This very charming heritage railway operates through the Forest of Dean. At the southern terminus of Lydney Junction railway connects to the national rail network. The line runs through the town of Lydney and the forest alongside the River Lyd. On route the line passes Lydney Town, Norchard (Dean Forest Railway headquarters), Whitecroft, and current terminates at Parkend. The video shows a visit during June 2019 featuring Hunslet Austerity number WD152, "Rennes", plus a Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU).
Dean Forest Railway (Link fails 25 Aug 2021)
Dean Forest Railway Society
Dean Forest Locomotive Group
Dean Forest Railway Museum Trust
Dean Forest Railway Telecoms
Dean Forest Railway Stocklist Photos
Severn & Wye Tramroads
Dean Forest Railway Pics
The Severn Railway Bridge
The Great Western Archive
National Rail
The Dean Forest RailwayJohn Stretton.
2002
Past & Present Publishing Ltd.
Paperback.
128 pages, £3.96 (Amazon)
From the limited access allowed in the early days of the Dean Forest Railway Society, when BR still operated along the route from Parkend, the restored line now extends from Lydney to Tufts Junction (2002), with Parkend tantalisingly close. This book shows both the potential for the preservationists and the attractions of the Forest of Dean for visitors.
Severn and Wye Railway: Forest of Dean Volume 1Ian Pope.
2003
Wild Swan Publications Ltd.
Paperback.
164 pages, £20.00 (Amazon)
The first of four volumes covering the history of the Severn & Wye Railway and the Forest of Dean. This volume covering the overall history and the line from Lydney Junction to Parkend. Hundreds of quality black and white photographs, track plans, maps, and building drawings.
The Dean Forest Railway Volume 2John Stretton.
2007
Past & Present Publishing Ltd.
Paperback.
128 pages, 17.2 x 23.8 cm, £17.99 (Amazon)
2006 was a landmark year in the history of the Dean Forest Railway, with the opening of the extension to Parkend by Her Royal Highness (HRH) Princess Anne. This title presents a selection of past views and contrasts them with developments on the railway, which took place since the publication of the earlier volume in 2002.
Branch Lines Around LydneyVic Mitchell and Keith Smith.
2008
Middleton Press.
Hardcover.
96 pages, 17.5 x 24.1 cm, £18.95 (Amazon)
The journey starts at Berkeley Road and dwells at length at Sharpness Docks, which had two swing bridges. Another one follows on the approach to the long lost Severn Bridge. A look at the modern Dean Forest Railway is accompanied by a visit to many of the numerous colliery lines which were hidden in the forest. The nostalgic trip over a very complex network ends at Cinderford. This issue in the "Branch Lines" series deals with the routes around and through Lydney contains 120 black and white photos with descriptive text.
More Memories of a Dean Forest RailwaymanBob Barnett.
2008
Silver Link Publishing Ltd.
Paperback.
176 pages, 17.2 x 23.9 cm, £12.61 (Amazon)
"Memories of a Dean Forest Railwayman" is much more than a railway book. It makes an important contribution to the social history of the area, describing the author's latter days at work and providing an unsentimental account of the real hardships of life on the railway. It also describes the dedication and camarardarie of the old railwaymen he met and worked with in the twilight years of steam, and the hard, dirty, and sometimes dangerous work involved, even during the modern era.
Rails Through the ForestDean Forest Railway Museum Trust.
2010
Silver Link Publishing Ltd.
Paperback.
127 pages, 17 x 23.7 cm, £28.17 (Amazon)
The preserved Dean Forest Railway, occupying 4 miles of the once extensive railway network in the Forest, celebrated 40 years of operation in 2010, and to mark the event this copiously illustrated souvenir volume was compiled by the DFR Museum Trust. The book provides a route-based tour of the system from milepost 0 at Berkeley Road, on the east bank of the River Severn, through Sharpness, across the Severn Bridge, through Lydney and into the Forest proper, with all its different branch lines, our journey terminating at Cinderford, 40 miles later. The photographs concentrate on the post-Second World War era, and of course bring the story right up to date with the present-day achievements of the preserved DFR.
Rails Through the ForestDean Forest Railway Museum Trust.
2013
Silver Link Publishing Ltd.
Papaerback.
160 pages, 17.2 x 23.8 cm, £? (Amazon)
With a wealth of images coming to light following publication of the first volume, "Rails to the Forest", this second volume has been increased in extent to 160 pages. The content of Volume 2 is once again mostly confined to the post-WW2 era, i.e. from 1945, and comprising the S&W mainline north of Norchard to Cinderford, plus the Mineral Loop, and all branches including those to Coleford and Lydbrook. A good selection of black and white photographs will illustrate not only regular scheduled S&W line operations, but also visiting rail tour charters, BR excursions from Parkend, operations at the collieries and quarries, plus lifting of the Lydbrook and Cinderford lines, and some key events from the preservation era. The increased content of the book has entailed an additional amount of research, such that this volume has become long awaited and much sought after. Rob Rowland has once again provided the painting for the cover, which depicts an Ex-GWR Diesel railcar, now in BR "Blood and Custard" livery, crossing the Lydbrook viaduct forming what proved to be the last passenger train to work over this section of the S&W in June 1951.
Forest of Dean Lines and the Severn Bridge Volume 2Neil Parkhouse.
2015
Lightmoor Press.
Hardcover.
328 pages, 22 x 28 cm, £30.00 (Amazon)
As well as the lines and infrastructure, various collieries, docks, and works which were served are also pictured. The hugely individualistic nature of the Forest of Dean is well depicted within these pages and many of its hidden nooks and crannies explored. The period covered is from the late 1950s to the mid 1970s, when traffic on the branch to Parkend finally ceased and the Dean Forest Railway took over. Railway enthusiasts and local Forest of Dean folk alike will find much to enjoy within these pages, when life moved at a different pace and the Forest was still a very secret part of the county of Gloucestershire. Lines featured are, the Forest of Dean Branch to Newnham to Cinderford, Northern United, and Whimsey. The Severn & Wye line from Lydney to Lydbrook, including Lydney Docks and Princess Royal. The Coleford Branch from Coleford Junction to Sling, Coleford, and Whitecliff. Lines around Blakeney including Purton Steam Carriage Road and Forest of Dean Central Railway. Also the Severn Bridge Railway from Lydney to Sharpness.
