September has been busy! It’s the turn of the Foxfield Railway this weekend – its Autumn Steam Gala. And what a great day – good weather and lots of noisy steam action on the fearsome gradient from the colliery, for stills and video. A “Rail Diaries” page will appear in a day or so – in the meantime, as ever, here’s a quick preview. (it’s a shame there isn’t something like this going on every weekend, though if there was, I’d be exhausted by Christmas)
Coalport and the jungle
We walked down to the Severn, using paths through the woodland where possible, then along past Craven Dunnills and the site of the land stabilisation work. It’s a mess at present, but no doubt, once the work is complete, the vegetation will soon grow up again. There’s a cup of tea and a cake in the café at Maw’s, before we cross the memorial footbridge and walk beside the canal, then up to the old Coalport railway track to take us to Coalport bridge. Back on the south side, we follow the old Severn Valley railway trackbed.
We’d intended to walk back to Coalport and up the dingle (that’s the route indicated on the map below) but, just a little way before we would leave the railway route, there’s an entry into the woodland to our left, and a sign to the effect that walkers are welcome to wander in the woods. Perhaps we can take a shortcut through to the top of the dingle? The path is clear at first, but gradually fades, until we’re picking our way through dense undergrowth and following nothing more than a sense of direction. An animal started in the woodland below – the size of a large sheep. but it wasn’t a sheep. A muntjac? Gone before we had a clear view.
We found our way out, further down the dingle than I’d expected. An interesting exploration; not a short cut…
A busy weekend
Slim gauges in the Forest of Dean, and the Severn Valley gala
With lots of photos, and video too, it’s taken a little while to put it all together – but some results from the two days are now on “Geoff’s Rail Diaries“. Visit “In the Forest” for an illustrated account of the day in Dean, and “Severnside M7” for photos and video of Sunday’s fun on the Severn Valley Railway
An M7 beside the Severn
That’s M7 as in London and South Western Railway 0-4-4T, dating from the days of Dugald Drummond. 30053 normally lives on the Swanage Railway, but is visiting the Severn Valley Railway for their September gala – along with S&D 2-8-0 no. 88 from the West Somerset, the Worth Valley’s Midland 4F no. 43924 and the Caprotti 5 no. 73129 from Butterley. It was, of course, a good day, even if everything seemed to be the wrong way round. The photos and video will disprove that theory, won’t they? They’ll appear on Geoff’s Rail Diaries in due course (but not before I’ve dealt with yesterday’s outing).
Narrow gauge fun in the forest
The Forest of Dean is a great place for narrow gauge railways – especially when Keefs hold their annual open day. Star attraction is the completed “Barber”, the locomotive built in 1908 by T Green of Leeds for the Harrogate gas works railway – it’s ready for the journey back to South Tynedale and its return to steam. Nearby is the Lea Bailey Light Railway, where there’s a real narrow gauge industrial feel to operations. We’ll look in at Clearwell Caves too, to have a look at the locomotives there 
(including Lea Bailey’s Hunslet), before visiting Perrygrove, where the annual gala is in full swing, with visitor St Egwyn from the Evesham Vale line. There will be a full set of photos in a day or two, when I’ve had time to put a “Rail Diaries” entry together – but not tomorrow, we’re visiting the Severn Valley for their gala…
Easthope
Making the most of the dry and warm weather – another Wenlock Edge walk, from the car park at Presthope. The route as far as Easthope follows the Shropshire Way, but it’s not been been heavily walked. One short section of path has vanished altogether, requiring a deviation (a short walk along a busy road), and the route across the fields has new crops growing on it. Where are all the waymarkers? As we approach Easthope, a red kite glides high overhead – the second time we’ve seen one hereabouts recently.
From Easthope, we follow the minor road up to the crest of the Wenlock Edge, and descend to the old railway track. The passenger service between Wenlock and Craven Arms ended more than 60 years ago; freight from Wenlock to Longville finished in 1964. Now the trackbed provides an excellent surface to walk back to Presthope; though the sun filters through, there’s not much of a view – just one or two windows in the forest.
Statfold September 2014
Visit “September Steam at Statfold” for photos and an account of Saturday’s open day at Statfold barn – just published to “Geoff’s Rail Diaries“
Great War Railways
Just published to “Geoff’s Rail Diaries”, an account of Friday’s fun at Apedale – turtles, a diver, a Baldwin, a Brigadelok and much more – and lots more pictures. Visit “Tracks to the Trenches“.
A Wilderhope Walk
We’ve done it before, more then once – from the end of the surfaced lane up onto the edge, then south-eastwards along the crest to the point where it peters out, almost at the main road. There’s a red kite quartering Corvedale, gradually working its way southwards and out of sight. The return route follows the stream, barely a trickle today, before tending away to its west and up to the manor house, where there’s tea and coffee, but we’re too late for the cakes – they’re all gone. A Twix will suffice – it’s not far back to the car.
Statfold in September
Help! The traction engines have escaped from their field, and have wandered off into the field beside the railway. It was a bit like a herd of cows, one after another, rather hesitantly making their way from the lane, across the railway and into the stubble. They lost interest after a while and began to wander back. Yes, another great day at Statfold. Lots of photos to sort through: a selection will appear on “Geoff’s Rail Diaries”, once I’ve dealt with the pictures from yesterday’s visit to “Tracks to the Trenches”
