Ruspidge Halt railway station

51°48′41″N 2°30′34″W / 51.8115°N 2.5094°W / 51.8115; -2.5094Grid referenceSO649126Platforms1Other informationStatusDisusedHistoryOriginal companyGreat Western RailwayPre-groupingGreat Western RailwayPost-groupingGreat Western RailwayKey dates3 August 1907 (1907-08-03)Station opened3 November 1958 (1958-11-03)Station closed

Ruspidge Halt railway station is a disused railway station opened by the Great Western Railway (GWR) on the former Bullo Pill Railway, later known as the GWR Forest of Dean Branch.

History

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

The Halt was located about 4 miles 4 chains from Newnham on a 1 in 201 gradient.^[1]

The station opened for passenger services in August 1907. The low platform was constructed from stone and a stone building was provided from the outset.^[2]

Before the commencement of passenger services, the Forest of Dean Branch was worked by train staff in two sections - Bullo to Ruspidge and Ruspidge to Bilson. In order for the passenger services to be introduced, the former goods office was converted for use as a booking office (it had both the railway and public telephones).^[3]

The train staff working was also replaced by single line electric key token working and at this time a three-lever ground frame gave the porter control of the up and down distant signals and the gate bolts (which were interlocked).^[4]

Services

Preceding station		Disused railways		Following station
Staple Edge Halt Line and station closed		Great Western Railway Bullo Pill Railway		Bilson Halt Line and station closed

References

Further reading

• Mitchell, Vic; Smith, Keith (2008). Branch Lines around Ross-on-Wye. Middleton Press. figs. 86-88. ISBN 9781906008307. OCLC 370350430.