Severn and Wye Railway

[DarwinS]

Greetings,

Exploring the Bristol to Birmingham MSTS route has lead me to a question about the real Severn and Wye Railway. In the MSTS route the line from Berkley Road to Sharpness is double track. Looking for old maps, the 1920's maps show this as being true.

This was a surprise to me as I have a copy of the Summer 1936 Working Time Table for the Severn and Wye Railway, in this Berkley Road, Berkley Loop Junction, Sharpness South and Sharpness Station are all shown as "Electric Train Tablet or Electric Train Staff Station"s. Indicating that my 1936 the line had been singled. This is borne out by the 1953 OS map shown here http://disused-rlys.fotopic.net/p32807993.html

On this map the loop line is shown as still being double track (interesting!), although in terms of ownership the loop was wholly owned by the GWR and not part of the 'Joint' railway.

Who can tell me more?

[davejb]

Hi Darwin,
The line between Berkeley Road station and Sharpness was originally double track. The line was singled in 26/7/1931.
The loop line from Berkeley Loop Junction, to link with the Midland Main line to Bristol, was opened in 9/3/1908 and closed 27/1/1963, was double track.
The line through Berkeley Station was singled in 26/7/1931 to Oldminster Junction.
The double track line from Oldminster Junction to Sharpness South was singled in 22/5/1963, still leaving the Oldminster sidings.
Sharpness South to Sharpness Station was singled in 1956.
This information is reference "Track Layout Diagrams", Section 37, " Forest Of Dean " by R.A.Cooke.
I can recomend a recently released book " Rails To The Forest " by Bob Marrows, for the Dean Forest Railway Museum Trust and has loads of excellent photographs of The Severn & Wye Railway, Berkeley Road To Norchard 1945 - 2010. It can be obtained from The Dean Forest Railway.
If I can help any further, please do not hesitate to contact me.
All The Best
David B

[DarwinS]

Thanks very much Dave. I think the book will soon be on my shopping list.