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-   -   Forest of Dean Railways and Tramways (https://www.railwayforum.net/showthread.php?t=15974)

RogerFarnworth 25th February 2018 23:13

Forest of Dean Railways and Tramways
 
My wife and I enjoy an annual holiday in the Forest of Dean. We have been there almost every year since the year 2000. During that time we have enjoyed exploring a number of the different railway routes in the forest and have begun to realise just how complex a network of tramways supported the standard vague railways which themselves had replaced much earlier tramways. I hope this thread will be of interest to some.

This is the first of a series of blog posts about the forest and its railways and tramways and focusses on Lydney Harbour and its transport links, particularly rail and tramway/tramroad. ...

https://rogerfarnworth.wordpress.com...lydney-harbour

RogerFarnworth 25th February 2018 23:33

Prior to the introduction of standard gauge railways in the Forest of Dean there was an extensive network of tramways or tramroads. These tramways were of a variety of gauges from 3ft 6in to 4ft. One of these was the Severn and Wye Tramroad. This post details the various branch and feeder tramways associated with this line. The tramway was replaced by the Severn and Wye Joint Railway. ...

https://rogerfarnworth.wordpress.com...d-wye-tramroad

RogerFarnworth 26th February 2018 07:54

Parkend in the Forest of Dean is currently the terminus of a preservation line, the Dean Forest Railway (http://www.deanforestrailway.co.uk). Historically it was a small through station on the Severn and Wye Joint Railway with a short branch to transhipment wharfs that allowed tramways to transfer good to the main line. Further back still t was the centre of some major forest industries which were heavily served by tramways. The first image on the blog below ius a map of the tramways at Park end in its prime as an industrial centre in the Forest.

https://rogerfarnworth.wordpress.com...forest-of-dean

RogerFarnworth 26th February 2018 13:46

There was a significant network of tramroads close to Parkend in the Forest of Dean.

https://rogerfarnworth.wordpress.com...dikes-tramways

boilersuit 26th February 2018 21:20

I've visited the Forest of Dean a few times and soon became fascinated by the complex history of the area. A most interesting part of the world from the railway point of view.

RogerFarnworth 26th February 2018 22:41

It is. And there is plenty of literature on the railways in the area. I have enjoyed reading about a particular length of line and then being able to walk the route and discover industrial archeology along the way.

RogerFarnworth 27th February 2018 10:14

We will probably end up retiring to the Welsh Marches which will put me close enough to the forest to allow me to indulge this interest. I also am developing a model of Hereford in my loft in N Gauge, and have an interest in the metre-gauge railways of Provence a place we continue to visit annually. I have been exploring some of these things on this forum.

Hereford: http://www.railwayforum.net/showthread.php?t=15949
Provence: http://www.railwayforum.net/showthread.php?t=15943
Nice Trams: http://www.railwayforum.net/showthread.php?t=15953

Beware, I have found the metre-gauge railways and tramways of Provence to be quite an additive interest!

Roger

RogerFarnworth 27th February 2018 20:12

This may be old hat to readers of this site but here is a post on New Fancy Colliery in the Forest of Dean ....

https://rogerfarnworth.wordpress.com...nd-it-railways

RogerFarnworth 27th February 2018 20:14

Moseley Green Tramways

https://rogerfarnworth.wordpress.com/2017/09/27/moseley-green-tramways"]https://rogerfarnworth.wordpress.com/2017/09/27/moseley-green-tramways

RogerFarnworth 13th March 2018 18:25

In the last few days I have been looking at the route of the Forest of Dean Tramway which was a major innovation in its day. Haie Hill Tunnel which was built for it in the very early 19th Century was for a short while the longest tunnel in the world. It was also one of the earliest tunnels built.

The tramway linked significant industrial concerns in the Forest of Dean with the Severn Estuary at Bullo Pill. The owners of the tramway were also behind the first serious attempt to tunnel under the Estuary.

https://rogerfarnworth.wordpress.com...f-dean-tramway


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