Severn and Wye Railway Timeline (1799-1969)
1799
The idea of a tramway linking the Rivers Severn & Wye is first considered.
June 1809
"The Lydney & Lydbrook Railway" as the S&W is known at this point, is secured by Act of Parliament
August 1809
Contracts to construct the tramway are let.
June 1810
Traffic starts using the tramway, but is soon halted due to revenue being lost owing to the lack of weighing machines, weights being a factor in the tolls to use the tramway. A second Act of Parliament changes the company name to the "The Severn & Wye Railway and Canal Company".
Mid-1811
The financial problems that would plague the S&W throughout its history have started, with share capital being insufficient to complete such works as Lydney Habour. Another Act is passed to increase share capital.
March 1813
Debts of over £15,000 are reported at this point.
May 1814
Another Act eases the financial burdens.
1814-1837
The traffic on the tramline increases during this period, but the company spends considerable amounts of money on blocking new lines into the Forest.
1838
The Dean Forest Mines Act is passed which changes working practices in the Forest. The Severn & Wye starts coming under pressure to improve the tramway services.
1839
The Severn & Wye contests the rival Forest of Dean Railway's plans to construct a new harbour and line in the eastern valleys. The plan is dropped.
1846
The South Wales Railway apply to purchase the tramway with a view to building a line alongside it. Although the Severn & Wye agree in principle to this, the plan stalls over the selling price.
1847
The Severn & Wye and South Wales Railway again clash over the Forest Of Dean tramroad, this time over its conversion to an edged railway. Although the plan goes ahead, the S&W gains a concession of £15,000 to assist its conversion to broad gauge.
September 1851
The South Wales line opens. The interchange facilities at Lydney serve to highlight the differences between the two lines.
1852
Proposals to convert the line to a single broad-gauge line are submitted to the Commissioners of Woods. In order for the scheme to be approved the S&W must allow a central line into the Forest to built independently of them. The S&W objects and negotiations cease.
August 1853
A scheme is submitted to Parliament in which the S&W improves the tramway rather than convert to a railway and become carriers themselves by using locomotives. The scheme is sanctioned, but locomotives do not appear until 1864.
October 1864
The first locomotive, an 0-4-0 tank engine is delivered to Lydney for use on the tramway.
November 1865
The fifth and last locomotive for the tramway is delivered.
March 1866
An anonymous offer is made for the S&W but nothing comes of it.
May 1867
It is decided to place a broad gauge railway from Lydney to Parkend, as well as extending the Moseley Green (later Mineral Loop) Branch to Foxes Bridge.
March 1868
Six hundred tons of edge rail is delivered to Lydney.
May 1868
A new broad gauge locomotive is ordered, with the existing fifth locomotive undergoing a conversion.
November 1868
The new line (at this point running to Wimberry, just north of Speech House Road) is tested using No 5, now designated "Forester" and the new locomotive is delivered. However problems at Whitecroft delay the opening of the line with alterations to the route being ordered by the Commissioners of Woods. However, the alterations are not completed and the original route stands.
April 1869
The first traffic is carried on the new line.
July 1869
The S&W obtains approval for what will be become the Mineral Loop from Tufts Junction to Drybrook Rd, despite the opposition of the rival Forest of Dean Central Railway and the Great Western Railway.
May 1870
Authorisation is obtained to construct what will become the Lydbrook Branch.
September 1870
Construction of the Mineral Loop begins; however with the GWR now converting to standard gauge, it is decided that the Mineral Loop will also be standard gauge, with a third rail being added from Lydney to Tufts Junction.
April - May 1872
Traffic commences on the Mineral Loop, which now runs to the main S&W line at Wimberry. The main line is now converted to standard gauge.
June 1872
Construction on the Lydbrook branch commences.
July 1872
The Coleford branch is authorised. Passenger services on the S&W network are also authorised
The Severn Bridge Railway obtains its Act of Parliament at this time.
November 1872
Construction of the Lydbrook Viaduct is started. This was probably the greatest engineering feat of the S&W.
May 1873
The provision for passenger stations is begun.
August 1974
Lydbrook Viaduct is completed.
1875
Construction of the Severn Railway Bridge commences.
July 1875
The Coleford Branch opens. At this point, most of the old tramway lines are redundant, although some are retained for transporting goods to the railway.
23rd September 1875
The first passenger train from Lydney to Lydbrook occurs.
9th December 1875
The first passenger train to Coleford is run.
July 1878
With the Severn Bridge Railway running into financial trouble, the only way to save the project is for the S&W and SBR to amalgamate and permit the Midland Railway running powers across both lines. This decision is taken reluctantly by S&W due to the possible threat to its relationship with the GWR. However full unification of the companies will not take place until 1885.
1877-1881
The expenditure of the past decade, especially the problems with the SBR, mean that the S&W starts attempting to reduce expenditure. During this period the S&W attempts to promote tourism to the Forest of Dean area and the process of replacing the iron rails with steel ones begins.
March 1883
A six-week collier strike begins which drastically reduces S&W revenue. Although the company attempts to reduce expenditure, it is ultimately forced into liquidation.
September 1883
The GWR line from Monmouth to Coleford opens to passengers.
June 1885
The S&W obtains legal powers obliging the GWR to provide through rates for South Wales coal traffic to the South of England using the Severn Bridge. The battle is not over though as the GWR are able to stall proceedings until the Severn Tunnel is opened.
July 1885
The S&W and SBR completely unite, and are able to end their period under receivership.
September 1886
The GWR opens the Severn Tunnel and promptly starts undercutting the Severn Bridge rates, forcing the S&W to use canvassers to obtain trade and check traffic routing.
1888-1891
The coal trade in the Forest of Dean is down and the S&W suffers difficulties with finance and the state of its locomotive stock. At this point the company owns 13 tank engines, 12 0-6-0's and 1 0-4-0. Only the five original tramway locomotives have been disposed of.
February 1893
The depression of the coal trade is now seriously affecting the S&W with dividends on preference stocks unable to be paid at this point.
September 1893 - June 1894
A sudden increase in coal demand comes too late for the S&W, who ironically are not in a position to cope with the demand. It is decided to sell the line to be run jointly by the Midland Railway and the GWR.
July 1894
The S&W and SBR become the joint property of the Midland Railway and the Great Western Railway with a Joint Committee of three directors from each company being formed.
June 1895
A condition of the sale of the S&W is that the main line is extended into Cinderford town. It is agreed that the town's recreation ground will become the new terminus.
October 1895
With the original S&W locomotives in such a bad state, the joint committee agrees mileage hire rates for GWR and MR locomotives.
April 1896
The doubling of the line between Tufts Junction and Parkend is re-commenced, having been halted in 1893.
February 1898
Work commences on the Cinderford extension.
August 1898
The doubling is submitted for inspection by the Board of Trade, which recommends improvements.
December 1899
The doubling finally gets approval.
July 1900
The Cinderford Extension opens.
April 1903
Lower Lydbrook station is closed, the first major casuality of the S&W. At this point the station was a unmanned request stop and was somewhat inaccessible due to its position on the side of valley overlooking the village.
1904
The Dean Forest Mines act is passed results in increased coal traffic over the S&W, with improvements at Speech House Road and Serridge Junction being made.
September 1905
The hire rates agreement of 1895 expires and the system switches to a time-based rate.
January 1906
The maintenance of the permanent way is split, with the GWR taking responsibility for the line from Coleford Junction northwards and the Mineral Loop, and the MR having the rest of the line to maintain.
1907-1908
The GWR decides to introduce passenger services over its own Forest of Dean branch and a connection is built from that line to the S&W line into Cinderford. With the new route being shorter to Gloucester, this has a marked effect on S&W passenger services from Cinderford. The connection opens in April 1908.
December 1916
The GWR line to Coleford is closed, apart from the section from Coleford to Whitecliff Quarry which the S&W takes over the running of.
July 1918
Coleford S&W Station building is destroyed by fire. However, it would be six years before new permanent facilities are provided.
1922
The S&W runs at a loss, and expenditure is reduced over the next few years.
June 1923
Milkwall station is damaged by fire, resulting in a long-overdue upgrade of facilities.
October 1924
Additional station facilities at Coleford are approved.
1927
Despite the economy measures implemented since 1922, another loss is reported this year. With passenger traffic dwindling due to road competition, the decision is taken to remove passenger services north of Lydney Town.
May 1927
Cinderford Signal Box is taken out of use, and Drybrook Signal Box is converted to a ground frame.
March 1928
Staff economies are put into effect, but only six men are made redundant.
February 1929
Due to demand, problems are occurring with wagon stabling at Lydney, with additional sidings at three collieries being recommended as a solution.
July 1929
The withdrawal of passenger services north of Lydney takes effect. Although there are some protests, research shows that passenger traffic, never vast at the best of times, has dwindled to almost nothing, and the closures take place as planned. Apart from a few "specials", there will be nothing resembling a regular passenger service north of Lydney for over 50 years.
November 1930
The line between Tufts Junction and Parkend is singled, with the "Down" main line between Tufts and Whitecroft becoming a siding. Whitecroft signal box is also taken out of use.
September 1932
A Saturday passenger service between Lydney and Parkend is considered, but nothing comes of this.
November 1936
Auto trailers are first used on the Lydney Town to Berkeley passenger services.
1939-1945
The Second World War sees the Forest of Dean used for ammunition storage with Moseley tunnel becoming a storage point. The Mineral loop is broken in May 1942 but track is relaid in December 1943. By the end of the war, all the collieries along the Mineral Loop have closed and the military depot is providing the sole traffic for the line.
22nd July 1950
GWR railcar number W7 works a railtour across the Severn and Wye network. It would also work another on the 23rd September that year
March 1951
The Mineral Loop is broken at Moseley Green and the line south of this point is closed as far as Pillowell.
2nd June, 1951
GWR railcar number W7, as part of a Gloucestershire Society Rail Tour, becomes the penultimate passenger train over Lydbrook Viaduct.
20th July, 1951
A steam-hauled excursion to the Festival of Britain is the last passenger working over Lydbrook viaduct.
December 1951
The line between Serridge Junction and Cinderford Junction is closed.
June 1953
The remainder of the Mineral Loop is closed apart from the section between Pillowell and Whitecroft.
January 1956
The North section of the Lydbrook Branch is closed from Mierystock to Lydbrook Junction. The remainder of the branch is retained for traffic from Arthur and Edward Colliery.
November 1957
The Pillowell-Whitecroft section of the Mineral Loop is closed.
November 1958
Passenger services from Cinderford along the Forest of Dean Line are withdrawn.
January 1959
The withdrawal of passenger services along the Ross-Monmouth line ends passenger services to Lydbrook Junction. Goods services from Lydbrook Junction to Monmouth are also withdrawn.
October 1960
A petrol tanker collides with the Severn Railway Bridge killing five people and demolishing two spans of the bridge. This effectively spells the end for the remaining passenger services out of Lydney Town and the bridge is demolished by 1970.
November 1960
The closure of Arthur and Edward and Cannop Collieries removes remaining traffic north of Speech House Road. Ironically, this section had just been resignaled, and apart from a few specials, the only trains to use the new signalling are the trains demolishing the line.
August 1963
The section between Coleford Junction and Speech House road is closed.
1964
The remaining goods services from Lydbrook Junction to Ross are withdrawn, ending the life of the station.
March 1964
Lydney Engine shed is closed. Steam services are withdrawn over the next couple of years.
31st October 1964
The last passenger services between Sharpness and Berkeley Road are run. Freight services to Sharpness Docks would continue until the late 1980s, from which point the only traffic on this section would be related to the servicing of the nearby nuclear power station.
May 1965
The closure of Princess Royal Colliery results in the closure of the Oakwood Branch.
October 1965
Despite attempts to save it, Lydbrook Viaduct is demolished.
1966
Cinderford Station closes to goods traffic. The station is demolished by 1968.
August 1967
The Coleford Branch is closed, with any remaining goods traffic being brought by road to Marsh Sidings near Parkend.