Museums · West Midlands
Dean Forest Railway
The Dean Forest Railway is a 4+1⁄4-mile (6.8 km) long heritage railway that runs between Lydney and Parkend in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England. The route was part of the former Severn and
Forester — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–3 h
- Best time of year
- Year-round
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
About
The Dean Forest Railway is a 4+1⁄4-mile (6.8 km) long heritage railway that runs between Lydney and Parkend in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England. The route was part of the former Severn and Wye Railway which ran from Lydney to Cinderford. The society that operates the line started steam locomotive operations in 1971, and bought the trackbed and line from British Rail in 1986, reaching Lydney Junction in 1995 and Parkend in 2005. Trains are operated by both steam and heritage diesel locomotives, and heritage diesel multiple units. The Dean Forest Railway has been given the former Panteg and Griffithstown railway station building. Its removal was completed in June 2016, and is expected to be placed at the new upcoming Speech House Road. The Dean Forest Railway plans to extend its heritage services a further 2+1⁄2 miles (4.0 km) through/into the middle of the Royal Forest at Speech House Road (close to the nearby Beechenhurst Visitor Attraction), bringing the line to a total of about 6+3⁄4 miles (10.9 km) in length. In 2016, DFR's director of civil engineering and director of development Jason Shirley announced plans to expand the railway to Cinderford. The project's status as a strategic regional development means that a large proportion of the estimated £8million cost could be met by Government funding. As of 2025, progress has been slow, with the extension being delayed by a proposal for a new level crossing at Travellers Rest that requires the permission of the O
Photo gallery
From the Wikipedia article
The Dean Forest Railway is a 4+1⁄4-mile (6.8 km) long heritage railway that runs between Lydney and Parkend in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England. The route was part of the former Severn and Wye Railway which ran from Lydney to Cinderford. The society that operates the line started steam locomotive operations in 1971, and bought the trackbed and line from British Rail in 1986, reaching Lydney Junction in 1995 and Parkend in 2005. Trains are operated by both steam and heritage diesel locomotives, and heritage diesel multiple units. The Dean Forest Railway has been given the former Panteg and Griffithstown railway station building. Its removal was completed in June 2016, and is expected to be placed at the new upcoming Speech House Road. The Dean Forest Railway plans to extend its heritage services a further 2+1⁄2 miles (4.0 km) through/into the middle of the Royal Forest at Speech House Road (close to the nearby Beechenhurst Visitor Attraction), bringing the line to a total of about 6+3⁄4 miles (10.9 km) in length. In 2016, DFR's director of civil engineering and director of development Jason Shirley announced plans to expand the railway to Cinderford. The project's status as a strategic regional development means that a large proportion of the estimated £8million cost could be met by Government funding. As of 2025, progress has been slow, with the extension being delayed by a proposal for a new level crossing at Travellers Rest that requires the permission of the Office of Rail and Road.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
Visiting
{| class="wikitable" ! Number and name ! Description ! Current status ! Livery ! Image |- | Rocket (replica) |Stephenson's Rocket |Operational. Visited the DFR in 2010 Built in 1979. |Yellow | |- | Work no 3063 'Willy the Well Tank' |Kerr, Stuart |Operational. Visited the DFR in2026. Built in 1918 |Red | |- | No1722 ‘Rocket" |Peckett and Sons |Operational. Visited the DFR for the DFR 50 gala in 2021. Built in 1926 |Blue | |- | Rosyth No. 1 |Andrew Barclay |Operational. Visited the DFR in 2023. Built in 1914 |Green | |- |WD 132 Sapper |Hunslet Austerity 0-6-0ST |Under overhaul. Visited the DFR in 2011, 2015, 2017 and 2024. Built in 1944 |BR Black carrying number 68032 | |- |75008 Swiftsure…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.7480, -2.5440
- County
- Gloucestershire
- District
- Forest of Dean
- Parish
- West Dean
- Postcode
- GL15 4PU
- Parliamentary constituency
- Forest of Dean
Sources
- wikipedia: Dean Forest Railway (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Dean Forest Railway?
- Dean Forest Railway is in Gloucestershire, the West Midlands, United Kingdom (postcode GL15 4PU), in the parish of West Dean.
- Who owns Dean Forest Railway?
- Dean Forest Railway is owned by |stations = 5 open.
- How do I get to Dean Forest Railway?
- Drivers can navigate to postcode GL15 4PU. It sits within the Forest of Dean parliamentary constituency.