rogerfarnworth

I have been intending to follow up my first article about this line (http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/06/04/bideford-westward-ho-and-appledore-railway-part-1-railfile) with a second one. It has taken me sometime to complete it. This next article covers the line from Bideford to Westward Ho! http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/11/30/bideford-westward-ho-and-appledore-railway-part-2

In early November 2019, my wife and I spent a week or so staying just to the Southwest of Lancaster. During our time there we walked along much of the old Glasson Dock Branch which is now a cycleway alongside the River Lune. We were fortunate with the weather! The linked article below describes the line and its history. ..... http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/11/27/the-glasson-dock-branch

In early November 2019, my wife and I spent a week or so staying just to the Southwest of Lancaster. During our time there we walked along much of the old Glasson Dock Branch which is now a cycleway alongside the River Lune. We were fortunate with the weather! The linked article below describes the line and its history. ..... http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/11/27/the-glasson-dock-branch

The Lynn and Fakenham Railway - Part 1. ... This post results from reading Issue No. 30 of the "Railway Archive" Journal. It contains an article about the locomotives originally purchased for the Cornwall Minerals Railway. That company dramatically over-ordered motive power and when it lease was taken over by the GWR, 50% of its original order were returned to the manufacturer Sharp, Stewart of Manchester. Eight if these locomotives found their way to the Lynn & Fakenham Railway and eventually onto the books of the Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway. This first post about the Lynn & Fakenham Railway focusses on these locomotives. ... http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/11/16/the-lynn-and-fakenham-railway-part-1

This next post relates in passing to the Penydarren Tramroad. It focuses primarily on the Plymouth Ironworks an Collieries which grew as a result of the existence of the Tramroad and the later railways in the Taff Valley. ... http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/11/13/the-plymouth-or-south-duffryn-colliery-in-the-taff-valley

This next post relates in passing to the Penydarren Tramroad. It focuses primarily on the Plymouth Ironworks an Collieries which grew as a result of the existence of the Tramroad and the later railways in the Taff Valley. ... http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/11/13/the-plymouth-or-south-duffryn-colliery-in-the-taff-valley

This post relates in passing to the Penydarren Tramroad. It focuses primarily on the Plymouth Ironworks an Collieries which grew as a result of the existence of the Tramroad and the later railways in the Taff Valley. ... http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/11/13/the-plymouth-or-south-duffryn-colliery-in-the-taff-valley

There is a lot more to cover about the railways in and around King's Lynn. This post gives a flavour of what is to come in due course. http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/10/21/early-railway-history-in-kings-lynn There is a significant length of the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway, the branch to Hunstanton, the original length of the line from Gaywood towards Bawsey and a number of quarry and other short lines, without even considering the main line towards Ely. When time permits. ..............

Hi Andy Thank you for the comments. I have tried to be faithful to what Jose Banaudo wrote in French in his book. The overall theme in his book appears to be that of a political alignment at the time in favour of buses and cars. There is a sense of the flexibility of these forms of transport but also a sense that traffic movement in Nice became much more difficult, perhaps inevitably. My French may not be strong enough and I may have misunderstood. Best wishes Roger

Further decline in the urban tramway network in Nice occurred from the late 1920s into the 1930s. Buses became politically more acceptable than the trams. ... This post continues my reflections based on a translation of the work of Jose Banaudo from French into English. ... http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/10/14/the-tnl-tram-network-the-changes-in-the-urban-network-1929-1934-chemins-de-fer-de-provence-86

Further decline in the urban tramway network in Nice occurred from the late 1920s into the 1930s. Buses became politically more acceptable than the trams. ... This post continues my reflections based on a translation of the work of Jose Banaudo from French into English. ... http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/10/14/the-tnl-tram-network-the-changes-in-the-urban-network-1929-1934-chemins-de-fer-de-provence-86

Very recently, I have been reading a book about the Bicester Military Railway which was published in 1992. It was published by the Oxford Publishing Company and is widely available to buy second-hand. It is worth a read. ... http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/10/12/bicester-military-railway-book-review

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

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

In August 2019 my wife and I belated celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary by having a few days away. We chose to stay West of Llanymynech in the Welsh Borders. While we were there we travelled the length of the Tanat Valley, following as closely as we could the route of the old Light Railway. Much of the time on the journey we were looking across a couple of fields and noting a slight rise in the land along the line of the old railway! We started the journey down the valley from Pennant Melangell and it's picturesque church. Intriguingly, there was a small museum in the church tower which included a number of things relating to the old Light Railway. Sadly, we timed this excursion badly and were unable to visit the visitor centre at Nantmwr. It was closed in the days that we were in the area. This post gives a great deal of background information about the line and the Tanat Valley. I hope, in the next post to follow the route of the line as best as possible. http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/09/18/the-tanat-valley-light-railway-and-the-nantmawr-branch-part-1 You will note that one of the reference documents used is a GCE project report about Llangynog and the railway which I came across in St. Melangell's Church.

In August 2019 my wife and I belated celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary by having a few days away. We chose to stay West of Llanymynech in the Welsh Borders. While we were there we travelled the length of the Tanat Valley, following as closely as we could the route of the old Light Railway. Much of the time on the journey we were looking across a couple of fields and noting a slight rise in the land along the line of the old railway! We started the journey down the valley from Pennant Melangell and it's picturesque church. Intriguingly, there was a small museum in the church tower which included a number of things relating to the old Light Railway. Sadly, we timed this excursion badly and were unable to visit the visitor centre at Nantmwr. It was closed in the days that we were in the area. This post gives a great deal of background information about the line and the Tanat Valley. I hope, in the next post to follow the route of the line as best as possible. http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/09/18/the-tanat-valley-light-railway-and-the-nantmawr-branch-part-1 You will note that one of the reference documents used is a GCE project report about Llangynog and the railway which I came across in St. Melangell's Church.

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

I guess we are aware of the ongoing and sometimes stirring debate over the status of some abandoned rail routes. .... This is one example. .... https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/railway-line-been-unused-20-16820896

Another Forest of Dean Colliery. .... Flour Mill Colliery. ... http://rogerfarnworth.com/2017/09/30/the-flour-mill-colliery

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

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

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 Which route is best?

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

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

I am working on completing a book about the Central Var line of Les Chemins de Fer du Sud de la France. About 75% of the way through the work now and reviewing my post of the length of the line to the West of Sillans-la-Cascade. I have realised that I omitted an important element of this section of the line - that It provided access to a number of mines. Two closest to the line were open-cast bauxite mines. Both were situated near Rognette which also appears not to feature in my original review of this length of the line. This revised post covers the section in question. .... http://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/08/19/ligne-de-central-var-part-13a-sillans-la-cascade-to-barjols-chemins-de-fer-de-provence-85