Gloucester to Lydney

Cotswold Rail have a presence at Gloucester at the Horton Road Deport. At the time of my visit 47316 and 47200 were parked up behind the station and judging by the lack of a shine on the wheels they haven't moved for some time.

Sprinter 150234 enters Gloucester station with a class 2 local working from Worcester to Bristol Temple Meads, 2G09 0836 from Worcester Shrub Hill.

Central Trains operate through Gloucester with their Nottingham to Cardiff services. 170106 forms one such working, 1V08 0710 off Nottingham.

A different type of unit stands at Gloucester with a local working to Cheltenham Spa. 2G08 0935 from Gloucester is formed by 143612 and 143620.

First Great Western have eight return services a day between London Paddington and Cheltenham Spa, all of which run via the Golden Valley and reverse at Gloucester. 180014 forms 1L42 0925 Cheltenham Spa to Paddington train.

158846 clears the shadow of the canopy into the sunshine as it departs Gloucester with 1M58 0845 Cardiff to Nottingham Central Trains working.

Freight also runs through Gloucester mainly between the Midlands and South Wales. 66069 fronts 6V35 0050 Lackenby to Llanwern loaded steel slabs on 22 BBA bogie bolsters.

Moving out of the station down the line and this is Broken Cross Level Crossing. Turbostar 170517 passes by with 1M60 0945 Cardiff Central to Nottingham. This should be a peak with eight on!!

60004 approaches with the daily 6B13 0533 Robeston to Westerleigh loaded bogie tanks. This train loads to 25-26 TEA TDA tanks for the Murco distribution depot at Westerleigh.

Sprinter 150285 in Arriva colours comes by Broken Cross level crossing with a class 2 local working 2L53 1058 Gloucester to Maesteg.

150256 is in Arriva Wales white and light blue livery and is working 2G56 0917 Maesteg to Gloucester service at Broken Cross level crossing.

Three car turbostar 170634 approaches working 1V14 0900 off Nottingham to Cardiff Central.

170106 is seen again and now is bound for Nottingham having left Cardiff at 1045 with train 1M62.

Moving a short distance down the line to an overbridge at Grange Court, and more freight action appears.

60021 leans into the curve at the site of Grange Court station which closed on 2/11/1964. The train is 6V05 0939 from Round Oak to Margam empty steel.

Sprinter 150256 returns to Maesteg, 1158 off Gloucester 2L55, passing Grange Court where very little remains of the station. The building behind the unit may have been part of the station.

There are disused up and down loops here and disconnected crossovers. 170111 forms 1M64 1145 Cardiff to Nottingham train.

Another Central Trains Turbostar comes by in the opposite direction. 170102 works 1V18 1002 Nottingham to Cardiff. Behind are the disconnected crossovers.

I have soft spot for the class 153 bubblecars as there is no accounting for taste!!! 153327 runs for Gloucester with 2G58 1117 off Maesteg.

Grange Court was a junction station up until 2/11/1964 when the line to Hereford via Ross on Wye closed. The old line went off just to the right of centre of the photo. 170634 forms 1M66 1245 Central Trains service from Cardiff to Nottingham.

Another move a short distance further down the line to Westbury on Severn level crossing. 153327 returns to Maesteg, 1358 off Gloucester 2L59.

There is quite a variety of units on this line and 158818 looks almost exworks. It is rostered to 2G60 1217 Maesteg to Gloucester service.

The sun was coming and going all afternoon. 170102 powers towards Gloucester with 1M66 1345 Cardiff to Nottingham.

As the afternoon wore on the sun came round and when 170633 passed it favoured neither side of the line. The unit is working 1V26 1202 Nottingham to Cardiff.

The Maesteg to Gloucester services are worked by a mixture of units. 158818 works 2L61 1458 off Gloucester.

170103 heads westish with 1V30 1300 from Nottingham to Cardiff Central.

The staple diet of passenger trains along here are Central Trains and Arriva Wales. 170109 heads for the Midlands city of Nottingham with 1M71 1445 departure from the Welsh capital, Cardiff.

Moving on again along the shore of the River Severn to Purton. An unknown class 170 skirts the shore with 1M73 1545 Cardiff to Nottingham. Very close by is where the Severn Rail Bridge crossed the river. I had hoped to get some of the old earth works in the shot but in was not possible.

This is quite a picturesque location at Purton with the line hugging the shore of the River Severn. The previous unit is seen a little further on it journey.

All that remains of the rail bridge over the River Severn is the eastern parapet and circular mount of the swing section over the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal. Also remaining are the foundations of three of the piers in the mud. The bridge was built by the Midland and Great Western Railways and opened in 1879. It was 4,162 feet long and stood 70 feet above high water. On 25/10/1960 two barges carrying petrol struck the bridge in fog and two spans collapsed causing the barges to ignite and the crew of five were lost. The bridge was finally demolished in the autumn of 1967. The remains of the two barges can still be seen lying in the mud at low water.

150256, yet again, approaches a small level crossing near Lydney as a light drizzle is falling. The train is 2L65 1658 Gloucester to Maesteg.

Heavy rain has set in now as 170103 passes the Great Western Railway signalbox at Lydney. This is 1M75 1645 Cardiff to Nottingham. Due to the poor weather I called it a day at this point.