@@westcountrywanderings of course back in the day they would have entered service in the standard blue/grey however the DFR being a heritage line paints theirs in the same maroon as the mk1's
Very interesting and enjoyable video. The standard of preservation, variety of railway memorabelia on displayt and the well-stocked bookshop are testament to the enthusiasm and hard graft of the volunteers running this marvellously preserved steam railway. Superb! Thank you.
Thank you Malcolm. Glad you enjoyed it. Yes, they have brilliant volunteers on the line, and it is fantastic to see just how far they have come since the early 1970s. Cheers, Paul
Thank you Vin! Lovely to hear from you, and meet you at Norchard too. Yes, looks like you had a super day on the footplate there. Always a pleasure to film on the DFR. Cheers, Paul
Thanks for introducing me to Norchard, Paul! I'd never heard of it, but it's only 45 minutes from where we live in Gloucestershire! What a lovely area... and beautiful train!
Thank you Dara! This is probably my favouite heritage line - I was introduced to it circa 1973 when I was at Primary School. The Forest of Dean is stunning and I hope to explore more of it on my channel.
Second hand bookshops are such a thing in Britain these days! Every single manor house and touristy place we go seems to have a gift shop AND a used bookshop. It's great!
Yes, the Dean Forest Railway has the one at Norchard, and one at Parkend Station too! Good cafe at Norchard as well. I love a good secondhand bookshop. My favourite secondhand bookshop is in Malvern, next to the Abbey, three floors of joy!
As you know, I like trains and train rides. Went on one two consecutive days. Three now! What a gorgeous piece of countryside again. The steam train brings back fond memories but also the moment I had coal grit in my eyes while looking outside and the wind changed. Thanks for the ride Paul. 😎👌🇳🇱🙋♀🇳🇿
Thank you Anita! Glad you enjoyed this video - a railway steam special. It is a delightful little railway set in glorious woodland. Oh, yes, the coal grit problem! I always used to wonder why some enthusiasts wore plastic goggles when looking out of railway carriages - now I know! Take care, Paul
Hello Paul - greetings from Poland. Lovely to be back in The Forest of Dean. Fabulous camera skills and commentary with some superb still photographs at the end. Love the second gands book shop. Great way to raise funds for a wonderful railway
Thank you Michael! Always a pleasure to hear from you. Thanks for a lovely comment. I hope to do one or two 'Lost Railway Walks' around the forest soon. Take care, Paul.
Some brilliant shots of the steam trains Paul. It always makes me smile when seeing the engine of a steam engine go the wrong way around - see it all the time on my local heritage line, it always looks so odd. 😁
Thank you Jesse! Glad you enjoyed it. Yes, I think your local line is the Avon Valley Railway, which I have been to a couple of times in the past - very enjoyable there too. Thanks for watching and commenting. Cheers, Paul.
Hi Paul, I settled down for a nice relaxing watch and you didn't disappoint, beautifully filmed as always. I will get down there to film it one of these days. Hope you are making the most of these few glorious filming days without rain. Look after yourself. Ron
Many thanks Michael! Yes, it is a lovely heritage line - not as big as the likes of The Severn Valley Railway but it is in a wonderful setting. Well worth seeking out if you can. Much to see in the Forest of Dean too, and Ron over on Parkinson's Walks has done a few from that area as well. Take care, Paul.
Thank you Louise! Glad you enjoyed it. Yes, the Dean Forest Railway is not as well known as the West Somerset Railway, or the Paignton & Dartmouth Steam Railway, and, while it is not on the coast, does go through some stunning forest scenery. I was lucky to go here when I was at Primary School, when it was just getting off the ground. Thanks for a lovely comment, Take care, Paul
I must confess that your video is making me feel a bit guilty. I filmed my Vlog of our day on the GWSR back in June, but I haven't begun editing it yet because I was hoping to get some drone photography as well. Hopefully the weather will cooperate in the next couple weeks so I can get that done! It was a great family day, and I am anxious to capture the memory ❤. Great video, Paul! Thanks for showing me another railway I didn't know anything about ! Cheers! Dara
Thank you Dara! Glad you enjoyed the video! I nearly didn't make it with this one! I had edited everything, and I had nearly finished when my anti-virus software decided to do a full reboot and install in the background, which promptly crashed my laptop. I lost everything, and although I tried to recover the editing file, it was corrupted and I could not use it! Nightmare! I had no choice but to restart all the editing on this video again! Finally got it done though. Glad to hear it is OK! Lovely to hear from you, take care, Paul. PS I have binned this particular anti-virus software and gone for one which I can switch off when I am editing and disconnected from the internet. Take care, Paul
You’ve got me thinking now, Paul. How does a steam loco go backwards? When I was small, my Grandfather gave me a book “How Things Work” and I remember there was a section on steam engines showing the internal workings of the pistons. Sadly, I no longer have the book! I imagine there’s a lever in the cab the engineer pulls and much like we drive a car, he doesn’t need to know how the details work beyond that. Great video, Paul. Thanks.
Thank you Ian! Glad you enjoyed it. Yes, great question! I have no idea! I think there is a lever in the cab, but how it functions, I've not a clue! Great to hear from you. Cheers, Paul.
It’s a puzzle. A big fat book could be written on steam engine mechanics - my favourite component is the governor which regulates speed by balancing rotational and centrifugal forces; those two steel balls which spin around, more often seen on beam engines. Fascinating how the ingenious inventor, James Watt, came up with that. I haven’t found the answer to the loco reversing. Presumably the drive pistons work in both directions, with inlet and exhaust valves at both ends so power is provided in both directions of the piston. Rods connect the piston to the drive wheels so I don’t know how the “reverser” (thanks, @vinblick1251) sets the rod cycle in reverse. Next time I visit a heritage railway I’ll ask to be shown how. 😊
Sorry for going on, it’s the engineer in me that finds this fascinating. Also the thing with steam engines, opposed to most other engines, is the workings are on the outside and visible! It’s an American explanation of the valving arrangement but still wonderful. So the mid setting on the lever - “natural” - is set when the train is at its required speed, to conserve precious steam. Didn’t know that either. ua-cam.com/video/b7NABUkyGok/v-deo.html I believe there’s also a knack for when to pull the lever so as not to upset the workings: the rod pivot position on the wheels is best to be at two o’clock or something. This isn’t mentioned in the video but I’ve seen discussions on railway restoration/enthusiast forums.
Hi Paul, the sound on this one was exceptional👌👌, I watched for the second time with headphones on and it was like being there, it really was.👏👏 And then the music to accompany the visit to the museum, great choice👍. You really presented the railway in such a good light they will be delighted I'm sure. Enjoyed seeing the old pictures of the mine and the viaduct (Did Ron go there on one of his videos?). Back home now, 40+°, quite a shock after the rain, clouds and cool weather in the UK last week. Got lots of photos and videos to post, my favourite being high tide at the Royal Oak!! Great video, well done, have a great week!!
Hi David, Yes, Ron visited the Lydbrook Viaduct, or rather the site of it, in one of his videos. My Dad walked across it shortly after it closed in the 1940s I think. Shame it was demolished. Thanks for your kind words about the sound in this video - I spend about 50% of my editing time, editing the audio - trying to get the mix, levels and EQs right for each and every clip - there were over 200 that made up this shorter video. Been too hot here today + 27deg C - thankfully cooler tomorrow. Wow! 40 +! I can't handle that level of heat! Anything over 30 and I am indoors! Take care, Paul.
...sorry I don't know what happened to the rest of my reply David! I was going on to say that I do spend a lot of time editing and tweaking the audio to get it just right. Glad you appreciated it. Lovely comment. Thanks so much! Take care, Paul.
@@westcountrywanderings Hi Paul, don't worry about your comments going missing, I do mine mine outside of YT to have a copy and paste them. 200 sound tracks is a hugh amount of work on just one video. It's really appreciated. We get by in the heat by keeping out of the sun and drinking Gazpacho, the cold summer tomato soup. Have you tried it before? It's easy to do
@@davidberlanny3308 Thanks David! Sometimes I get sidetracked with other things and forget where I was! I thought I had written a lot more, but it seems to have dissapeared. Yes I have had Gazpacho once before, ironically on a cold day in Australia! Lovely and flavoursome soup though. I must dig out a receipe. Cheers, Paul.
It's a pity that the car parking 🅿️ space at Lydney Junction is underutilised as it would then be possible to sell off the vast carpark at Norchard helping the railways balance sheet
Hi Stephen, I was not aware that there was any parking at Lydney Junction. I arrived by train on the adjoining Lydney railway station. The car park at Norchard was almost full on the day of my visit - not all is landscaped for parking on. If they were to sell all or part of it off, what would the land buyer use it for? The land cannot be built on due to the vast network of coal mines underneath it, and associated tunnels to do with the former power station that stood on the site. The main problem that the DFR is facing at the moment isn't one of money, but getting a source of coal. Restoring the line to both Cindeford and Coleford are more than aspirations, and the detailed plans to extended to Speech House, as well as expanding the station at Whitecroft (2nd working platform) are underway according to a couple of volunteers I have spoken to. Hope this helps! Cheers, Paul
@@westcountrywanderings At Lydney Junction there is a vast triangle of land with the NetworkRail station to the south (and adjoining small car park), the DFR station to the north and the course of the Quay Branch to the west Most of this land is taken up by a scrap merchants and equally just wasteland There's certainly scope for a Parkway station with perhaps a rebuilt footbridge linking it to the DFR island platform across the expanded carpark With Norchard being a brown field site perhaps it could become an eco-village with the DMU's providing a commuter link (it may be a former mine but so's half the Black Country:))
@@westcountrywanderings Anyway great video 👍 I particularly enjoyed the shots of the upper and lower lines at Norchard Much prefer the look of tank engines on twisting and steeply graded lines as opposed to a big tender engine
@@stephenchappell7512 Yes, that's true. At present that site is fenced off, barb wired and CCTVd, although I understand that the DFR part own it. The scrap merchants (who seem to specialise in life expired double decker busses) is not a great visual gateway either to the town or the DFR!
Very enjoyable video of a railway I don’t know at all! I am always amazed at the volunteers that come forward and keep them all running. I don’t know if I am being silly but the trains shown were all running on the higher line ; is the lower line for trains terminating at Norchard? What a shame you can’t hop on & off if you live locally but have to purchase a full ticket( online too I think you said.)
Thank you Diana! Yes, it is much less well known than some of the other heritage lines. That's a shame, because it is set in beautiful countryside and has lovely restored stations and a very friendly feel to it. Thank you for watching and commenting. Take care, Paul.
An interesting walk!. Re tickets for the DFR, on the 20th May this year, it was OK to pay cash at Norchard. I just turned up and parked at their car park there, and they had a ticket office on the way in to the railway. In the past, they would sell them on the train, if one arrives by train to Lydney, with it being a short walk between Lydney Stn and Lydney Junction stn. There is some footage of the 20th May here: ua-cam.com/video/TWNLU4eeAPY/v-deo.html The museum at Norchard does have an interesting collection of many things, including a few items about the Severn Bridge collapse in 1960, and also a working chunk of an old GPO telephone exchange.
Thank you John! Thank you for sharing your video. I really enjoyed it. I love the DFR - it is such a super line, and it was the very first steam railway that I went to in its embryonic years in the early 1970s. I loved all the photos about the Severn Bridge - I have a family connection to the disaster. My grandfather was a Radio Ham living in nearby Cambridge (Gloucestershire). He picked up the distress calls from the Wastdale H (one of the two that struck the pillars) and then he contacted the Police, and rescue services. Take care, Paul
That was a beautiful video on a lovely day. Thanks for showing the museum & the history of the place.
Thank you Faith! I really enjoyed my day here. It is a lovely line. Take care, Paul
Those coaches with the rounded ends are BR mk2 coaches which first entered service in 1969 being the first post-steam era coaches introduced
I didn't know that.
Thanks Stephen!
@@westcountrywanderings
of course back in the day they would have entered service in the standard blue/grey however the DFR being a heritage line paints theirs in the same maroon as the mk1's
Very interesting and enjoyable video. The standard of preservation, variety of railway memorabelia on displayt and the well-stocked bookshop are testament to the enthusiasm and hard graft of the volunteers running this marvellously preserved steam railway. Superb! Thank you.
Thank you Malcolm. Glad you enjoyed it. Yes, they have brilliant volunteers on the line, and it is fantastic to see just how far they have come since the early 1970s.
Cheers,
Paul
Great video paul it was great day on tje footplate and nice to see you got some great film
Thank you Vin! Lovely to hear from you, and meet you at Norchard too. Yes, looks like you had a super day on the footplate there. Always a pleasure to film on the DFR. Cheers, Paul
Thanks for introducing me to Norchard, Paul! I'd never heard of it, but it's only 45 minutes from where we live in Gloucestershire! What a lovely area... and beautiful train!
Thank you Dara! This is probably my favouite heritage line - I was introduced to it circa 1973 when I was at Primary School. The Forest of Dean is stunning and I hope to explore more of it on my channel.
Second hand bookshops are such a thing in Britain these days! Every single manor house and touristy place we go seems to have a gift shop AND a used bookshop. It's great!
Yes, the Dean Forest Railway has the one at Norchard, and one at Parkend Station too! Good cafe at Norchard as well. I love a good secondhand bookshop. My favourite secondhand bookshop is in Malvern, next to the Abbey, three floors of joy!
@@westcountrywanderings of course you must have been to Hay-on-Wye, right? You need to do a Vlog there!
As you know, I like trains and train rides. Went on one two consecutive days. Three now! What a gorgeous piece of countryside again. The steam train brings back fond memories but also the moment I had coal grit in my eyes while looking outside and the wind changed. Thanks for the ride Paul. 😎👌🇳🇱🙋♀🇳🇿
Thank you Anita! Glad you enjoyed this video - a railway steam special. It is a delightful little railway set in glorious woodland. Oh, yes, the coal grit problem! I always used to wonder why some enthusiasts wore plastic goggles when looking out of railway carriages - now I know! Take care, Paul
Hello Paul - greetings from Poland.
Lovely to be back in The Forest of Dean. Fabulous camera skills and commentary with some superb still photographs at the end. Love the second gands book shop. Great way to raise funds for a wonderful railway
Thank you Michael! Always a pleasure to hear from you. Thanks for a lovely comment. I hope to do one or two 'Lost Railway Walks' around the forest soon. Take care, Paul.
hi Paul a lovey railway video 👌👌
Thank you Roy! Glad you enjoyed it. Take care, Paul
Beautiful tour, Paul! I enjoyed seeing and hearing the trains, especially that charming little whistle. 😊
Thank you Donna! Glad you enjoyed it. Yes, the sound of the whistle is so charming, isn't it? Thanks for a lovely comment. Take care, Paul.
Some brilliant shots of the steam trains Paul. It always makes me smile when seeing the engine of a steam engine go the wrong way around - see it all the time on my local heritage line, it always looks so odd. 😁
Thank you Jesse! Glad you enjoyed it. Yes, I think your local line is the Avon Valley Railway, which I have been to a couple of times in the past - very enjoyable there too. Thanks for watching and commenting. Cheers, Paul.
Hi Paul, I settled down for a nice relaxing watch and you didn't disappoint, beautifully filmed as always. I will get down there to film it one of these days. Hope you are making the most of these few glorious filming days without rain. Look after yourself. Ron
Thank you Ron! I have a feeling that you would really enjoy this railway line. Glad you liked the video. Take care, Paul
Lovely video, as usual, Paul. That's a railway and part of the country I have yet to visit.
Many thanks Michael! Yes, it is a lovely heritage line - not as big as the likes of The Severn Valley Railway but it is in a wonderful setting. Well worth seeking out if you can. Much to see in the Forest of Dean too, and Ron over on Parkinson's Walks has done a few from that area as well.
Take care,
Paul.
That’s such an enjoyable video Paul! You had some brilliant vantage points to film the trains! I had not heard of this place. Really lovely!
Thank you Louise! Glad you enjoyed it. Yes, the Dean Forest Railway is not as well known as the West Somerset Railway, or the Paignton & Dartmouth Steam Railway, and, while it is not on the coast, does go through some stunning forest scenery.
I was lucky to go here when I was at Primary School, when it was just getting off the ground.
Thanks for a lovely comment,
Take care,
Paul
I must confess that your video is making me feel a bit guilty. I filmed my Vlog of our day on the GWSR back in June, but I haven't begun editing it yet because I was hoping to get some drone photography as well. Hopefully the weather will cooperate in the next couple weeks so I can get that done! It was a great family day, and I am anxious to capture the memory ❤.
Great video, Paul! Thanks for showing me another railway I didn't know anything about ! Cheers! Dara
Thank you Dara! Glad you enjoyed the video! I nearly didn't make it with this one! I had edited everything, and I had nearly finished when my anti-virus software decided to do a full reboot and install in the background, which promptly crashed my laptop. I lost everything, and although I tried to recover the editing file, it was corrupted and I could not use it! Nightmare! I had no choice but to restart all the editing on this video again! Finally got it done though. Glad to hear it is OK! Lovely to hear from you, take care, Paul. PS I have binned this particular anti-virus software and gone for one which I can switch off when I am editing and disconnected from the internet. Take care, Paul
@@westcountrywanderings oh no! What a nightmare! I always live in fear of things like this. I really don't like re-doing things!!!🤬
You’ve got me thinking now, Paul. How does a steam loco go backwards? When I was small, my Grandfather gave me a book “How Things Work” and I remember there was a section on steam engines showing the internal workings of the pistons. Sadly, I no longer have the book! I imagine there’s a lever in the cab the engineer pulls and much like we drive a car, he doesn’t need to know how the details work beyond that.
Great video, Paul. Thanks.
Thank you Ian! Glad you enjoyed it. Yes, great question! I have no idea! I think there is a lever in the cab, but how it functions, I've not a clue! Great to hear from you. Cheers, Paul.
The lever in question is what's know as a reverser. There's 3 positions mid gear (natural) forward and reverse.
@@vinblick1251 Thank you! Thanks for replying to Ian's question.
It’s a puzzle. A big fat book could be written on steam engine mechanics - my favourite component is the governor which regulates speed by balancing rotational and centrifugal forces; those two steel balls which spin around, more often seen on beam engines. Fascinating how the ingenious inventor, James Watt, came up with that.
I haven’t found the answer to the loco reversing. Presumably the drive pistons work in both directions, with inlet and exhaust valves at both ends so power is provided in both directions of the piston. Rods connect the piston to the drive wheels so I don’t know how the “reverser” (thanks, @vinblick1251) sets the rod cycle in reverse.
Next time I visit a heritage railway I’ll ask to be shown how. 😊
Sorry for going on, it’s the engineer in me that finds this fascinating. Also the thing with steam engines, opposed to most other engines, is the workings are on the outside and visible!
It’s an American explanation of the valving arrangement but still wonderful. So the mid setting on the lever - “natural” - is set when the train is at its required speed, to conserve precious steam. Didn’t know that either.
ua-cam.com/video/b7NABUkyGok/v-deo.html
I believe there’s also a knack for when to pull the lever so as not to upset the workings: the rod pivot position on the wheels is best to be at two o’clock or something. This isn’t mentioned in the video but I’ve seen discussions on railway restoration/enthusiast forums.
Hi Paul, the sound on this one was exceptional👌👌, I watched for the second time with headphones on and it was like being there, it really was.👏👏
And then the music to accompany the visit to the museum, great choice👍.
You really presented the railway in such a good light they will be delighted I'm sure. Enjoyed seeing the old pictures of the mine and the viaduct (Did Ron go there on one of his videos?).
Back home now, 40+°, quite a shock after the rain, clouds and cool weather in the UK last week. Got lots of photos and videos to post, my favourite being high tide at the Royal Oak!!
Great video, well done, have a great week!!
Hi David,
Yes, Ron visited the Lydbrook Viaduct, or rather the site of it, in one of his videos. My Dad walked across it shortly after it closed in the 1940s I think. Shame it was demolished.
Thanks for your kind words about the sound in this video - I spend about 50% of my editing time, editing the audio - trying to get the mix, levels and EQs right for each and every clip - there were over 200 that made up this shorter video.
Been too hot here today + 27deg C - thankfully cooler tomorrow. Wow! 40 +! I can't handle that level of heat! Anything over 30 and I am indoors!
Take care,
Paul.
...sorry I don't know what happened to the rest of my reply David! I was going on to say that I do spend a lot of time editing and tweaking the audio to get it just right. Glad you appreciated it. Lovely comment. Thanks so much! Take care, Paul.
@@westcountrywanderings Hi Paul, don't worry about your comments going missing, I do mine mine outside of YT to have a copy and paste them.
200 sound tracks is a hugh amount of work on just one video. It's really appreciated.
We get by in the heat by keeping out of the sun and drinking Gazpacho, the cold summer tomato soup. Have you tried it before? It's easy to do
@@davidberlanny3308 Thanks David! Sometimes I get sidetracked with other things and forget where I was! I thought I had written a lot more, but it seems to have dissapeared. Yes I have had Gazpacho once before, ironically on a cold day in Australia! Lovely and flavoursome soup though. I must dig out a receipe. Cheers, Paul.
It's a pity that the car parking 🅿️ space at Lydney Junction is underutilised as it would then be possible to sell off the vast carpark at Norchard helping the railways balance sheet
Hi Stephen,
I was not aware that there was any parking at Lydney Junction.
I arrived by train on the adjoining Lydney railway station.
The car park at Norchard was almost full on the day of my visit - not all is landscaped for parking on.
If they were to sell all or part of it off, what would the land buyer use it for?
The land cannot be built on due to the vast network of coal mines underneath it, and associated tunnels to do with the former power station that stood on the site.
The main problem that the DFR is facing at the moment isn't one of money, but getting a source of coal.
Restoring the line to both Cindeford and Coleford are more than aspirations, and the detailed plans to extended to Speech House, as well as expanding the station at Whitecroft (2nd working platform) are underway according to a couple of volunteers I have spoken to.
Hope this helps!
Cheers, Paul
@@westcountrywanderings
At Lydney Junction there is a vast triangle of land with the NetworkRail station to the south (and adjoining small car park), the DFR station to the north and the course of the Quay Branch to the west
Most of this land is taken up by a scrap merchants and equally just wasteland
There's certainly scope for a Parkway station with perhaps a rebuilt footbridge linking it to the DFR island platform across the expanded carpark
With Norchard being a brown field site perhaps it could become an eco-village with the DMU's providing a commuter link (it may be a former mine but so's half the Black Country:))
@@westcountrywanderings
Anyway great video 👍
I particularly enjoyed the shots of the upper and lower lines at Norchard
Much prefer the look of tank engines on twisting and steeply graded lines as opposed to a big tender engine
@@stephenchappell7512 Yes, that's true. At present that site is fenced off, barb wired and CCTVd, although I understand that the DFR part own it. The scrap merchants (who seem to specialise in life expired double decker busses) is not a great visual gateway either to the town or the DFR!
@@stephenchappell7512 Thank you Stephen!
Very enjoyable video of a railway I don’t know at all! I am always amazed at the volunteers that come forward and keep them all running. I don’t know if I am being silly but the trains shown were all running on the higher line ; is the lower line for trains terminating at Norchard? What a shame you can’t hop on & off if you live locally but have to purchase a full ticket( online too I think you said.)
Thank you Diana! Yes, it is much less well known than some of the other heritage lines. That's a shame, because it is set in beautiful countryside and has lovely restored stations and a very friendly feel to it. Thank you for watching and commenting. Take care, Paul.
An interesting walk!. Re tickets for the DFR, on the 20th May this year, it was OK to pay cash at Norchard. I just turned up and parked at their car park there, and they had a ticket office on the way in to the railway. In the past, they would sell them on the train, if one arrives by train to Lydney, with it being a short walk between Lydney Stn and Lydney Junction stn.
There is some footage of the 20th May here: ua-cam.com/video/TWNLU4eeAPY/v-deo.html
The museum at Norchard does have an interesting collection of many things, including a few items about the Severn Bridge collapse in 1960, and also a working chunk of an old GPO telephone exchange.
Thank you John!
Thank you for sharing your video. I really enjoyed it. I love the DFR - it is such a super line, and it was the very first steam railway that I went to in its embryonic years in the early 1970s.
I loved all the photos about the Severn Bridge - I have a family connection to the disaster. My grandfather was a Radio Ham living in nearby Cambridge (Gloucestershire). He picked up the distress calls from the Wastdale H (one of the two that struck the pillars) and then he contacted the Police, and rescue services.
Take care, Paul