Dean Forest Railway

 Saturday 25th May 2013

The above video was taken on our visit to the Dean Forest Railway, last Wednesday (22/5 ).

For those of you who have had difficulty viewing this video, here are three of the still photos from it.


















Here is the Dean Forest Railway standard timetable for the day in question.



On the timetable I have indicated the actual train time we used. You will notice Norchard, where we parked the car in the large car park, was not the actual start of the line; this was at Parkend.
So it was rather disconcerting, when we reached Lydney Junction to have to reverse our journey and travel past our starting point at Norchard to arrive at Parkend.

The staff were unfailingly courteous and the actual journey, using a diesel was very smooth. However as the trip was billed as a 'blue bell' view; I have to say that much of the vistas were not particularly scenic; Lydney, for all its undoubted virtue, can not be viewed as a ' jewel of the forest. '
The cost of the trip ( £11 adults, £10 cons., £5 children, ) was reasonably fair, if you used it as a rover ticket, thus alighting at various points and exploring the places. At St. Mary's Halt, for instance there is a lake walk nearby.
Overall then, a pleasant experience but only 3***



I was pleased to find on the platform at Norchard a bench with a plaque to the memory of our old friend, the first world war poet Ivor Gurney.



More at: Ivor


I could find no direct affinity with this railway; but clearly the Forest of Dean was part of Ivor's visible landscape; seen from his beloved 'High Hills.'  A nice touch Norchard!

My final view of this trip comes from the cricket ground; being newly prepared for the next match at Parkend.



Picture taken from the thoughtfully placed benches just outside the ground and looking down on the pitch. An oasis of calm.


RrrrrrrrrrRrrrrrrrrR


Enjoy Bank Holiday  and the week ahead, with The Derby next Saturday (1/6 ); yes June.

Cheerio
Ck.

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please feel free to comment and point out faults.
glad to have you aboard .

Curlykale.

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