Parkend railway station

51°46′03″N 2°33′23″W / 51.76756°N 2.55647°W / 51.76756; -2.55647Grid referenceSO617078Operated byDean Forest RailwayPlatforms2HistoryOriginal companySevern and Wye RailwayKey dates23 September 1875opened8 July 1929closed for passengers19 May 2006reopened

Parkend railway station is located in the village of Parkend, in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. It is currently the northern terminus of the Dean Forest (heritage) Railway.

History

v t e Dean Forest Railway
Legend
Severn and Wye Railway Parkend Whitecroft Severn and Wye Railway Mineral Loop Tufts Bridge over River Lyd Severn and Wye Railway to Princess Royal Colliery Tufts Junction Norchard High Level | Low Level Middle Forge Junction Lydney Town St Mary's Halt Pidcock's Canal River Lyd Lydney Junction for Gloucester–Newport line

v t e Railways and Canals of the Forest of Dean
Railways legend Waterways legend
Hereford, Ross and Gloucester Railway Mitcheldean Road Hereford, Ross and Gloucester Railway Mitcheldean Road & Forest of Dean Jn Ry Drybrook Quarry Ross and Monmouth Railway Drybrook Halt Lydbrook Junction Nailbridge Halt Steam Mills Crossing Halt Lower Lydbrook Churchway Colliery Upper Lydbrook Whimsey Halt Mineral Loop Drybrook Road Coleford Railway Serridge Platform Cinderford New Wimberry Quarry Whitecliff Quarry Bilson Halt Speech House Road Ruspidge Halt Bicslade Tramroad Staple Edge Halt Bicslade Wharf Eastern United Colliery Coleford (CR) Upper Soudley Halt Coleford (S&WR) Bullo Cross Halt Gloucester– Newport line Milkwall Newnham Parkhill Colliery Ruddle Road Halt New Fancy Colliery Howbeach Colliery Parkend Forest of Dean Central Railway Whitecroft Awre for Blakeney Tufts Junction Mineral Loop Norchard River Severn Middle Forge Jcn Lydney Town Severn Railway Bridge Severn Bridge Gloucester and Sharpness Canal St Mary's Halt Sharpness Lydney Junction Sharpness Docks Lydney Sharpness branch line Upper Forge Lydney Harbour Pidcock's Canal Lydney Canal Lower Forge Gloucester– Newport line River Severn

In 1864 the Severn and Wye Railway began operating small mineral trains on its existing tramroad, but they were not satisfactory and, in 1868, the company added a broad-gauge steam railway line. However, both were removed and replaced with standard gauge tracks by 1874. The station was constructed in 1873, and subsequently opened in 1875, to enable the company to also offer passenger services alongside its freight operations which, by now, had given the railway a sizeable presence in the village, including several sidings.^[1]

A decline in mineral traffic and passenger numbers saw regular passenger services cease in 1929.^[2] The last goods train left Parkend on 26 March 1976 and much of the track was dismantled.

The line was bought by the Dean Forest Railway Preservation Society, now based at Norchard. In 2004-2005 Parkend station was extensively reconstructed, and it reopened 26 December 2005. Diesel Railcars ran the service in December 2005 and then Steam services have run into Parkend since 25 March 2006. It was then officially opened, by the Princess Royal, on 19 May 2006.

The station has two platforms, a water column, footbridge, goods shed , level crossing and a signal box (ex Maesmawr). On the 'Down' Platform there is the main station building which has a ticket office and also sells some food & drink along with some gifts. Toilets are also part of this building. The level crossing gates at the north end of the station are reputedly the longest in Britain.

Services

Preceding station		Disused railways		Following station
Whitecroft		Severn and Wye Railway Later Severn and Wye Joint Railway (MR and GWR)		Milkwall
	Heritage railways
Whitecroft		Dean Forest Railway		Terminus
	Proposed Heritage railways
Whitecroft		Dean Forest Railway		Bicslade Wharf [citation needed]

See also