ParkeNd Posted May 28, 2015 Author Share Posted May 28, 2015 Thanks Brian. The next pictures are ready now so I might as well post them tonight. This is Wilbert arriving back in Norchard late for the 12.20 planned arrival - about 15 minutes late. We could hear the train at 12.10 but it didn't make it's arrival. My thought was that four full coaches were too much but the fireman said it had taken ages to change the points. The train then left for Parkend where I caught up with it again as it was being watered and rejoined the back of the train. The last photo with the fireman hanging out the side looks like he was thinking it was going too fast - there was quite a bang on reaching that coach. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shipbadger Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 Ooh! I'm in a picture :-) In the second photo if you look to the right, beyond the signal by the crossing gate and in front of the green GUV (the C&W Dept Mess/Stores) are two persons clad in Hi Vis eating their lunch. I'm the one on the right. We'd been emptying the five plank wagon which is usually our (the Wagoneers) store so that it can be used for a photo charter next Wednesday. I'm not sure of the timings but I think it is before and after the normal timetabled trains. Keep up the good work, the photos are superb. Tony Comber 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkeNd Posted June 1, 2015 Author Share Posted June 1, 2015 Ooh! I'm in a picture :-) In the second photo if you look to the right, beyond the signal by the crossing gate and in front of the green GUV (the C&W Dept Mess/Stores) are two persons clad in Hi Vis eating their lunch. I'm the one on the right. We'd been emptying the five plank wagon which is usually our (the Wagoneers) store so that it can be used for a photo charter next Wednesday. I'm not sure of the timings but I think it is before and after the normal timetabled trains. Keep up the good work, the photos are superb. Tony Comber Must be this group Tony. A big blow up from another frame. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 One bit of line, of which some remains, is that from Blakeney running west towards Mallards Pike. I'm not sure which line it was i.e. where it went from and to. There's the remains of an over bridge and embankment either side of the A48 and if you follow the road to which runs to Parkend there's a bit of viaduct, further on some of the trackbed is a footpath through Wenchford (bit late now but a month or so back the forest there is a carpet of Bluebells) and a few over bridges still stand. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparks Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 One bit of line, of which some remains, is that from Blakeney running west towards Mallards Pike. I'm not sure which line it was i.e. where it went from and to. There's the remains of an over bridge and embankment either side of the A48 and if you follow the road to which runs to Parkend there's a bit of viaduct, further on some of the trackbed is a footpath through Wenchford (bit late now but a month or so back the forest there is a carpet of Bluebells) and a few over bridges still stand. Could be the Forest of Dean Central line from Awre - have a look at the Railway Clearing House Diagram on Wikipedia:- http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bilson,_Cinderford,_Coleford,_Lydbrook_%26_Lydney_RJD_86.jpg And also here:- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_of_Dean_Central_Railway Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 Yes, that would be it. Thanks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkeNd Posted June 2, 2015 Author Share Posted June 2, 2015 (edited) Whilst I am mulling over Arthur's suggestions, I followed brianusa's suggestion to photograph beyond Parkend. The Travellers Rest Crossing site doesn't need much imagination to see in your mind as it was, and as it would be re-instated. Here is the track bed approaching the crossing, and then the actual crossing beside what is now Old Railway Inn Cottage - which used I think to be first the Railway Inn and then Travellers Rest. I guess The Square would have been in the background of the first photo. The route around the back of the caravan sales site is easy to imagine becoming railway again - indeed up as far as Cannop Ponds picnic site. However Speech House Road Station being re-instated in the same place as before defies my imagination. More in a moment. Compare my photos that follow with Picture 1 on this website. http://www.forestpictures.co.uk/page31.htm This next photo would have been taken from the right hand platform in the old photos looking in the same direction. Then this is the site of the signal box. The patch of grass just the other side of the fence. And over these gates, across the road, and to the left of the other gates, stood the very fine Station Masters House. Not very easy to imagine is it ? Try as I might I could see no way in the world how the railway could be re-instated at this point. Apart from that sign there is not a hint that there was ever a railway here. A major issue would be the road you can see between the two sets of gates. There is a constant stream of traffic passing in both directions. From right to left is down a long dead straight hill and most of the traffic was travelling at 60, 70, and maybe 80 mph. There would be no way you could disgorge children off a train with that road being only 30 feet away - in my opinion. Going back about half a mile to Cannop Ponds seems a much safer option to me. But then what do I know? Edited June 2, 2015 by ParkeNd 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 Great stuff, interesting to contrast it with the old photo. Yes, traffic on that the road is both fast and frequent, pedestrians aside, I'm not sure how a level crossing would suit there either. As a terminus with some visitor attractions, there's not only Cannop Ponds, but just on the other side of the road, and to the right, there's the Forestry Commissions Beechenhurst visitor centre and about half a mile away, on the Lydbrook road, there is a cycle hire centre on the site if one of the old collieries. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkeNd Posted June 3, 2015 Author Share Posted June 3, 2015 Great stuff, interesting to contrast it with the old photo. Yes, traffic on that the road is both fast and frequent, pedestrians aside, I'm not sure how a level crossing would suit there either. As a terminus with some visitor attractions, there's not only Cannop Ponds, but just on the other side of the road, and to the right, there's the Forestry Commissions Beechenhurst visitor centre and about half a mile away, on the Lydbrook road, there is a cycle hire centre on the site if one of the old collieries. That makes sense. One of the DFR staff at Whitecroft told me that there is one body of opinion that tunnelling to create a bridge for the road to go over and putting the station on the other side of the road is the way to go. There is quite a ramp up on the cycle path where the platforms were lending credence to this as a suggestion. The "proper" Speech House Road Station looks always to have been a bit in the middle of nowhere. I will have to go and see where Beechenhurst Visitor Centre is. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 (edited) A tunnel under the road would make a great deal of sense particularly if it incorporated a pedestrian access too. The station is/was in the middle of nowhere, there's no obvious village which it would have served. Speech House, once an important admin centre for the forest but long since a hotel, lies about a mile north on the road towards Cinderford, but there's no village as such, just the House/hotel. For Beechenhurst just emerge onto the road from Cannop Ponds, turn right, and the centre is a quarter mile or so on the left. It's well signposted. Speech House Hotel is, maybe, a mile further on, on the right. For visitors looking to walk or cycle in the 'Forest' proper, it's not a bad starting point. Edited June 3, 2015 by Arthur Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
73101 The Royal Alex Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 Looking at the photos of the old Severn Bridge station, how much interest is there on the DFR extending in this direction rather than towards Cinderford? What would the major issues be? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 The major obstacle would be that they'd have to cross the existing Gloucester-Chepstow/South Wales main line, about half a mile north of Lydney station, and it's all on the same level. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
73101 The Royal Alex Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 The main line wouldnt need to be crossed - originally that happened by the viaduct leading to the Severn Rail bridge Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 Yes it would, there is no space for the line to run between the new Lydney bypass and the immediately adjacent main line about half a mile north of Lydney station. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
73101 The Royal Alex Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 So realign the bypass then? Minor compared to crossing the main line... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 There is also the consideration that there is nothing there, they'd be extending the line just to build a terminus in the middle of farmers fields. Extend the other way and at least passengers can get off and do something if they wish. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianusa Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 I rather think that realigning bypasses is a bit beyond the budget but stranger things have happened in the field of railway preservation. So too would be the crossing of a major highway to Cinderford so perhaps compromises as mentioned could be considered. Thanks PE for the pictures, gives me an idea of what's going on. Brian. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkeNd Posted June 3, 2015 Author Share Posted June 3, 2015 Looking at the photos of the old Severn Bridge station, how much interest is there on the DFR extending in this direction rather than towards Cinderford? What would the major issues be? Strangely the current application form for Dean Forest Railway Society Memberships says "plans to extend in one direction to Speech House Road, and in the other direction to Lydney Docks or even Severn Bridge Station". So who knows? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkeNd Posted June 3, 2015 Author Share Posted June 3, 2015 There is also the consideration that there is nothing there, they'd be extending the line just to build a terminus in the middle of farmers fields. Extend the other way and at least passengers can get off and do something if they wish. Unless they just went as far as Lydney Docks - which really is worth getting out and walking around - as long as the kids didn't fall over the edge at high tide!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 Given the will and the money few things are impossible, whether they are worth doing is another thing. Yes, the docks are are worth a visit, and were once rail served, but again the obstacle is crossing the main line. Would Railtrack sanction a flat crossing?, otherwise it's a costly bridge and associated approach work. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted June 4, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 4, 2015 Given the will and the money few things are impossible, whether they are worth doing is another thing. Yes, the docks are are worth a visit, and were once rail served, but again the obstacle is crossing the main line. Would Railtrack sanction a flat crossing?, otherwise it's a costly bridge and associated approach work. No, there is no way that a flat crossing would be sanctioned by Network Rail these days. Even if it was, the cost would be prohibitive, when the signalling design, modifications and installation were taken into account, let alone the cost of the new ironwork. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Thanks Tim, that's what I would have expected. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Neil Posted June 8, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 8, 2015 No, there is no way that a flat crossing would be sanctioned by Network Rail these days. Even if it was, the cost would be prohibitive, when the signalling design, modifications and installation were taken into account, let alone the cost of the new ironwork. Did the WHR flat crossing at Porthmadog get the green light because there were different criteria in place when it was being planned or is it that the Cambrian Coast line is not typical and different considerations apply? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkeNd Posted June 10, 2015 Author Share Posted June 10, 2015 Visited the DFR again with my camera this morning. I had decided to try to improve on some earlier photos by using different angles and viewpoints. 5541 was doing the honours "the right way round" compared with Wilbert so was running facing forwards from Parkend to Lydney junction. Took photos at Parkend, Whitecroft, St Mary's Halt, Lydney Junction, and in a straight forested section. Didn't bother with Norchard since photo locations are very limited - about 3 spots which gets very repetitive. I have a feeling that Whitecroft with its extra platform, building, and signal box with passing place for two trains is going to become the prime photo spot. Very busy today on the trains - more coach parties - good for revenue. Will publish a few photos when RAW files are processed. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkeNd Posted June 11, 2015 Author Share Posted June 11, 2015 As threatened - some new photos. First off are just four I have selected taken at Whitecroft - I was looking to show just how close trains pass their surroundings - which is good for us observers. This is the first train of the day arriving at Whitecroft and then leaving via the road crossing for Parkend. The wind was blowing from Whitecroft back towards Norchard and the man operating the gates and manning the station was worried that it might have been Wilbert on today and then he wouldn't be able to hear it's whistle as it approached. Luckily it was 5541. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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