice. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted August 6, 2011 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted August 6, 2011 A few years later when I was deciding on the location for my first P4 layout, the Forest of Dean was the obvious choice And a very fine one, too Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
br2975 Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 Ben Ashworth's shot of the 2251 hauled goods at Kerne Bridge drew my then smouldering interest in the FoD network into prominence. . As for "BR Steam in Dean" - undoubtedly one of THE most inspirational books I own. . And I don't model the FoD ! Brian R 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Happy Hippo Posted August 28, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 28, 2011 I am a great fan of remote single line junctions preferably with a BR(W) theme. And the Forest has them in droves. Trawling through a combination of the websites of both Old Maps and the Signalling Record Society, I came across Serridge Junction. A compressed version of this with the addition of a halt style platform with the required decrepitude of disuse, makes it a serious contender for a future layout. As a matter of interest, I do find the SRS website (I am also a member) of great assistance when it comes to laying out signals points and crossings in a prototypical and logical manner. Regards Richard Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike morley Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 I came across Serridge Junction. A compressed version of this with the addition of a halt style platform with the required decrepitude of disuse, makes it a serious contender for a future layout. If you get hold of a copy of the Barry Norman/Wild Swan book on Landscape Modelling, Serridge Junction is featured amongst the layout plans at the back of the book. He even suggests the addition of a passenger platform! The only thing the plan doesnt do is make it clear just how steeply the line to Lydbrook climbs away from the junction. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Happy Hippo Posted August 31, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 31, 2011 Mike, Thank you for the tip on the Barry Norman book. It is one of many books I have on a wish list, but have not yet got around to getting a copy. The SRS diagram for Serridge Junction can be viewed here: http://www.s-r-s.org...l/gwx/S2523.htm And a photo from just outside the signal box looking up the branch here: http://www.flickr.co...boy/4751004657/ The photo show the quite pronounced difference in levels you mentioned. The length of the loop on the Lydbrook branch is deceiving when compared with the signal box diagram, but I suppose the subtle give away is the fact that the entry to the loop at the nw end is controlled by a ground frame. (I appreciate the box diagrams are a representation and not a scale drawing, but it easy to get sucked into that way of thinking). I also stumbled across the website of Richard Kyte, which has a section on the railways in the forest: http://www.forestofdeanrailways.info Regards Richard Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted August 31, 2011 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted August 31, 2011 That is one superb photo of Serridge Jct, many thanks for the link. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike morley Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 As the Captain says, a superb photo of a scene that is unrecognisable today. The forest has encrouched so completely that a footpath struggles to follow the route the train is descending and without the photograph it would be difficult to believe that one, let alone three tracks were once there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 In the "Past & Present" Series of books that cover this area, they say that some of the foundations of the water tower and so on are still extant - just extremely hard to find in all the undergrowth!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted September 2, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 2, 2011 I lived in Coalway for fifteen years and walked nearly all the old lines with the dogs. The areas around Speculation and Cannop and Point Quarry were favourites. Ian Pope (he of the books) became a personal friend I took over editorship of the Gauge 0 Gazette from him. I loved finding old bits of tramway. The stones from a tramway point were still in the ground near Mushets Iron works. An important phase in the development of steel making took place in that area and the Titatnic Steelworks is nowhere to be seen. I also went on the first trial of the Branchline day. A wonderful experience driving 9861 up from Lydney to Norchard. Don 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike morley Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 I've just been through the rest of the pictures in the Flickr site you link to above. Every single picture is both stunning and an inspiration to any modeller with an interest in the railways of the Forest. Upper Lydbrook, in particular, is particularly inspiring, although I must admit that the very name means the Strip-and-at-it colliery has considerable interest (who says model railways can't be sexy?) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
81E Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I first became interested in the area in the early to mid 1980s when I read the books by Harry Paar. This culminated in a walk around most of them from 20th August 87 to the 22nd (which also took in the the disused railway from Lydbrook Junction to Tintern, although we did not attempt the Serrage Junction to Lydbrook Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
81A Oldoak Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 Ben Ashworth's shot of the 2251 hauled goods at Kerne Bridge drew my then smouldering interest in the FoD network into prominence. . As for "BR Steam in Dean" - undoubtedly one of THE most inspirational books I own. . And I don't model the FoD ! Brian R One of the finest railway photos ever taken, It is in my edition of GWR Branch Line Album" by Ian Krause and was the first railway book I ever bought in 1972. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim V Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 One of the finest railway photos ever taken, It is in my edition of GWR Branch Line Album" by Ian Krause and was the first railway book I ever bought in 1972. I think that was my first GW book I had to! I encountered the FOD in the early 70s, I went looking for Bilson Junction and found nothing - it had been razed. The DFR had restored 5541 and were running it on a few yards of track behind the platform at Parkend. Got some pictures somewhere. Can't remember if I took the Captain over with me - memory gets hazy after all these years.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted January 22, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 22, 2013 I think that was my first GW book I had to! I encountered the FOD in the early 70s, I went looking for Bilson Junction and found nothing - it had been razed. The DFR had restored 5541 and were running it on a few yards of track behind the platform at Parkend. Got some pictures somewhere. Can't remember if I took the Captain over with me - memory gets hazy after all these years.... Yes, I think I did go over, I remember at least one trip to Parkend when the DFPS were there, and as I didn't drive, it was probably in your fine vehicle that the trip was made... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim V Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 Have to dig out the early FOD pictures, maybe a clean shaven apprentice Captain in there somewhere, perhaps on the platform, or maybe directing the crowds, oh the joy of youth! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahameLowe Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 An interesting question? It began with the chance purchase of Wild Swan's 'Seven & Wye' series of books (including more recently volume 4) I have since acquired the OPC 'Historical Survey of the Forest of Dean Railways) and Wild Swan's 'Forest Of Dean' volumes 1-2....notwithstanding the fact that for many years I have been modelling (and photographing and writing about the railways of Victoria and New South Wales here in Australia) I am intrigued as to why there are not more 'Forest of Dean' layouts in the UK...? I will monitor the postings on RmWeb with a particular interest in the Forest Of Dean though I also like Cornish (particularly SR) and the South Wales railways. Thankyou for all your efforts... regards, Grahame Heathcote Jct Vic Australia Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted January 31, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 31, 2013 An interesting question? It began with the chance purchase of Wild Swan's 'Seven & Wye' series of books (including more recently volume 4) I have since acquired the OPC 'Historical Survey of the Forest of Dean Railways) and Wild Swan's 'Forest Of Dean' volumes 1-2....notwithstanding the fact that for many years I have been modelling (and photographing and writing about the railways of Victoria and New South Wales here in Australia) I am intrigued as to why there are not more 'Forest of Dean' layouts in the UK...? Hi Grahame - yes, you'd have thought that the FoD might have given rise to more layouts than we are actually aware of, given the picturesque landscapes, the profusion of interesting industrial locations that were/could have been rail-served and the variety of junction configurations, rail-over-rail bridges etc. Lots of interesting opportunities, I think. My own (hoped-for) contribution to the quota of FoD layouts in due course will be 'Travellers Rest', slightly changed to make it more operationally interesting, but that has to wait until I've completed the current project! (although the baseboards and point work has already been built)... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted January 31, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 31, 2013 (edited) An interesting question? It began with the chance purchase of Wild Swan's 'Seven & Wye' series of books (including more recently volume 4) I have since acquired the OPC 'Historical Survey of the Forest of Dean Railways) and Wild Swan's 'Forest Of Dean' volumes 1-2....notwithstanding the fact that for many years I have been modelling (and photographing and writing about the railways of Victoria and New South Wales here in Australia) I am intrigued as to why there are not more 'Forest of Dean' layouts in the UK...? I will monitor the postings on RmWeb with a particular interest in the Forest Of Dean though I also like Cornish (particularly SR) and the South Wales railways. Thankyou for all your efforts... regards, Grahame Heathcote Jct Vic Australia One thing that isn't in the Forest railways favour is the fact that the larger loco classes especially named ones did not feature much. Many seaside branches (eg. Minehead Pwllheli) were more likely to see a named engine than the Forest. However here is a shot of Ian Pope's latest. Regards Don Edited January 31, 2013 by Donw 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahameLowe Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 Though from what I have seen in the Wild Swan publications, on at least one occasion each, a 56xxx 0-6-2T and a 43xxx 2-6-0 traversed the Coleford Branch, albeit on a trials run - Dean Goods 0-6-0 locomotibves were also based at Lydney, so with the plethora of Panniers, Class 14 'Teddy Bears' and other smaller locomotives, there is still a little variety to be had. Small layout with a 'mining' lineage can be most interesting...for example Not quite the 'Forest of Dean' (though possibly quite the opposite in topography) but interesting nonetheless! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahameLowe Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 This all has me thinking...I have the Panniers and the rollingstock! regards, Grahame Heathcote Jct Vic Australia Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Chambers Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 For an insight into Forest mining operations and for sheer "Forest" atmosphere try a recent discovery- DVD "Mining in the Forest of Dean", part of the "Narrow Gauge at Work" series obtained from The Signal Box at Anstey,www.signal-box.com.No standard gauge stock or track but fascinating nevertheless.Tim- looking forward to pics of "Travellers Rest" when appropriate! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted February 1, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 1, 2013 There were some fascinating workings in the forest. I have walked most of the lines. The coleford branch with tight curves,steep gradients and short trains is a modeller dream apart from the restricted choice of motive power. One of my favourite spots is Point Quarry with the old tramway crossing underneath the line. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
45669 Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 (edited) I went on a railtour around what was left of the railways in the Forest of Dean organized by the Railway Enthusiasts' Club in 1964. It was a brakevan tour with limited accommodation so was fully booked in no time. However, they were able to run a repeat tour two weeks later so that was the one that I was on. We therefore got the best of both worlds by chasing and gricing the first train and then riding on the second. One of these days I shall scan the photographs and put them on the www. So far, I have done five showing the Severn Railway Bridge which was part of the tour - on foot though because of the hole in the middle. This is the first one and clicking on it will enlarge it and take you to the other four : Edited April 9, 2014 by 45669 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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