ParkeNd

Odney Manor and a 2-8-0 Goods loco at Bishops Lydiard last week. No prizes for guessing which is which.

Had to go down to my favourite bike shop in Bridgwater yesterday and had to kill 5 hours. Intended to go to Bishops Lydeard for the time - missed the turning and stumbled on Onslaught at Williton quite by accident.

Just occasionally this series of photos looks like "trains too far away to be seen" but I must it's very refreshing after the habitual 3/4 front end of loco shots you often see as a record of someone's "day out on the Bluebell Line". Good stuff.

I haven't been down there since Rank Xerox had an offshoot of the Mitcheldean factory there - 1973? I must nip down in the car and have a look - in fact I definitely will.

The DFR from Parkend to Lydney Town is very family friendly. From there to the Docks walking about with over £3000 in one camera fitted with one lens is probably best done in a group. Just caution.

Thanks Arthur. I'll probably take the train. The value of camera body and even one lens puts me off the idea of a footpath just one mile from Lydney Docks. I've been down that way by car just a few years back and unless it's changed its a bit daunting.

I had planned to visit both Parkend and Norchard this Wednesday just passed but poor workmanship on a central heating system component replacement kept me in so the company involved could send another guy to undo the bodge job - which he did. The weather has been most unphotogenic since so it will be next Wednesday before I get to take more photos - such as the new cafe on the low level platform at Norchard. I also want to take some photos at Lydney Junction to post on the forum and I figure a train ride would be the best method of transport. Although I know the Forest fairly well the area between Lydney town and its docks is a bit off the normal track.

The picture of Severn Bridge Station particularly appeals to me. I have the book Rails Through the Forest which majors on "then" and "now" photos, and this scene taken relatively recently from the same spot is very hard to fathom out because of tree growth. Certainly that barge collision robbed us of a heck of a sight.

A Class 31 in the Forest of Dean.

Does that mean you haven't seen the big new restaurant on the lower level platform at Norchard then?

I was wrong. It was Bradley Manor.

Didn't D9009 visit Lydney on 2nd May last year to collect the DFR's Class 31 to tow it down for a train gala?

Very true. City of Truro delivered the Princess Royal to re-open the rebuilt Parkend station of course.

There is plenty of that on the DFR. I will sort you out some photos.

The Severn and Wye Railway in the Forest of Dean was purchased in 1893 by the Midland Railway and the GWR. Stock operated in the Forest included Class 57xx, Dean Goods, Class 14xx with Autocoach, Collett 2250, and Class 22, Class 25, Class 37, Class 14 diesels. Ivatt 2MTs were trialled with freight. That's not too bad for a model railway. Had passenger services continued longer who knows what might have got into the Forest? I surmise this might have included Halls, Manors, and Hymeks so my layout gets these plus a visiting Class 52 Western. Oh and a Deltic and a Warship occasionally take a wrong turn at Lydney. Moving on to Heritage times the DFR's Class 108, Class 33, and 45xx prairie become valid too.

Parkend is maybe an obvious location in view of the substantial history there. This is my own attempt. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/95699-parkend-in-forest-of-dean-n-gauge/

The station in between Parkend and Norchard - Whitecroft - doesn't seem to get the same exposure as the other stations on the line. So here are a few to redress the balance a bit. The station is just behind the old Scovill factory and it's surrounds are rapidly being changed by new housing.

I'll keep it going Tex. The new season starts on the DFR on 1st April and I shall visit regularly with my camera. The thread on my Parkend model railway layout will also continue in the Layouts section of RMWeb. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/95699-parkend-in-forest-of-dean-n-gauge/

Thanks for this response Tony. A question if I may - how does Sapper fit into the operational roster?

Three more shots of 5541's first day back in service. I'm sure there is a finger mark on that new paint somewhere - hanky out ready to wipe it off.

Two from about 1985 - scans from film - if that's OK? First A BR Standard Class 4 Mogul from the SVR. I had a cab ride and a drive!! Then a different kind of BR Standard Class 4 - a tank.

This strikes a chord Brian. Like tourists visiting Malta for the first time after several holidays in mainstream Italy and the Swiss Lakes.

Uskmouth seems permanently sidelined. A newcomer Sapper is about to burst onto the scene when the season opens properly so concentration on this and Wilbert seams to me to have taken precedence. I personally think the 57xx is the true spirit of the Forest Railways but I suspect we are in for a season of Sapper which is another utility loco - looks nice in pictures although I haven't seen it in the flesh yet. But I will with pictures to follow.

The abiove photo was taken about a year before the earlier post where all the red paint was going on. The cover over the nameplate probably held the name Percy (who is loco No 6 in the Thomas the Tank books) when Uskmouth participated in one of DFR's annual Thomas and Friends Galas. Sadly it is a bit of a Forest habit just to leave bits hanging around until they are next needed - rather than maintain immaculate housekeeping. Parkend is normally smart but Norchard can get a bit scruffy.

I have just found an older photo which confirms the photo above is Uskmouth. I would say Uskmouth was on the way to becoming No 6 Percy in the Thomas the Tank Engine series.