17th December 2019 · “Great Western in Dean”

Presenter: Ian Pope

For our December meeting Ian Pope returned to present “Great Western in Dean”. Centring on Cinderford the Great Western was criss-crossed by many of the mineral tramways in the Forest and provided services to take such minerals as coal and iron ore out to customers. The staple power for these trains were cl.45 side tank and cl.16 pannier tank locomotives both of which were light enough yet powerful enough to cope with the Forest tracks. Just surviving into the diesel era, these popular steam locos were replaced by the equally popular cl.14 diesel hydraulic locomotives. Travelling around the system we visited Bilson, Mitcheldean, Drybrook, Ruspidge and Coleford, where the old steam shed survives to this day as a railway museum. With tank locos providing all the power for the Forest services, imagine the excitement generated when a Gloucester Horton Road based cl.73 Mogul appeared with the entire breakdown train to re-rail a wagon which was only one axle ‘off the road’! Soudley Halt was the place where trains were stopped to pin down the brakes (downhill) or to raise steam after the long climb (uphill). Coincidence, it must have been, that The White Lion was right next to the line here.