Blue 22s in the Forest of Dean

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Simon Dunkley

Guest
Morning all and especially gurus,

I have seen photos of 63ers in the Forest of Dean, but they all appear to be green.

Did any blue ones work there (and if so, where can I find a picture) and when?

Any information gratefully seized upon. ;)
 

Jordan

Mid-Western Thunderer
Yes, there were Blue 22's in the Forest of Dean... :thumbs: ... well, at least one, anyway  :scratch:

The old "Forest Venturer" magazine of the Dean Forest Railway published a picture of one crossing the A48 at Lydney Town c.1970, with a ballast train from Marsh Sidings. When I get chance I'll look it out.  :wave:
I have also seen a picture of a BFYE 22 at Gloucester Horton Road Shed; stands a good chance that machine would've done the Parkend turn as well. ;)
 
S

Simon Dunkley

Guest
I am childishly excited about this!

I do need to get out more. (This is very true since I started working more at home.)
 

Jordan

Mid-Western Thunderer
Simon Dunkley said:
I am childishly excited about this!
Shall I be like a cruel parent and keep you in suspense for ages...?!? :))

"You can't have it now, you'll have to wait for Xmas..."  :D :D :D
 
S

Simon Dunkley

Guest
Wannitwannitwannitwannitwannitwannitwannitwannitwannitwannitwannitwannitwannitwannitwannitwannit
NOW!
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lancer1027

Western Thunderer
Hi Simon, have looked through my books/mags etc and i have come up with the following;

Gloucester Horton Road Shed March 25 1971------ Blue Small Yellow Panel , possibly D6327
                                                                              Blue Full Yellow Panel D6354


Gloucester Horton Road Shed April 29 1970------- Blue Full Yellow Panel D6331

These are photographic evidence of blue 22's. However i dont know whether they would have travelled into the Forest of Dean.
So sorry this info is probably about as much use as a paper watering can :(

Rob :wave:   
 
S

Simon Dunkley

Guest
Hi Rob,

That is really useful information, actually. Ideally genuine evidence of blue 22s in the Forest is what I want, but having some allocated to Gloucester is enough for me: there is a much better chance that they turned up there than one based at Laira! I have already done some work on the body, and two of the three examples you provide fit into the "correct" series to match what I am doing.

Eeeee, I can feel me mojo coming back!
(Just a picture of one in the Forest - pay attention near the back there, [s:34e7e9e9]Jordan[/s:34e7e9e9] Rolf - and my mojo may return completely!)
 

Jordan

Mid-Western Thunderer
Okay... Bad News... I lied.... :shit: :vista:

The photo wasn't in the Forest Venturer magazine... :headbang:

GOOD NEWS !!! It's in the BR "Past & Present" series of books; Number 16 'Avon, Cotswolds and the Malverns'. (2nd Edition with Colour) :thumbs: The ISBN is 1-85895-077-5
In between pages 96 & 97, the colour section has a pic of a Blue 22, taken 29th Oct 1970, crossing the A48 at Lydney Town :drool: . Taken by Norman Preedy.
The headcode is 6Z00, but most unfortunately, the loco is unidentified, sorry... :headbang: :headbang: :headbang:

The photo I have of a Blue 22 at Horton Road is D6352, taken March 19th 1970, again by Norman Preedy. It is in the "Rail Enthusiast Diesel & Electric Album", published about 1982 IIRC.

Edit: With the closure of Lydney Shed in 1964, the Pannier Tanks that worked the Forest until Dec '65 shedded at Horton Road; I should imagine that the same would've applied to the 14s and 22s that followed them, so any 22 photo'd at Horton Road (like my own favourite, D6320) stood a chance of working in the Forest...
 

D6331

Western Thunderer
In the recently published, superb "Rails to the Forest"  (ISBN 978 1 85794 345 0 Silver Link Publishing) on page 108 is a picture of an unidentified scruffy 22 approaching Lydney with the Gloucester breakdown van and mess coach in April 1970. Although in black and white looks like a blue one to me.
Also on page 112 is a picture of grubby D6354 in April 1971 at Norchard (on the high level line) with the daily "tripper" working. (D6354 was in blue with FYP by then!)
It's a great book, well worth getting a copy if you can. I got mine from the DFR shop.

Cheers
Roger
 
 
S

Simon Dunkley

Guest
28ten said:
There is a shot of D6354 at Horton road in BFYP and D6327 in BSYP in Diesel hydraulics illustrated
Thanks Guv: any idea which issue?
 

Mr Tiger Viking

Western Thunderer
Hello All
Just to add to the debate, we never called them class 22`s (thats modern image slang !) we refered to them as D6300`ers, North Brits or even Baby Warships but never the dredded Tops code (Rant over) .

Right then the information you require is in the late 60,s to March 1971, Glos Horton rd 85B had a sub allocation of D6300`ers from Bath Rd 82A these being the following :-
6308 BFY, D6310 Gsy, D6319 Gsy, D6320 Gsy, D6327 Bsy, D6331 Gsy & GFY, D6342 BFY, D6348 Gsy & 6348 BFY, D6352 Gsy & 6352 BFY, D6354 BFY.
That little lot should give you some to choose from for modelling.

Just to add a side note I also have a shot at Marsh Sidings, Parkend of a very ex works 6338 BFY, Swindon works used the Swindon to Glos line for loco`s on test after works visit, so there is every chance whilst laying over on 85B, that the spare D63xx could be used for the out and back trip to the Forest.

I see from previous correspondence that they have listed D6331 as carrying BFY, D6331 never carried this livery it was cut at Swindon still in Green Full Yellow.

When I get a bit more time I will add the 2 Glos diagrams the D6300`ers used to work from Glos Horton rd.

Regards

Mr Tiger Viking (Worcester Road Engine Shed Foreman)
 

lancer1027

Western Thunderer
I have just had another look and yes :-[ :-[ D6331 is in green not blue as i had mentioned :-[ :-[ Oooooooops :-[ must concentrate more :headbang: Thanks Mr T V for pointing that out :bowdown:

Rob :wave:
 
G

Graham Powell

Guest
When the Dean Forest Railway moved its stock from Parkend to Norchard, the diesel locomotive came from Severn Tunnel Junction. Whether that was a regular occurrence or not I have no idea.I know that because the driver was Geoff Stone who was based  at the Tunnel and  I was also  at Parkend at the time as well.  The Cinderford branch was virtually steam up to the end  - thank God. I seem to remember diesels hauling two wagons a week of small coal from the Hinton Brothers Free Mine at Cannop.
The wagons were kept in the Marsh sidings at Parkend. Opposite the Fountain Inn, t'other side of the road from the DFR station. The diesels might  have been Class 25's . Not sure as all diesels all look the same to me I'm afraid.
rgds
Graham Powell ;D :wave: :thumbs:
 

Geoff

Western Thunderer
A big thank you to Mr. TV  for posting such interesting info. I for one look forward to reading up on the Horton Rd., diagrams.

For those interested, in Backtrack Vol.2 No4. there is a photo of D6319 in green with small yellow panel taken at Marsh Sidings on 10/06/1968.
The headcode reads 9B51, it appears to be shunting some ballast hoppers ?


Cheers,
Geoff
 

Jordan

Mid-Western Thunderer
Geoff said:
... D6319 in green with small yellow panel taken at Marsh Sidings on 10/06/1968.
The headcode reads 9B51, it appears to be shunting some ballast hoppers ?
A bit like D6320...

Class22Finished013.jpg


Sorry couldn't resist gratuitous picture... :D :D

Ballast was delivered by road from Whitecliff Quarry to Marsh Sidings; the staple traffic that kept the line open so long after all other rail activity in the Forest had closed (like the direct rail link to the quarry). 9B51 and 9B52 seem very common headcodes, along with 8H71/8H72.
 

Geoff

Western Thunderer
Nice to see the pic. of your model mate which looks most impressive, I will have to make do with Dapols 4mm version when it appears and fancy it in plain green with headcode disc.

Thanks for filling us in with details of the working of which I was unaware. I think all this should spur Mr Dunkley into action ?

I have scanned the photo I mentioned onto my laptop but best not upload it here due to copyright issues ?  As you can see I have come well trained from the other place !

Cheers,
Geoff
 

Jordan

Mid-Western Thunderer
Geoff said:
Nice to see the pic. of your model mate which looks most impressive,...

I took it to Warley on Saturday, and ran it on Makhis' Pattingham layout. Also showed it to the Build O Scale Online lads, all of this Parish. I think it passed the audition... ;)
The build was covered here  :thumbs:
 

28ten

Guv'nor
Geoff said:
I have scanned the photo I mentioned onto my laptop but best not upload it here due to copyright issues ?  As you can see I have come well trained from the other place !

Cheers,
Geoff[/i]

No, best not to  8)  :)) :))
 
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