Dean Forest Railway, a Great Day Out in the Forest of Dean

The Dean Forest Railway is a great dog-friendly place for a Gloucestershire day out for individuals, groups and families. The line has five stations, with stunning Forest of Dean countryside between them on its 4.5-mile route. Visitors can alight at each station and explore the local area. You can ride various steam or diesel trains during your visit.

Dean Forest Railway was somewhere I had wanted to visit for a while. While on a camping holiday, I took the plunge and scheduled a day out riding on the steam trains.

Dean Forest Railway Information

The attraction is a 4 1/2 mile train line that runs through beautiful woodland and countryside. They offer visitors a chance to experience the relaxing pace of a typical country branch line. The railway line has 5 stations along the way, so you can explore the local area. The route used to be on the Severn and Wye Railway line, which ran from Lydney to Cinderford.

The heritage railway line runs between Lydney and Parkend in the Forest of Dean. The Dean Forest Railway line has many prominent features, including woodland walks and country pubs, and it leads down to the Severn estuary and Lydney Harbour.

The River Lyd runs along the route and is never far from the line. The Lyd is a small river that flows into the River Severn via a canal in Lydney. Lydney Docks is also local for those who want to learn some history. The harbour played a full part in making the Severn Estuary the gateway from the south-west to the rest of the world. A nice place to walk and view where the 2 rivers meet.

The centre also has a fascinating museum that specialises in the Forest of Dean and Severn & Wye railway artefacts. The museum is at Norchard Station and is accessible via their shop.

Steam Trains & Heritage Diesel Locomotives

On our visit, we had journeys on both a steam engine and a heritage diesel locomotive. Other trains operate on the lines; more details are available on the DFR website. The heritage diesel engine had a comfy carriage with noticeably comfier seats than modern trains have.

When I visited, two trains were running on the branch line: one steam engine and one heritage diesel engine. The steam train, numbered 5541, dates back to 1928, when it first saw use in Swindon. It was cool to ride behind it or to watch it from the platforms. Nothing quite compares to the smell of steam engines at play.

The heritage diesel train was also pleasant to ride and highlights seat shrinkage since that era. We rode on the retro-looking, 2-car Class 108 a few times. The M51566 dates from the 1950s.

The carriages and couchettes were pleasant to spend time in, and the window seats were my favourite because of the views. Out of the two trains on duty for our visit, I preferred the steam locomotive. The steam locomotive 5541 tows many carriages, many of which serve food or afternoon tea. This train dates back to 1927, when it first came into service in Swindon. More info…

Stations at Dean Forest Railway

The branch line has five stations where you can visit or change trains. The stations all have a distinct look, and they all have places of interest nearby and somewhere for refreshments.

Norchard Railway Station

Norchard is the key station with two platforms, a cafe, a bookshop and a museum. The station is the usual starting point for visitors and where they issue tickets to passengers.

The station is the most fascinating of the railway stations on the branch line because of the artefacts around. The area includes the sidings where they work on locomotives and carriages.

Whitecroft Railway Station

Visitors to Whitecroft station can visit the local pub, The Miners Arms, for a drink or even some food. The pub has front and rear outdoor seating, a bar, and a restaurant area. Food is diverse, serving everything from snacks and burgers to a daily specials board. This establishment is a dog-friendly public house, and they make dogs very welcome.

Near the station is Knick-Knacks, a shop that sells collectibles, furniture, vintage items, and much more. For rail enthusiasts, they even have a section dedicated to trains.

Parkend Train Station

The last station on the branch line is Parkend, in a nice village. This train station has a footbridge over the line, where you can view the trains from above or take photos.

Parkend has 2 public houses, the Woodman and the Fountain Inn. It has a quaint village shop to stock up on supplies. Parkend also has Forest Outdoors, a shop for adventurers and those who enjoy outdoor activities. For those who like churches and religious architecture, St Paul’s Church is near the station.

The Woodman is a well-decorated place with an inviting dining room, a welcoming bar, and plenty of outdoor seating. This traditional country pub offers lunch and dinner menus, plus a special Sunday roast menu. The dinner menu includes wild boar, a rump of lamb, a home-made pie of the day, and a trio of local sausages. For those not wanting meat, they have options. Their menu includes dishes like vegetarian lasagne, breaded Brie, or smoked salmon.

Lydney Town Station

Near the town centre, this station is great for those wishing to visit Lydney on their day out. The station has a small waiting room but no toilet facilities. Nearby are a few pubs, shops and places to eat. The Swan Inn & Ugly Duckling are places to enjoy a break and have a drink or food, which they serve all day.

Lydney Junction Train Station

This station has a small traditional waiting room to sit in while awaiting the locomotives to arrive. It also has toilet facilities. This is close to the mainline station and a short walk to Lydney Harbour.

Plan A Visit

Is It Dog Friendly?

The entire day was great fun, hopping on and off old trains and enjoying the local countryside. The whole attraction was dog-friendly and educational, too. We found it to be completely dog-friendly, and it was a great day out with Henry, our dog. As a bonus, the refreshment stops near the stations were pet-friendly too.

Note there is a small fee for travelling with a dog. You can select a dog ticket when booking on their website.

Travel to Dean Forest Railway

There are various options to get to the local area. Lydney has a mainline station which is near the branch line. Travelling by car, head to the main Norchard Station, where parking is free. Many buses run in the local area from Gloucester, Chepstow, and Coleford.

Contact Details

Website – www.deanforestrailway.co.uk

Twitter – https://twitter.com/deanforrailway

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/deanforestrailway/

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