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How to submit an article
We prefer articles in electronic format (preferably Word) and high-resolution images to be emailed to the editors at: magazine@deanforestrailway.co.uk
Or by post to:
The Editors, DFR Magazine
Dean Forest Railway Society Norchard Forest Road, Lydney, GL15 4ET
This issue has been edited and produced by a team of volunteers and Trustees of the Society.
Laid out in Adobe InDesign & printed by Solopress.com.
Copy Deadline
Please send your reports, letters, comments, photographs and any other content for Issue 71 by, at the absolute latest: 2nd May 2025
Front Cover: The RRV is pictured in the diminishing November light, whilst Adam Williams and the team were installing the new drainage at Middle Forge.
Rear Cover: Mike Tyack captured the atmosphere as 5541 passes Scovills whilst approaching Whitecroft during the last day of operation before overhaul.
All DFR Society post (donations, membership renewals and general correspondence) should be sent to: DFRS Honorary Secretary (Mrs. S. Williams) 109 Victoria Street Cinderford Gloucestershire GL14 2HU
From the Editors
Dear Society Members,
Before we start, now that we have been able to contact all winners of the 2024 Autumn Raffle, we can publish them:
1. Kirk Howells, Aberdare
2. John Charles, Tonypandy
3. Dayse de Souza, London
4. Pamela Cheyne, Ryde
Moving on, we are looking for willing volunteers to take up some of the vacant roles within the Charity:
• Publicity Officer
• Social Media Lead
• Website Lead
These are roles that are currently filled on a part-time basis by the Trustees. We would be interested in hearing from anyone that would be willing to assist, and perhaps even lead a team (or teams) on a more regular basis.
Anyway, the editors have the to decide what goes in and what gets held for another issue. Time-bound articles (relating to current events or anniversaries) take priority.
We try to leave as little as possible on the cutting-room floor. However, in this case a promised article about 09106 and the National Wagon Preservation Group TTA tankers didn't make it. Not to worry – it will do shortly.
Having to hold articles over would make you think that we have a lot of content ready to go. In actual fact, we are not guaranteed to what we will have until the deadline day!
We’ve chalked up the copy dates for the coming year, the plan is that the magazine is published during the following month (please do allow for major events and holidays)!
The deadlines for 2025 are as follows:
• Issue 71, copy date: 2nd May
• Issue 72, copy date: 1st August
• Issue 73, copy date: 31st October
To maintain the standard that you have grown to know and love – we use the same fonts, sizes, and styles throughout:
• Title: Clarendon Blk BT, size 36pt
• Body: Gill Sans MT, size 11pt
For anyone writing content, it is ideal if you can use those parameters, otherwise use the regular font in your chosen software, set at size 11pt. Images need to be high quality. If you're unsure or any need advice, please do get in touch!
Letters to the Editors should be sent either by email to magazine@deanforestrailway.co.uk or by post to the DFRS Honorary Secretary. As always, we value your support, and we remain dedicated to keeping you informed and connected within railway family.
With best wishes
Adam W, Ian & Tim
Your editorial team
Left to Right: Adam Williams, Tim McLennan, Alastair Clarke, Alex Davies, Adam Dickinson, Ian Pope
Chairman’s Platform
Forest of Dean Railway Limited Chairman, Ian Pope looks back on 2024 – a very busy year.
I write this piece during the closed season following a successful 2024. All volunteers and staff should be very proud of themselves for the work achieved during the year. The Directors would like to say a big thank you to everybody for making the Dean Forest Railway the welcoming and friendly place that it is.
The railway achieved a great deal during 2024 from renewing a level crossing, providing a new pit in Norchard Yard, the general tidying up of the environment of the line, and running a superb regular train service much appreciated by all of our visitors.
There were several galas run, all of which exceeded expectations. Our usual offerings of Murder Mysteries and fish & chip trains were all well patronised and the December Santa trains ran to capacity. Once again, thanks to everybody involved in the operation of these trains.
Thinking of the Santa Specials, they did not run without problem this year but thanks to the dedication of volunteers these problems were quickly overcome with the aid of chainsaws and muscle. The lineside team are already busy dealing with other likely candidates of falling, thanks also to the fencing team for repairing gaps caused.
Sadly we have also seen some members of staff move on. Both Sue and Pat have retired from the cafe (but not from the railway) and I personally say thank you for keeping me supplied with bacon butties, black coffee and Victoria sponge – together with many good chats and laughs which saw me through some dark times. We have also said a final goodbye to a number involved with the railway over the years. They will not be forgotten.
Below you will see that we have some vacant seats on the Forest of Dean Railway Ltd Board. As I have said before, this is the level of management at the railway which looks to the long term future of the railway and plans five, ten, twenty years into the future. We hold four meetings per year, mainly via digital means but with at least one at Norchard so that we can have a look round the railway and hold face to face drop in sessions during the day. Most of our work is done when it can be fitted in around day jobs and other tasks at the railway!
Thus, we look forward to (a hopefully fruitful) summer season. Thanks everybody.
Ian
FOREST OF DEAN RAILWAY LIMITED DIRECTOR VACANCIES - Can YOU help?
Forest of Dean Railway Limited is the company that looks towards the future of the railway, planning the long-term strategies, further improvements and the extension. Volunteer candidates also assist the Directors on the Board of the Dean Forest Railway Company who look after the day-to-day running of the railway.
Financial Planning Director
We are looking for somebody with the ability to look at financial opportunities for the railway, to look for possible funding sources and the best way to use the financial resources that we have and the raising of finance to allow our long held improvement and expansion plans to proceed.
Commercial Planning Director
To work with the General Manager and the Commercial Manager to seek out potential opportunities for events, corporate collaborations and the long-term business plans for the railway.
Health & Safety Director
A very necessary post to oversee the H&S across the entire railway. Preferably the candidate will possess current H&S qualifications but they do not need to be railway specific.
Company Secretary & Minutes Secretary
We need to find a volunteer to act as Company Secretary who, preferably, has some knowledge of Company Law, we are also looking for a secretary to keep the minutes of our meetings.
If you are interested in becoming a Volunteer Director, please contact fodrchair@deanforestrailway.co.uk
Ways to Support Us
The work of the Dean Forest Railway Society in supporting the preservation and development of the Dean Forest Railway does not happen without the generous support of our members. We have a wide range of ways to support the railway, and if every member gave perhaps the price of a pint of beer or a takeaway coffee each month, we could achieve so much more. Take a look at the options below, can you help?
• Gift Aid
The DFR Society is a registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), allowing us to claim Gift Aid on donations and memberships where a signed declaration has been received from those of you who are UK taxpayers, increasing the value of those donations by a whopping 25%! If you’ve not completed your form yet, please do. Gift Aid forms are on the cover letter with this magazine, or can be completed through our website: dfrsociety.org.uk, or from the shop at Norchard on request.
• Regular Saver
Why not consider a regular monthly donation? We have already had a number of generous donors sign up, but every extra penny is greatly appreciated. As mentioned above, you can now boost your donation by 25% if you apply Gift Aid to your application! Even the smallest donation on a regular basis can add up to a generous amount at the end of the year. Find out more on our website page: www.dfrsociety.org.uk/regular-saver
• Forest Lottery
Alternatively, if you’d like the chance to win a prize in return for donating to the DFRS, you can now join the Forest Lottery. The top prize for this weekly lottery is £25,000, with much better odds of winning than the National Lottery! Plus 50% of your ticket goes directly to the DFRS! You can sign up using this link below: www.forestlottery.co.uk/support/dean-forest-railway-society
• EasyFundraising
If you prefer, you can raise money when you buy almost anything on the Internet! Go to www.easyfundraising.org. uk and search ‘Dean Forest Railway’ – you can choose either the DFR Society or the Dean Forest Railway Carriage & Wagon Workshop Appeal as your preferred cause. More information is available on the website!
• Text to Donate
You can donate £10 by texting DFRS to 70191. For this service, donations are processed and administered by the National Funding Scheme, operating as DONATE, a charity registered in England and Wales (1149800) and Scotland (SC045106). In addition to any text donation, you will incur your standard network message charge (based on your service provider rates). For Terms & Conditions, see: www.easydonate.org
• Cash, cheques and bank transfers
Regardless of the new channels detailed above, we are always more than happy to receive donations directly. If you would like to send cash or cheques to us, please address them to:
Alternatively, if you would like to transfer funds to us directly via BACS, our details are as follows: Lloyds Bank, Sort Code: 30-91-87, Account number: 01931161
Finally, a sincere thanks on behalf of the Trustees for your generosity in supporting the railway! Here’s to 2025!
View from the Box
Adrian Copley, DFR
Operating
Firstly, a Happy New Year to you all!
Manager,
looks forward to the coming 2025 season.
In the last edition I left you hanging with the expected excitement of the Santa Season. Well, we had the usual Santa organised chaos but without the seasonal weather except something special on the 8th of December when after some rain and wind, a few trees decided that they were not happy with their original positions!
The first of two incidents happened late morning at Parkend station when a tree on the bank above Whitemead Park foot crossing whilst the first train passed nearby. Hastily a Fast Action Removal Team was summoned for removal of the offending item and so the service was allowed to continue albeit a bit late.
Later in the day when the last down train was departing Parkend, tree fell across the line between the Advanced Starting Signal and Oakenhill Wood No.3 crossing. Luckily the driver was able to stop in time resulting in some damage to the locomotive and stock but importantly no injuries to humans. By this time, it was dark which made things difficult, but the same Fast Action Removal Team was called upon to clear a way through so the train could finally return to Norchard!
9681 was quickly repaired, but the damaged paintwork on the coaches will be taken care of throughout the coming season. Well done and thank you to the DFR staff on duty that day. The majority of the Santa trains were well filled but we could do with more staff for on train and station duties, if you would like to help you know who to call….!
Normally during the Santa/Mince Pie Special season we don’t cater for other activities due to various staffing issues but the DFLG’s stalwart engine, 5541, was retiring for overhaul and I was asked for a ‘farewell special’ on Sunday 29th December. So, on Saturday 28th I found myself as part of a shunting team to make up the coaching sets, also prepare for a photo charter on the 30th which would be 5541 with a short goods train.
The day did not go to plan as the train engine for service that day, which was 9681, had a broken spring! Attention turned to get 5541 steaming to take the train but would not be ready in time for the 11:00 departure – call on trusty shunter 08769 to be hi-jacked to take the train on the first leg of the day to Lydney Junction! Thankfully, the crew managed to get 5541 ready and to the Junction making the train about 15–20 minutes late, but the passengers understood, and they were getting steam after all!
Later on came the news that Platform 2 at Lydney Junction would be ‘out of use’ due to track problems.That made the proposed special two train day on the 29th difficult! Last minute dot com section of my brain and some technical agreement with other departments managed to find a way out of that corner and the special train ran!
On Monday 30th December my alarm sounded at 04:30! I would have loved to have thrown it through the window! It was the start of a long day. After breakfast and the other usual routines of an aging old bloke, I set off for the two mile walk (the first bus got me there five minutes too late) to the railway station to catch the first train to Lydney arriving at 06:50. A lift to Norchard had been offered (negating another two mile walk) and was gladly accepted.
The day was a private photo charter, so armed with my trusty camera and the hope of the sun appearing I started to organise the day as I was the Duty Officer.
For those of you who do not know what is involved with a photo charter, this is how it goes. There are usually between 30 and 40 people usually all men, who want to photograph the subject which will have to be in perfect livery, and consist for a period in time, in run pasts. A run past is a short burst of running in a specified area usually where the sun should be, and this could be repeated 3 or 4 times in each spot chosen by the organiser.
The day starts early with safety briefs then to try and catch the rising sun and finishes when the sun goes down in this case a shorter day due to it being Winter! So before and after the charter the stock had to be shunted to get the loco at the north (Parkend) end and afterwards to put it out of the way of the service train the following day.
There was a request to shunt the loco shed area afterwards, so I found myself shunting again, until about 17:30 of course in the dark! After some refreshment and a rest, I made my way home arriving about 21:00. The following day, in fact the next few days, were a ‘rest day’ also the next day was New Years Eve being the last running day of 2024 and for the running season. Some people think it all ends there until March, but within a few days engineering trains were about, and other things had to be dealt with.
This now brings us to the dawn of 2025. The running day diary had been agreed between Commercial and Operations back in the late summer at which point I started to format it into the Traffic Circular and in November it was published to HOPS for everyone to see (especially important for those of us who need to plan work and for those that also have to keep diaries!).
The Timetables also had to be agreed...
This time the HOPS Manager had a plan to integrate the timetables with the staffing rosters by using the timetable identification letters to automatically set up the staff requirements for each day. Otherwise every single difference in operation would have to have an individual timetable and template to build the rosters!
Below Left: The locomotive crew started cutting at the fallen tree with hand tools before the chainsaws arrived.
Below: The top of the tree was cut back far enough to allow 9681 to run-around and take the train to Lydney Junction.
(C. Walker)
In the past, any changes had proved problematic and time consuming – a small last minute change could cause many hours of manual alterations to the computerised system.
In December, the timetables were complete until we got to the beginning of January when there was a review of the Santa season operations. So just a few tweaks then the Santa timetables for 2025 were complete and so the HOPS system could be programmed (with the exception of the expected three large special events). The next stage is my favourite – print and distribute takes place in late February ready for the start of the season on Wednesday March 12th (the day after my birthday!).
For the last few years, we wanted a system of timetables that were fixed (except special events) making less work for the few volunteers who work on these.This would save the associated computer input (already mentioned), paper, printing costs and time, then there is the distribution (my poor little old legs) – so hopefully we are now there!
A return of the Forest Railway Stories (written by a member) in June and a new children’s event with ‘Bluey’ (from BBC TV) in August are important events that are key to interest the next generation (remember Thomas?).
Visiting engines are promised with some for contracted work which will require ‘running in’! Photo Charters are pencilled in for October and early November with the usual mix of works/engineering trains and shunting during the year. It looks like it will be a busy time ahead.
So, please do keep a firm eye on the internet and the Weekly Operating Notices (WONs) for all of your info!
DMU Group Update
Alan Pace gives an update on the overhaul of vehicle E50619 and the preparations for the 2025 season.
Work to restore the rear end of E50619 has continued, a lot of effort was put into this over the winter months.
The manufacture of the aluminium end piece has been completed by G. W. Smith Fabrications in York; and it was delivered to Norchard in December. The new steel outrigger plate was manufactured by PJ Engineering at Milkwall, this has been welded to the vehicle. Both companies have been very helpful and friendly.
New steel top hat and 'Z' shaped sections have also been cut to size to rebuild the bottom parts of the framework, a tedious job as these needed to fit snugly in the gaps, before they were then welded in place. Our thanks go to Andy Channon and Chris Lings for doing the necessary welding, but there is still a lot to do yet.
Another major job planned for this year is the replacement of the No. 1 engine on M51566 with an overhauled spare. This work is dependent on accessing the blueline building. Interior work is also important, Tony Soughton has taken the lead on this. With the vehicles standing outside in all weathers condensation and damp result in damage to ceiling and wall panelling. Tony has been repairing and replacing items, as well as cleaning and painting.
Some clearing of vegetation around our spare bogies has taken place to allow inspection. Fitness to run exams and servicing need to be done ready for the 2025 season, with M51914 and M56492 being our main running set.
Railway 200
With the Railway 200 celebrations taking place in 2025 it is worth noting that our DMUs which were built from 1958 to 1960 have been part of the railway scene for about one third of that period. E50619 and M56492 were the first two vehicles in our fleet, these arrived at Norchard in April 1992, so our group has been maintaining them for longer than British Railways did. Although the mileages in preservation are small compared to those travelled in BR service this is still a great achievement. Distances travelled on the DFR are approximately 20,700 miles for E50619 and 27,600 miles for M56492.
Join Us
If you would like to receive more information through our newsletters then annual membership of our group is available for £8.00 for Adults or £6.00 for Senior Citizens, we would welcome your support. If you would like to know more about our DMUs or perhaps even join our friendly team of volunteers, there is normally someone at Norchard on most Wednesdays – so come along for a look around and a chat. Otherwise please do not hesitate to get in touch via dmugroup@deanforestrailway.co.uk –we’d love to hear from you.
The DMU group vans took part in the Royal Forest of Steam gala in November 2024 and a photo charter the following month.
Opposite page: The original 2-car set E50619 and M56492 at Norchard in October 1993 following the first repaint. (A. Pace)
Below: Rich Arthur primes the new steelwork. (R. Thomasson)
Above: The new aluminium end on jig in the factory. (M. Smith)
Left: Chris Walker readies the new outrigger plate for painting. (R. Thomasson)
Beneath Your Wheels
Alex Davies details the progress with the winter works, and looks at the plans for the upcoming year.
As you read this the spring will, hopefully, have sprung. But as I sit and write we are still in depths of winter on the last few days of January. That also means we’re in the middle of the long-closed season, the 10-week window between the New Year and mid-March into which the various infrastructure departments try to shoehorn their major works for the year. It might just be me, but it seems this period gets shorter each year…
As we went to press for the last issue, we had just had a last-minute change to our plans for the short-closed season (the 3-week window in November) when our neighbour at Middle Forge gave the green light to planned drainage works. With the plant all at Middle Forge we delayed our plans for work at Lydney Junction and set about removing the remains of the junction trap point at Middle Forge and extending the flat-bottom section of the high-level line that was originally laid during 2010.
This work was completed on schedule and moved us one step closer to replacing the main point at Middle Forge, work currently scheduled for next winter.
With the work at Middle Forge complete our attention switched back to Lydney Junction where a fourth permanent way shipping container had been installed. This container will be used to store a set of tools for use at the junction, removing the need to transport tools by road or rail whenever they are needed there.
Unfortunately, no sooner than we started running trains again we were hit by Storm Bert, with its torrential rains.
Much of Lydney Junction (and indeed quite a bit of Lydney) was under water for a couple of days, including our new container, and plans to move tools to it had to be delayed by a few days while the waters receded.
Track inspections also revealed some voiding around points 17A and B which, combined with the flooding on the run round, lead to Platform 2 being closed whilst the appropriate remedial action was taken.
Once the way was clear again, we began preparations for the winter works at the junction which include replacing a lot of life expired sleepers and point timbers. Early in the preparation stages a mishap occurred that highlighted another problem at the junction.
Platform 2 was built by volunteers in the mid-1990s and has always been somewhat tight to gauge. While our own locos and coaching stock fit it has been necessary on occasion to restrict visiting locos and trains to the west loop to avoid hitting the platform edge.
In early December a works train including a flat bed wagon loaded with concrete sleepers was proceeding through the platform when the load clipped the platform coping stones, dislodging three of them. It should be emphasised that the load was ‘in gauge’ on the wagon but the centre throw of the wagon meant that some of the load passed under the platform edge. That wouldn’t have been a problem if the platform was high enough but at one point where the horizontal clearance is tight the platform also dips slightly, and it is at this point that the impact occurred.
The platform was again closed, and a detailed gauging survey carried out to establish if any movement had occurred. Checks with the unloaded wagon showed that even the wagon ends only just cleared at some points and there is evidence of previous scrapes on the platform edge.
Plans are now being drawn up for a realignment of the platform and track later in the year in order to bring it up to standard clearances. In the meantime, the platform was reopened for passenger traffic as far as the station building in order to be able to accommodate two trains on December 29th, which was 5541’s farewell day.
Below Left: The remains of the old trap point is removed, in preparation for the bed to be dug out to the correct depth.
Below: In with the flat-bottom rail on F27 concrete sleepers. (Photos: A. Davies)
The aftermath of storm
25th November, 2024.
between
brought
and
strong winds that reached 80-miles-per-hour, and snow, that caused widespread disruption, damage and flooding across the UK.
Right: Don't tell them your name, Pike! Once the flood water had receded an unexpected visitor to the yard was left high and dry... It was well and truly like a fish out of water!
(Photos: A. Davies)
Above:
Bert
the 22nd
the
Which
heavy rain,
Unfortunately, these things tend to come in threes and, having closed and reopened the platform twice in three weeks another issue led to it being closed again. This related to point 20B. For several months there had been evidence that the point motor had been moving in use, resulting the point not closing correctly. This was due to the motor’s securing bolts moving in the ageing timbers and was the trigger for our major winter works this year. With tools transported to the new container for permanent storage work at the Lydney Junction became considerably easier and, with Platform 2 out of use, we were able to spend the rest of December and early January replacing timbers on the west loop run round point.
As you may have read elsewhere, just before Christmas the Society’s LMS brake van returned from a long period of restoration. What probably isn’t as well known is that on the return trip to Staffordshire, the lorry carried Shark ballast plough brake van DB993916, which is owned by members of the Permanent Way Department.
The restoration of the shark should take less time than the LMS Brake Van and, following some final fitting out at Norchard, with any luck it should be in service at some point during 2026. We are looking to raise funds for the restoration so it you are interested in contributing and becoming a shareholder in DB993916 please get in touch. In early January, the 8-tonne JCB was moved to the Lydney Junction, and we replaced the panel of life-expired wooden sleepers at the south end of Platform 2 with concrete sleepers. This was an excellent display of how mechanisation can speed up our work as the complete process was achieved in a little over two days from disconnecting the track through to reconnecting it.
Right: Job done, but time to start again elsewhere! (Photos: A. Davies)
Below: A pause in proceedings whilst packing the new track. (C. Kyte)
Above: Laying in concrete sleepers (previously stored near Tufts Junction) at the south end of Lydney Junction Platform 2.
With that job out of the way it was time for the main event. As I mentioned in my last article the focus of this winter’s work is maintaining the ‘critical path’ through points 21A, 20B and 20A into Lydney Junction.
This is the most complex set of points on the railway and was laid around 30 years ago using a mix of both new and second-hand timbers, many of which have reached end of life. In November we took delivery of a large number of hardwood point timbers, both for the work at Lydney Junction and for the planned renewal at Middle Forge.
We then set about planning a phased approach to the relaying work. The target for this winter is to relay:
• Relay the Platform 1 road between the Harbour Road and Point 20B (the second of the three points and the one needing the most work) in concrete sleepers
• Replace the timbers in the switch of Point 20B itself
• Replace a panel of life-expired timber sleepers with concrete ones in North Spur
• Replace a further 20 or so individual timbers in Points 21B, 21A and 20A, including some twenty-two foot long timbers that sit on the river bridge and span under three tracks.
Work on the switch of point 20A will be at a later date as the timbers there are still in relatively good condition. All of which brings us up to date. We are now mid-way through this phase of the project. As I write this on February 3rd, the north spur panel has been removed and the bed graded, giving space to thread the long timbers under the ‘critical path’. This has now been done that the section of plain line on the Platform 1 road has been lifted and the bed graded ready for new sleepers to be installed.
With the promise of fair weather, good volunteer turnout and the invaluable assistance of the RRV we are expecting to lay in the new sleepers soon before moving on to the switches of point 20B itself.
A further week will then be spent on points 20B, and individual sleeper replacement followed by a third week of ballasting and packing. While I don’t wish to tempt fate, barring any unforeseen circumstances or freak weather we expect to complete everything by the end of February ready for the start of the new season.
Looking ahead to the rest of 2025, in addition to our usual routine maintenance we are already looking at a number of projects through the summer and autumn that will be carried out around the running operations. The plans for the coming year include the following:
• Relaying the track between the west loop run round point and the Network Rail connection and installing a trap point to protect the connection.
• Relaying the south of Lydney Junction Platform 1, a similar exercise to the work carried out on Platform 2 but without the complication of track circuits.
• Dismantling the redundant Up Siding at Parkend and recovering the rail for re-use elsewhere.
• Replacing more 85lb rail between Whitecroft and Parkend. In total the plan is to replace 39 lengths of old 85lb rails with 26 longer 95lb rails, over a distance of approximately a quarter of a mile.
• Developing the planned ‘trolley park’ around the Geismar hut at Norchard.
Below: Life expired timbers removed from the North Spur. (A. Williams)
Above: Excess ballast is dug out and stored in the Rudd. (V. Blick)
Right: After levelling, the bed is ready for the new sleepers. (A. Williams)
Below: Threading the needle, carefully feeding in long timbers. (D. Johnson)
During the short-closed season in November we are looking to remove the connection to the Parkend Up Siding and relay the connection between the run round and the level crossing in plain line.
We will also be working with outside contractors to sort out the alignment issues around Platform 2 at Lydney Junction. This will involve removing the coping stones, carrying out repairs to the platform fascia, slewing the track to align it more closely to the platform curvature while maintaining a smooth radius and refitting the coping stones at a correct distance from the track. This work will open up the platform to visiting locomotives and trains that are currently restricted to using the loop only.
Before you know it, the planet will have completed an orbit of the sun and we’ll be back in a long closed season when we are planning to replace the point at Middle Forge. The Permanent Way team meets regularly on Mondays and Thursdays throughout the year and on other days during the closed seasons. We normally start the day at Norchard around 9am before heading to whatever work site we have targeted for the day, and we usually finish our day between 3pm and 4pm. Why not join us and get a different perspective on the railway and its workings?
Above Left: Half-way there, as three out of five of the long timbers have been slid in, as space reduces the harder it gets.
Below Left: All five long timbers were successfully slid in, then the rails were gauged and the chairs screwed down (Photos: V. Blick)
Below: The track to Platform 1 is lifted and the bed graded. (D. Johnson)
We’re always on the lookout for new volunteers, and you don’t have to be out in all weathers or in the middle of the week to help! There are plenty of jobs that can be done at weekends and under cover in our dry containers.
We are looking for mechanically minded people to help our ‘back office’ team repairing and refurbishing tools and materials. We urgently need to refurbish a number of point hand lever mechanisms so that we can replace failing ones in the yard at Norchard and elsewhere.
We also have a large number of petrol engine tools, ranging from simple generators and impact wrenches up to the Geismar motorized trolley, which would benefit from servicing by a capable small engine mechanic.
We are also looking for people to help sort and catalogue the Permanent Way ‘assets’ that the railway has. In the early days we (like most infant heritage railways) acquired anything we could from the various railways and engineering firms that were closing at the time. Most was 'stored' along the line in case they were ever needed.
Now, as a more mature railway, we have a much clearer idea of what we will and will not need going forward. The development team are progressively tidying up the railway (ultimately making it more attractive to our visitors) by recovering materials from various locations and moving them to Lydney Junction.The items are then inspected and either stored for re-use or disposed of responsibly. This is the sort of activity that could be done on sunny weekend days during the summer, between service trains.
If you think you could help us with any of these tasks, please do get in touch via volunteering@deanforestrailway.co.uk – we’d love to hear from you.
Carriage & Wagon
Dave Chappell gives an update on the latest activities undertaken by the team.
•
4862 – Mark 1 TSO
The difficulties of re-fitting the windows in the North-end compartment have continued. One of the main puzzles has been why the varnished internal window surround timber has not been easy to refit in the same location.
Extreme care was taken to ensure that the framing was put back where it was originally, so why what fitted originally was now not the right size was causing a lot of heartache.
This was a serious hindrance to making further progress.
Eventually, the conundrum was resolved as new sub-frame timber framing was created to support the surrounds.
Working from the existing mounting bushes in the carriage framework, it appeared that the original windows had not always been installed square-on but had a certain random degree of misalignment throughout.
The windows were not always level, and the glass had been originally mounted slightly uphill and down dale. The original surrounds being made to match this misalignment. Even the condensation drain holes in the bottom sill were inconsistently positioned, rather than being bored for a precise alignment. It is possible that some of this misalignment may have been corrected when the carriage framework was re-skinned and more accurate window apertures were cut in the new steel body panels.
The solution adopted to both overcome the misalignment without destroying the existing varnished window frame surrounds was to design and create the new sub-frame assembly from multiple sections of batten.
The new battens had to then precisely align with the threaded mounting bushes in the carriage framework... Simple but effective screwed position marking jigs were created to screw into the two threaded bosses to the right and left side of the window framework, each jig had a sharpened point in the centre.
Once the battening of the sub-frame was correctly shaped and aligned, two sharp taps with a mallet on each batten, provided accurate drilling marks where the holes for the mounting screws were required.
The sub-frame battens then allow the varnished window frame surrounds to be accurately aligned with the glazing, without any constraints of matching the curvature of the carriage wall or repeating the previous misalignment.
Right: The window sub-frame fixed in position.
Below Right: The pointed window sub-frame marking jig has become a very simple, yet very effective tool!
Below: The window sub-frame screwed to surround, using the fixing holes that had been marked with the pointed jig.
• Running Set Carriage Batteries
Once the Santa Special season started, the power demands on the carriage batteries increased dramatically. As the brightness of the daylight diminished, greater reliance was placed on the carriage batteries to power the lighting. The trains do not run fast enough to keep the batteries charged from the on-board dynamos or alternators, so before the next running day the batteries have to be put on charge overnight.
Before the start of the season the batteries in the battery boxes on the track-side of the carriages were checked and topped up with distilled water, but because the carriages are stationed in the low-level platform, the batteries on the platform side are nigh-on inaccessible.
During ‘Santa’, opportunity was made of the extended stops in the high-level platform to access the carriage battery compartments on the offside of the train and refill each battery with distilled water.
This pause in the Santa Specials is when the train load of passengers are swapped over between journeys, along with restocking the mince pies and other refreshments Access to the track during this period is by negotiation with the duty Guard and the locomotive crew as well to ensure the safety of all staff involved and, of course, comply with all of the necessary Health & Safety and DFR regulations regarding track access.
I received no reports of lighting (or Mark 2 carriage heater blowers) failing, even though there was one or two occasions when switching off the blowers at the end of the day was inadvertently overlooked.
Fortunately, the Mark 2 carriage batteries have enough spare capacity to be able to cope with extended recharging cycle ahead of departure the following day.
My thanks to the Guards and train staff for managing the lighting and heating effectively to make the experience of the visitors seeing Santa on the train a pleasurable one.
Museum Developments
• Parkend Goods Shed
The aspiration to extend the Museum back to its original base in the Parkend Goods Shed is now developing into a definite plan. With the goodwill of the Company, the Society and the two Parkend ‘gangs’, the Museum Trustees have appointed a design group, including Chris Bladon (as chair), John Metherall, Matt Sexton, and Rosie Bradley –much work has already been done.
We have a professional cost plan, letters of support from the West Dean Council, the Forest of Dean Local History Society, the Verderers and the Schools. More letters of support from local bodies welcome! We have a consultant, David Tucker, who has much experience in this area.
Chris Bladon (a former conservation architect) and a founding member of the railway has drawn up plans not least in relation to access from the Down Platform. An alternative workshop for FOPS has been sourced, a CCT is to be purchased by the Museum and the Society has offered support in terms of its final restoration costs.
We have been in recent discussion with the National Lottery Heritage Fund about a grant, stressing the heritage importance of the probably unique wooden-bodied Goods Shed as well as the local heritage and socio-economic history it will contain, especially tramway history and artefacts centred on Parkend and the immediate area.
The Museum will shortly open a dedicated fund for this exciting project which will enhance Parkend station, especially as developments at Lydney Junction and potentially up to Speech House Road will emphasise Parkend as an important crossing point on the DFR. We are keen to keep everyone informed as we progress.
• Norchard
Back at the Norchard-end the developments continue. Thanks to the work of Stephen Howard, a new volunteer, who has joined our ranks, the interactive touch screen will be fully up and running for when we come to re-open.
This is centred on the Engineer’s Drawings of the line but with the addition of ‘hot-spot’ photographs along the line. Other features will include jigsaws of the bridges on the old line, two of the Severn Bridge and one of the Lydbrook Viaduct. And potentially much more.
In addition, the Museum has purchased at auction the Sharpness Swing Bridge Signal box diagram, from Severn Bridge Station to Sharpness South. This must be almost unique in that is has no points only the running line, but it is a worthy addition to our collection. Our thanks must go to the small group that funded the acquisition.
In the future we do hope to display this, once we have a little more space! The Severn Bridge is central to the history of the Severn and Wye, even if it more or less bankrupted the old company! The diagram was not cheap and the Trustees express their gratitude to the three donors who grouped together to help with the purchase.
I am thinking of establishing a scheme of ‘Friends’ of the Museum who could be alerted (by e-mail) when we wish to purchase a particular artefact. They would be given the opportunity to donate any amount towards such a purchase or not as the case may be. Gift Aided donations would be preferred if at all possible.
If anyone is interested or has suitable suggestions or ideas, please do get in touch via dfr.museum@outlook.com – we’d love to hear from you.
Above Right: During 1975 a younger visitor interacts with an exhibit consisting of LMS and GWR Guard's Hand Lamps.
Below Right: On the same day in 1975, the rather basic layout of the exhibits is evident. 50-years later more effort will need to be made to engage with the younger audiences.
Photos: DFR Museum Collection
Below: The Sharpness Swing Bridge Signal Box diagram that has been purchased for the museum by a consortium.
Photo. S. Turner
Chris Hill gives an update on the activities undertaken by the small Museum team.
Parkend Monday Gang
George Smith reports on the Winter activities of the Parkend Monday Gang.
• Timber Store
In November, a frame (mentioned in the last edition) was made for the timber store by fixing battens to the fence. Two horizontal beams were extended to vertical posts at the front, which will support the sloping roof.
An identical frame was made at the other end with a 3.6-metre beam between providing the front support. Five other sloping roof supports were made, and these and the upper part of the structure were coated with wood preservative. The roof supports were not fixed in place until the roof panels were ready to fit.
A 10-foot galvanised corrugated roof sheets was cut cross-wise into four equal pieces. When placed over the frame they determined the spacing of the support beams. A second narrower sheet was cut to make up the required roof. The roof was fixed with large headed roofing nails.
• Sign Board
The main “Dean Forest Railway” sign blew over during the December gales, a rotten post had broken at ground level. A replacement post was found and with wood treatment applied it was painted during the festive period. The stub of the old post had been removed but was placed back in the hole and covered until the replacement was ready.
In January, the ground was still frozen preventing soil from falling in and the new post dropped perfectly. A sprinkle of “Postcrete” was poured around the post and small stone used to reach close to ground level. A further sprinkle of “Postcrete was added before the top soil was replaced, tamped, and covered with turf. As the turf was frozen, it could not be levelled which was done the following week.
• Car Park Side Gates
The double side gates to the road by the signal box were reported as dragging on the ground. The surface and grass had grown up preventing the gates from being opened.
The gate post closest to the signal box was loose causing that gate to sag. With the gate removed we found the post had been concreted but a small gap due to shrinkage had allowed the post to move out of vertical. Some “Postcrete” and slithers of slate were forced into the gap. The hinge posts were then raised by 3 inches by using the former top fixings to become the new bottom ones. With new holes drilled, the hinges and gate were re-attached.
Likewise, the second gate was taken down and its hinges rehung with new studding replacing damaged bolts. On rehanging the gate, it was found to be close to horizontal, but the first gate was sagging. A short piece of ¼-inch steel plate was cut and placed behind the lower hinge. This has raised the first gate to closely match the height of the second. FOPS have agreed to repaint them.
• Named Storms and Cold Weather
Two large oak trees had come down during the strong winds in late December. The one within the yard had been cut and donated to the cycle centre for their log burning stove; their staff doing the transfer.
The station water system survived the cold weather except for minor icing on the outside taps. No leaks were discovered.
• The Railway Yard
We have been tidying the yard. Some rather heavy and tired looking concrete rodding supports that are in poor condition and an old tram stone were moved close to the running line ready for removal.
A small piece of ground just to the north of the signalling cabinets was cleared and levelled. A much greater area of soil is yet to be moved, and the area levelled when space is made by the removal of the now redundant ground frame.
• Lamp Hut
The roof of the oil hut had been wire-brushed and coated with red oxide. Once the roof was sufficiently dry from rain and condensation a coat of light grey undercoat was applied followed a week later by a top coat of “Lizard” paint. The sides will be repainted during the summer months as and when paint is available.
Opposite page: One tree had up-rooted completely and brought down two others, trapping a train in the station.
(D. Johnson)
Above: The re-hung yard gates ready for re-painting.
Below: The new timber store behind the Signalling cabinets.
FOPS Update
Stuart Bearne reports on the latest activities of the Friends of Parkend Station group.
The weather on Tuesdays towards the end of 2024 was generally favourable for outdoor work and maintenance on several fronts continued until mid-December when FOPS took a short break until early January 2025.
The work on the bridge metalwork continues and is currently focussed on the two sets of steps up from the platforms to the centre spans. Bridge maintenance will always be the most persistent of our jobs and there is always a section that requires attention.
Work on realigning the metal gates near the signal box and fixing Whitemead crossing gates is being completed with the assistance of the Monday Gang and Alan Grant.
A full check of all existing electric and petrol driven power tools has been undertaken with any equipment that has failed being discarded.
Some additional items of equipment and tools are being purchased with funds that are raised predominantly from the proceeds of book sales at Parkend waiting room.
These book sales continue to do well with many satisfied passengers leaving the Railway and enhanced revenue for FOPS to spend! Many thanks to all those who have donated railway and transport books.
The main station building, goods shed, and signal box have held up well in 2024 but will need attention in 2025 as will the paintwork on the main level crossing gates.
Repainting of the floors and walls of the various toilets will be addressed in the Spring and further attention will be given to platform white lining, general track weeding and upkeep of the various trolleys and benches.
Whilst we have a reasonable supply of railway and transport books with which to restock the shelves once the new season commences, any additional donations of such books would not be turned away!
We meet on Tuesday mornings at Parkend station, and a warm welcome is guaranteed for anyone who would like to come and join our friendly group of FOPS.
DFLG Sales Coach
Hilary Hill gives an update on the Dean Forest Locomotive Group sales coach at Norchard.
2024 was an excellent year for the DFLG Coach, including over the Santa and Mince Pie specials despite the atrocious weather! The Steam Gala weekend was a high point. Recent donations, which will be going on sale when the running season starts, include a number of EM gauge wagons, coaches, and some locos. With a selection of the items going on sale being pictured here.
We also have many local and GWR books – a complete set of Severn and Wye for example – all in excellent condition. This donation also included modellers tools and equipment. If you wish to view the stock, please get in touch or pop to the Coach on a Wednesday (pre-season) to see the stock.
Donations of locomotives and rolling stock Hornby Dublo (2 or 3 rail), OO or N gauge are always welcome. Our book shelves are overflowing, so please don’t be offended if we cannot accept everything that you wish to donate.
Please no magazines, but good quality fiction is welcome.
A Good Innings
2024 was a brilliant year for Galas at the Dean Forest Railway, with the Royal Forest of Steam event in November being the last event for 5541 under the current boiler ticket before withdrawal for overhaul. It only seems like yesterday that the Dean Forest Locomotive Group stalwart was out-shopped and re-entered traffic, yet early November saw the last gala, and December saw a special train for the members of the owning charity and a photographic charter the following day. So the following spreads images capture these events.
Photo: 5541 navigates the reverse curves at Upper Forge whilst heading for the Parkend on Carnival Day – Monday 26th August.
(M. Tyack)
Above: 5541 passes New Mills with the ballast train.
Left: 5541 arrives at Lydney Junction with the ballast train.
Below: 5541 sits at Parkend with the 'A' set. (Photos: A. Simmonds)
Above: 5541 heads in to Norchard Low Level with the 'B' set.
Right: 5541 departs for Parkend with the ballast train.
Below: 5541 clears Tufts Bridge heading for Parkend. (Photos: A. Copley)
Above: 5541 passes Scovills with a goods train.
Left: 5541 passes Oakenhill Wood No.3 with a goods train.
Below: The last drink (for a while) – a sombre moment (Photos: M. Tyack)
From Coleford Jcn to...
Adam Williams recalls some of the events that took place five years ago, during the closing months of 2019 and the early months of 2020 – events that were soon overshadowed by the global pandemic...
• Recent history
At the end of 2019, an American-based company – Iowa Pacific Holdings (IPH) and its subsidiaries faced severe financial difficulties and had accumulated significant debts. However, one of the subsidiary companies of IPH was British American Railway Services (BARS). In January 2020, BARS announced its intention to dispose its UK assets, which included its subsidiaries RMS Locotec, Hanson Traction, and two Community Interest Companies (CICs) – Weardale Railway and Dartmoor Railway. Both railways were placed into administration, with the Dartmoor Railway entering administration on 7th February. However, by March, the Weardale Railway had been purchased by The Auckland Project (a registered charity) which brought it out of administration. Around that time, The Right Honourable Grant Shapps, then the Secretary of State for Transport, was promoting the “Restoring Your Railway” programme. These events attracted the interest of the Department for Transport and Network Rail.
On 1st July 2021, the branch from Coleford Junction to Meldon was purchased by Network Rail from Aggregate Industries. The latter had owned the line since acquiring it after the dissolution of British Rail in 1994 and had leased the infrastructure to the Dartmoor Railway since 1997.
Following the takeover, Network Rail embarked on an ambitious project to reopen the line for regular passenger services. The work included, but was not limited to, 11-miles of track renewals, installing GSM-R in-cab radio, and repairs to forty structures and the drainage systems.
The Dartmoor Line reopened on 20th November 2021, completing the objective of restoring a regular, year-round service for the first time in almost fifty years, and following more than £40m of Government investment. During its first year of operation since reopening, the branch carried over two hundred and fifty thousand passengers.
• A-Hunting We Will Go
However, you would be wrong in thinking that the Department for Transport and Network Rail sat on its laurels for the short period that the Dartmoor Line officially laid in abeyance. On 3rd March 2020 what can only be described as a hardy bunch of engineers met in the tiny Devonshire hamlet of Penstone, less than a 15 minute walk from the nearby village of Coleford.
These settlements are adjacent where the ExeterBarnstaple line and Exeter-Okehampton line diverge. These lines are the North Devon Line – NDN, and the Exeter and Devonport Line (Devon and Cornwall Line) –DAC, respectively.
Upon leaving Coleford Junction the NDN quickly rises over the course of two miles, before gradually descending over the remaining twenty-five miles down to Barnstaple.
The DAC on the other hand is a different matter, as upon leaving Coleford Junction thirteen miles away is Okehampton and ten miles of the route is on a rising gradient – the steepest part being 1 in 76.
Not to worry though, we were all staying locally, and we had three shifts of twelve-hours to cover the thirteen miles to Okehampton, before even taking in to account that we had to survey the line and the assets as we went!
Above Right: Section 2D of the 1947 Gradient Diagrams which includes the route of the Devon and Cornwall Line.
Right: Section 3D of the 1947 Gradient Diagrams which includes the route of the North Devon Line.
Below Left: The hardy bunch put their trust in Shanks's pony for conveyance through to the destination – Okehampton.
Below: Bow Station was situated at 187 miles 55 chains from London Waterloo, the buildings are now a private house.
Coleford Jcn...?
• Not so recent history
Within living memory, the DAC was double track through this section which formed the London & South Western Railway (latterly Southern Railway) route from Cowley Bridge Junction to Devonport. This duplicated the Great Western Railway line from Exeter to Plymouth but allowed the Southern Railway to operate to 3 of the 5 destinations of its prestigious Atlantic Coast Express (ACE). The ACE was the 11am service from London Waterloo to Plymouth, Padstow, Bude, Torrington and Ilfracombe.
The last ACE ran on 5th September 1964 and the line was singled after the Beeching Report was published in 1966. The last British Railways passenger services beyond Okehampton ceased in 1968, and the line from Coleford Junction was fully closed to Passengers on 5th June 1972.
• Making a rod for your own back
Quite recently the Cotswold Line re-doubling (completed in 2011), the Swindon–Kemble re-doubling (completed in 2014), and the Filton Bank four-tracking (completed in 2018) were all hampered by equipment installed on redundant formations during the earlier rationalisations. So, as part of the scoping works, in was necessary to specify that all new or modified assets should be constructed in such a way to passively allow for the re-doubling of the line wholly or in part. This is due to the possibility of the line to Tavistock being rebuilt as a through route, which could be an alternative route to the Dawlish Sea Wall. Now, I couldn’t possibly predict whether or not the link between Okehampton and Bere Alston via Tavistock will ever come to pass, personally – I hope that it does. That is not saying that it wouldn’t be possible, it just requires the money and the political will to do so.
• Taking a tenuous trip down the Branch
As mentioned earlier, at the other end of the missing link is Bere Alston, which was the junction for the former Bere Alston and Calstock Light Railway. This company had previously absorbed the East Cornwall Mineral Railway line from Kelly Bray (near Callington) to Calstock.
The Callington branch was engineered and then managed under the supervision of Colonel Stephens, in fact –the section from Bere Alston to Gunnislake is the last remaining section of a Colonel Stephens railway that still carries passengers as part of the national network.
There are other Colonel Stephens railways that still exist –the Ffestiniog Railway, the Welsh Highland Railway, the East Kent Railway, the Kent and East Sussex Railway (K&ESR).
The other end of the K&ESR is the Rother Valley Railway (RVR), an organisation that was set up in order to rebuild the 3½-mile missing link between Bodiam on the K&ESR and the mainline railway network at Robertsbridge.
• Setting a precedent
Following on from a long public inquiry held in 2021, during May 2023, the Secretary of State for Transport (then the Right Honourable Mark Harper) authorised the Rother Valley Railway (Bodiam to Robertsbridge Junction) Transport and Works Act Order (TWAO).
Not only did this TWAO allow for construction of the Rother Valley Railway (which the Kent and East Sussex Railway would operate), but it authorised the crossing of three roads on the level at Northbridge Street, the Robertsbridge Bypass (A21) and Junction Road (B2244).
Below: Bridge 588 is at 189 miles 2½ chains on the eastern edge of Den Brook wind farm, surveyed on 3rd March 2020.
• How do we get to our own Coleford Junction?
For the DFR to extend north, the railway needs to cross the B4234 at the site of Travellers Rest Level Crossing. Whilst we had been working on a detailed safety case for a new level crossing at Travellers Rest beforehand, the authorisation of the RVR TWAO has now set an important precedent for the introduction of new level crossings. Our safety case must detail the safety benefits (and the dis-benefits) of a level crossing versus the alternatives (such as bridges, and closing the road entirely). The comparisons take into account the likely costs of each, in terms of money, time, and trouble.
Referring to a case heard in the Court of Appeal in 1949 – Edwards v National Coal Board, we are required to demonstrate that a level crossing would reduce the safety risks to As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP).
This piece of case law concerns a Mr Joseph Edwards, who was a Colliery Timberman at No. 2 Pit Marine Colliery (Cwm, Ebbw Vale) and was killed when an underground roadway collapsed. The National Coal Board (NCB) held the position that the cost of shoring up the roadway would have been prohibitive and was not justified. However, the widow of the late Mr. Edwards' emerged victorious in the case. Lord Justice Asquith ruled that the NCB had failed to establish their defence, and that the risk outweighed the sacrifice (control measures needed to avert the risk).
Whilst working on our safety case and TWAO submission, there is still plenty to do. On the short section from Parkend to Travellers Rest, retaining walls and fences need repair, and the formation is ash ballast with almost non-existent drainage. We aim to detail all of the works and requirements in the coming issues, look out for them!
Above: An October 1951 extract of the DAC 2-chain plan.
Below: Bridge 588 again, but on 18th June 2021, the obvious changes are that the vegetation has been cut back, and the fresh ballast. What can't be seen is that the drainage has been renewed, and the track upgraded from 95lb bullhead rail on timbers to 113lb flat bottom rail on concrete sleepers. (Photos: M. Howells)
Photo: Looking towards Parkend station from the site of Travellers Rest Level Crossing, the railway formation evident. (A. Williams)
Development In Brief
Adam Dickinson updates on some of the ongoing development activities happening around the railway.
• Lydney Junction
We’re currently working our way through the planning requirements for the new buildings on site.
While part of the development can be carried out under our permitted development rights for operational railway buildings, full planning permission will be needed for the remainder. This means that we will need to submit:
• Design and access statements and others to support the application, outlining context, policies, benefits, etc.
• Ownership certificates
• Location, site, and detailed plans – current and planned
• Biodiversity reports and impact assessments
• Flood risk and foul drainage assessments
• Light pollution and land contamination assessments
• Landscape and visual assessments and landscaping scheme with tree hedge surveys
• Waste management plans
Sadly, very little of the this currently makes for a good photograph to illustrate progress – but it is happening.
We’re currently gathering quotes from specialist contractors for the biodiversity and flood risk assessments, and for investigating the requirements for the light pollution assessment and waste management plan.
• North of Parkend
The railway track bed north of Parkend Level Crossing hugs the terrain contours, and as the ground level drops away it is supported on a retaining wall.
Unfortunately, there have been collapses at the north end of this walled section, which require remediation – not only to allow us to repair the formation and lay track but so that we can maintain good relations with our neighbours.
We’ve been working with specialist structural engineers Tony Gee, alongside contractors to develop a repair plan, which is now ready to be initiated.
Before we can begin any of the work though, there is one major obstacle to overcome – access.
One end of the track bed has been relatively undisturbed for at least twenty years, whilst the other forms part of the operational railway. In addition, there is no immediate access for equipment through the neighbouring paddock.
A small team of experienced volunteers began work after Christmas 2024 and regular working parties have continued regularly since. This work has been done with small teams due to the nature of some of the works, which including tree felling – to reduce the risks to all involved.
With the majority of the large felling successfully completed, on 15th February we held an open invitation working party, which I’ll cover in more detail in the next issue. The works will be ongoing as there is still a lot of work to be done, and we are thankful to those volunteers that have already joined our ranks and pitched in.
However, if you would like to assist this team, please do get in touch via volunteering@deanforestrailway.co.uk –we’d love to hear from you, although you will need:
• Steel toed boots
• Tough clothes, including gloves – vegetation fights back
• Orange railway high visibility coat or jacket
Below Left: The smaller collapse near the north end. (A. Williams)
Below Middle: The larger collapse behind Brooklyn Cottage. (J. Symonds)
Below Right: The repair method for the collapses. (T. Ashworth)
... And A Normal Week?
He also gives a quick summary of a what a week in the life of a Director can sometimes be like!
As I’m sure those of you who are or who have been working volunteers – you will agree, the railway does keep life interesting and varied. If you’ve taken on any of our management roles, that definitely increases!
For those of you who haven’t met me, I’m the Chair of DFRCL (the operating company of the railway business), Chief Mechanical Engineer (ensuring our rolling stock meet the required standards) as well as Development Director for FoDR.
I wanted to give you an insight into the type of things a week can bring – I’m fortunate that I have the flexibility to volunteer at the railway alongside my full-time job in engineering, and my home and family life, with all the necessary responsibilities that brings.
The week in question was a week where we were committed to a major improvement project at Middle Forge, as well as normal business and meetings.
• Friday
After work I was the banksman for the filling and loading ten 1-tonne bags of Type 1 aggregate, onto the works train as part of the works happening at Middle Forge.
• Saturday
A day working at Middle Forge for the drainage installation.
• Sunday
The day was spent with railway emails and admin –development and gala planning for 2025 and 2026.
• Monday
More railway emails and admin were done in the evening with a focus on the Lydney Junction development – as detailed opposite a lot of material is required and needs to be collated before we can submit the planning application.
Below Left: Remember, remember, the 5th of November.
Below Right: The drainage work at Middle Forge in progress.
• Tuesday
The day started with a catch up with building contractor completing the inspection pit concrete apron, followed by a meeting with the steam inspector and some volunteers. In the evening, I took the opportunity to install the protection boards for inspection pit that arrived that day, before assisting with repairs to the RRV by spotlight.
• Wednesday
I had the opportunity to represent the railway at the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) Heritage Rail Reception at the House of Lords – which I will happily admit to anyone, this was a little out of the ordinary!
• Thursday
The focus of railway emails and admin was regarding future developments and planning maintenance activities.
• Friday
After work I continued to assist the team at Middle Forge working on the drainage installation.
• Saturday
A day working at Middle Forge for the drainage installation.
• Sunday
A day working at Middle Forge for the drainage installation.
• Monday
An afternoon answering railway emails and doing admin was followed by a DFRCL board meeting in the evening.
However, will the next week be a case of rinse and repeat?
Either way, if you aren't one of our active volunteers, maybe 2025 could be a great year to join us?
We're looking for people to assist with roles across the railway, from Engineering, Civils, Lineside, through to the shop, and café, to name but a few – the railway it isn't all about trains! A lot of background work makes that happen.
Rhyne and Reason
Adam Williams details the complex drainage project that is being undertaken at Middle Forge.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote in his poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner “Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink”, this usually describes a situation where someone is surrounded by something with no benefit.
In this case, we were regularly inundated with water at Middle Forge, and we were not benefiting from it – in fact, it would be fair to say quite the opposite as the deterioration of the point timbers had accelerated.
A few years ago, to alleviate the flooding in the short term, a rhyne (also spelt rhine, or a reen in South Wales) had been dug. The term comes from the Old English – ryne or the Welsh – rhewyn or rhewin, all which mean “ditch”.
One of the GWR bridge and structure registers intimated that there used to be a 15-inch stone drain in the area.This wasn’t shown on the 2-chain plans or any BR documents, but on the basis it did exist, it was a good reference!
However, we would be using modern materials therefore the main modern railway drainage design principles were put on the table:
• Under Track Crossing (UTX) Pipe
The top of a pipe going underneath the track needs to be a minimum of 1250mm below the top of the rail head.
• Water Velocity
Water running through the pipework needs a discharge velocity between 0.8m/s and 3.0m/s. Below 0.8m/s is less than the minimum required for a self-cleaning drainage system, and above 3.0m/s will likely cause scour damage.
• Catch Pits
There needs to be a minimum of 1410mm from the edge of a catch pit to the running edge(s) of the nearest rail(s).
The depth of the sump of the catch pit must be at-least the equivalent of the outfall pipe diameter. Parallel pipes must be separated by at-least the equivalent of the pipe diameter. Perpendicular pipes must at-least have the invert (bottom) of the inlet at the obvert (top) level of the outfall.
Opposite: During the very wet winter of 2018, the surface water is seen flowing down the green lane and saturating the track bed underneath the Middle Forge point work.
Right: On the other side of the fence line, some of our lineside neighbours were interested to see what was going on whilst I was out surveying during June 2024, all of the information that I collated helped to build the 3D site model. All of the requirements were taken and overlaid on to the site model. The distances, and pipe sizes were referenced against the tables (and more easily a self-produced set of graphs) for Water Velocity and Water Flow Rate.
The determination was to use a solid 225mm diameter pipe from the inlet, and to carry the water along the cess, and a solid 300mm diameter pipe from the to the outfall. The cess would also have a perforated 225mm diameter pipe to collect any water from the track formation.
Above: The 3D model of the area was developed by taking measurements with a laser level along the track at 5-metre intervals. Key features were recorded, such as the position of the trough route, gas main, and signal to name a few.
The original 15-inch (375mm) square culvert had a gradient of 1 in 10, so the maximum flow rate through-put) would have been 306 litres per second when built. However, the new outfall of a 300mm diameter pipe, would give a slightly higher maximum of 474 litres per second.
Increasing the maximum flow rate on the outfall would not be an issue, as the pipes in the cess would actually have a lower flow rate that the original square culvert.
The pipes in the cess would need a minimum gradient of 1 in 350 based on the Water Velocity, whilst the maximum gradient would be 1 in 200 due to the buried services.
For the sake of easier calculations, and to allow for a degree of error, a gradient of 1 in 250 was chosen. This equates to a 4mm fall every metre of travel, either pipe would therefore have a through-put of 39 litres per second. Although this is lower, it should be more than able to carry the water volumes witnessed during storm events.
Before we could break ground, we had to check the levels, so our first tasks were to carefully dismantle the boundary fence in such a way that it could be easily reinstated, and trim the trees to give safe access on foot and with the machine.
The outfall pipes have to transition from buried to surface laid, they will be buried in drier weather.
(All images on this page courtesy of D. Johnson)
One of the acquisitions for the RRV during 2024 was the AugerTorque Drive Unit and 600mm Auger Head, this tool made exceptionally quick work of excavating the hole on the Upside ready to accept the pre-formed catch pit.
A catch pit was installed upside-down in the augured hole, so it can be easily removed to install the cross-pipe assembly later on. With the position known, the 300mm outfall pipes were roughly laid across the field down to Pidcocks Canal.
With the work in the field complete until the Spring, the fence was reinstated to prevent any animal incursions.
(All images on this page courtesy of D. Johnson)
Now that the temporary catch pit was in place, the 60-foot rails could be replaced with 45-foot accommodation rails. This allowed the RRV to remove the sleepers for the cross-trench and work as close to the excavation as possible.
Before the cross-trench could be excavated, we hand-dug for the 10-inch medium pressure gas main. From our earlier surveys we knew that it should be within a 2-foot corridor outside of the work area – but we needed that to be a fact.
It’s not often that you can discuss the complete cross section of the track formation with a delegation from the Permanent Way Department, whilst you’re looking at it!
The hole for the upside catch pit had to be augered out before the trench could be cut into it, but as it was deeper than the trench it would refill with spoil. The hole was cut back out to the correct depth to take the 8-foot deep catch pit.
When we acquired the auger, we also took the opportunity to acquire an extension bar as part of the set. The full scale of the 15-foot long setup is seen here, and makes it suitable for drainage works, planting signals, and digging foundations.
With the cross-trench dug, the opportunity was taken to use the (once ubiquitous) 1987-built JCB 3CX to load Type 1 aggregate into tonne bags held on the Telehandler.
The early GWR documents noted a 15-inch stone drain in this area, it doesn’t appear in later documents – so it was lost or non-existent. It was found in the bottom of the 6-foot deep cess trench, safely captured here using a selfie stick!
The pipes come in 6000mm lengths and were laid out and connected on the surface. Ropes were then attached at regular intervals, which would not only allow the pipes to be lowered in safely but would allow the levels to be adjusted.
The catch pit and cross-pipe assembly were tandem lifted in to the trench. The carrier pipe was installed on the Downside catch pit before it was lowered off fully.
There would be two 225mm pipe runs in the cess – a lower, solid pipe with an invert 1900mm below rail to carry water straight through the system, whilst the perforated pipe has an invert 500mm above to collect water from the formation.
With the cross-pipe assembly and cess pipework installed, and with the levels correctly set – the cross-pipe was backfilled with Type 1 aggregate directly around the pipe, followed by the clay, ash, and ballast in thin compactible layers.
Once the formation made back up to the correct height, the sleepers were replaced, the 45-foot rails swapped back for the 60-foot rails, and the track packed by hand.
The weather was set to turn, so the fall on the carrier pipe was set with rope and Type 1 aggregate, before backfilling to the correct depth. The membrane and collector pipe followed, and was similarly levelled but using larger, 20mm stone.
With the track reinstated, Dogfish ballast hoppers were brought from Lydney Junction and working by spotlight, were carefully dropped into the cess and the Permanent Way works. The JCB then pulled the frozen ballast into the trench.
An early morning at Lydney Junction saw the RRV loading the Dogfish in sub-zero temperatures, within hours snow would fall before breaking into (almost) a summers day!
“It came to me in a dream”, if the hopper chutes were longer, the ballast could be dropped directly into the trench. After scrounging some plywood and two G-clamps we had a working proof of concept, a permanent design is now needed...
During our lunch break we were visited by a delegation from our regulator (the Office of Rail and Road), later on we used the RRV Ballast Plough that we had acquired by auction and buckets to distribute ballast through the work sites.
With everything reinstated, and the majority of the money, time, and trouble that has been directed towards this project is hidden in plain sight to the casual observer.
Some temporary works were done to direct the surface water through a duct and into the system. Unfortunately, it didn’t last – Storm Bert had other ideas! The duct was replaced with pipe, seen here in full-flow after Storm Darragh.
In Memoriam
Unfortunately, we have been saddened by the loss of some characters from our ranks since the last magazine was type-set and published, here is a photo-tribute to those that are no longer with us.
Above Left: Pete Wood became a member in 2015 and undertook passenger facing activities both as a Booking Office clerk and a Travelling Ticket Inspector, before also becoming a Trustee in 2024, here he is seen operating Parkend Level Crossing.
Above Right: Ray Jaynes became a member in 2012 and turned out some wonderful hanging baskets and floral displays that adorned Norchard until his retirement in 2021 aged 93, here he is seen as visitor in 1996 holding a young Adam Williams.
Below: Ian Beaton became a member in 1973, was the Society Chairman for over thirty years and latterly a Trustee of the Dean Forest Locomotive Group, here he is seen stood below the Reverend Awdry for the naming of Wilbert during 1987. (Photos: DFR Museum Collection)
Who’s Who at the DFR
Forest of Dean Railway Ltd
Overall strategic management of the railway
Chairman - Ian Pope
Vice-Chairman - Adam Dickinson
Finance Director - vacant
Commercial Director - vacant
Development Director - Adam Dickinson
Health & Safety Director - vacant
Society Appointed Directors - Adam
Williams & Dave Churton
David Hurd Appointed Directors - Martin Hillier & Robert Morris
Company Secretary - vacant
Dean Forest Railway Company Ltd
The day to day running of the railway
Chairman - Adam Dickinson
Operations Director - vacant
Finance Director - Cecile Hunt
Director of Civil Engineering - vacant
Lineside Director - Chris Bull
Support Director - Adam Williams
Chief Mechanical Engineer - Adam
Dickinson
Signal & Telegraph - Steve Harris
Carriage & Wagon - John Clarke
Electrical - vacant
Permanent Way - Alex Davies
Telecoms - Rick Gillingham / Charles Bristow
Dean Forest Railway Society
Registered Charity 1183538 dedicated to the preservation and development of the DFR.
Chairman - James Graham
Vice-Chairman - Adam Williams
Treasurer - Tim McLennan
Secretary - Sue Williams
Membership Secretary - Adam Williams
Publicity Officer - vacant
Volunteer Liaison - vacant
Other Trustees - Dave Churton, Adrian Copley,
Ed Dyer, Alan Grant, Martin Hillier, Lynne Wentworth
