Hereford, Ross and Gloucester Railway
Encyclopedia
The Hereford, Ross and Gloucester Railway (also known as the Gloucester and Dean Forest Railway), was a railway which ran for 22.5 miles (36.2 km) linking Hereford
and Gloucester
via Ross-on-Wye
. It was opened on 1 June 1855 as a broad gauge
line, it was amalgamated with the Great Western Railway
in 1862. In 1869 the railway was converted
to standard gauge
. The railway was closed to passengers on 2 November 1964, freight services between Ross-on-Wye railway station
and Grange Court railway station
continued on until 1 November 1965.
passed an act allowing the railway's construction and although construction was delayed by bad weather in January 1853 the line was tested out by locomotives on 31 May 1855; the next day the railway was officially opened, 1 June 1855. The Illustrated London News
on June 14 reported that the opening had been a great success. There were six passenger trains a day from Hereford and five from Gloucester. On 13 March 1855 the line suffered its first fatality when a Charlotte Brian fell asleep on the line while intoxicated and was run over by the 7:30pm train from Hereford. She died of her injuries.
In 1873 another railway was opened to Ross-on-Wye
, this was the Ross and Monmouth Railway
. The railway remained independent for just over 7 years until the line was amalgamated with the Great Western Railway
on 29 July 1862, the GWR
operated the railway from then on until the nationalisation of Britain's railways in 1948; the line then became part of the Western Region of British Railways
until its final closure.
In August 1869, the railway was converted from broad gauge
to standard gauge
along with the South Wales Main Line
, the conversion took five days to complete and bus services temporarily replaced the railway until the works were complete. In 1890 Ross-on-Wye Station
was replaced with a structure designed by the GWR
civil engineer's department.
The railway slowly declined over the years as cars
stole away more and more traffic. Passenger services were finally withdrawn on 2 November 1964 due to the Beeching Axe
, the line between Hereford railway station
and Ross-on-Wye railway station
was closed completely but the line south of Ross-on-Wye
remained open until 1 November 1965 for freight only.
which went through the Forest of Dean
and the other northern section along the River Wye
. The southern section started at junction, with the Gloucester to Newport Line
, went through the hills of the Forest of Dean
requiring only one tunnel at Lea Line to . The Ross to Hereford section required a lot of engineering to cross the meanders of the Wye four times with embankments or tunnels crossing the neck of each one.
There were eight main stations, , , , , Fawley
, , and . There were also three halts, , and .
Hereford
Hereford is a cathedral city, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester...
and Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
via Ross-on-Wye
Ross-on-Wye
Ross-on-Wye is a small market town with a population of 10,089 in southeastern Herefordshire, England, located on the River Wye, and on the northern edge of the Forest of Dean.-History:...
. It was opened on 1 June 1855 as a broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
line, it was amalgamated with the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
in 1862. In 1869 the railway was converted
Gauge conversion
In rail transport, gauge conversion is the process of converting a railway from one rail gauge to another, through the alteration of the railway tracks...
to standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
. The railway was closed to passengers on 2 November 1964, freight services between Ross-on-Wye railway station
Ross-on-Wye railway station
Ross-on-Wye railway station is a former junction railway station on the Hereford, Ross and Gloucester Railway constructed just to the north of the Herefordshire town of Ross-on-Wye...
and Grange Court railway station
Grange Court railway station
Grange Court railway station was a junction station in Gloucestershire on the Gloucester to Newport Line where it met the Hereford, Ross and Gloucester Railway.-History:...
continued on until 1 November 1965.
History
On 1 June 1851 ParliamentParliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
passed an act allowing the railway's construction and although construction was delayed by bad weather in January 1853 the line was tested out by locomotives on 31 May 1855; the next day the railway was officially opened, 1 June 1855. The Illustrated London News
Illustrated London News
The Illustrated London News was the world's first illustrated weekly newspaper; the first issue appeared on Saturday 14 May 1842. It was published weekly until 1971 and then increasingly less frequently until publication ceased in 2003.-History:...
on June 14 reported that the opening had been a great success. There were six passenger trains a day from Hereford and five from Gloucester. On 13 March 1855 the line suffered its first fatality when a Charlotte Brian fell asleep on the line while intoxicated and was run over by the 7:30pm train from Hereford. She died of her injuries.
In 1873 another railway was opened to Ross-on-Wye
Ross-on-Wye
Ross-on-Wye is a small market town with a population of 10,089 in southeastern Herefordshire, England, located on the River Wye, and on the northern edge of the Forest of Dean.-History:...
, this was the Ross and Monmouth Railway
Ross and Monmouth Railway
The Ross and Monmouth Railway was a standard gauge railway of which ran between Ross-on-Wye and Monmouth....
. The railway remained independent for just over 7 years until the line was amalgamated with the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
on 29 July 1862, the GWR
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
operated the railway from then on until the nationalisation of Britain's railways in 1948; the line then became part of the Western Region of British Railways
Western Region of British Railways
The Western Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992...
until its final closure.
In August 1869, the railway was converted from broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
to standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
along with the South Wales Main Line
South Wales Main Line
The South Wales Main Line , originally known as the London, Bristol and South Wales Direct Railway or simply as the Bristol and South Wales Direct Railway, is a branch of the Great Western Main Line in Great Britain...
, the conversion took five days to complete and bus services temporarily replaced the railway until the works were complete. In 1890 Ross-on-Wye Station
Ross-on-Wye railway station
Ross-on-Wye railway station is a former junction railway station on the Hereford, Ross and Gloucester Railway constructed just to the north of the Herefordshire town of Ross-on-Wye...
was replaced with a structure designed by the GWR
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
civil engineer's department.
The railway slowly declined over the years as cars
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
stole away more and more traffic. Passenger services were finally withdrawn on 2 November 1964 due to the Beeching Axe
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
, the line between Hereford railway station
Hereford railway station
Hereford railway station serves the city of Hereford, England. Managed by Arriva Trains Wales, it lies on the Welsh Marches Line between Leominster and Abergavenny and is the western terminus of the Cotswold Line.The station has four platforms...
and Ross-on-Wye railway station
Ross-on-Wye railway station
Ross-on-Wye railway station is a former junction railway station on the Hereford, Ross and Gloucester Railway constructed just to the north of the Herefordshire town of Ross-on-Wye...
was closed completely but the line south of Ross-on-Wye
Ross-on-Wye
Ross-on-Wye is a small market town with a population of 10,089 in southeastern Herefordshire, England, located on the River Wye, and on the northern edge of the Forest of Dean.-History:...
remained open until 1 November 1965 for freight only.
Route
The line consisted of two distinct parts, one south of Ross-on-WyeRoss-on-Wye
Ross-on-Wye is a small market town with a population of 10,089 in southeastern Herefordshire, England, located on the River Wye, and on the northern edge of the Forest of Dean.-History:...
which went through the Forest of Dean
Forest of Dean
The Forest of Dean is a geographical, historical and cultural region in the western part of the county of Gloucestershire, England. The forest is a roughly triangular plateau bounded by the River Wye to the west and north, the River Severn to the south, and the City of Gloucester to the east.The...
and the other northern section along the River Wye
River Wye
The River Wye is the fifth-longest river in the UK and for parts of its length forms part of the border between England and Wales. It is important for nature conservation and recreation.-Description:...
. The southern section started at junction, with the Gloucester to Newport Line
Gloucester to Newport Line
The Gloucester to Newport Line is a railway line that runs along the bank of the River Severn in the United Kingdom from Gloucester to Newport....
, went through the hills of the Forest of Dean
Forest of Dean
The Forest of Dean is a geographical, historical and cultural region in the western part of the county of Gloucestershire, England. The forest is a roughly triangular plateau bounded by the River Wye to the west and north, the River Severn to the south, and the City of Gloucester to the east.The...
requiring only one tunnel at Lea Line to . The Ross to Hereford section required a lot of engineering to cross the meanders of the Wye four times with embankments or tunnels crossing the neck of each one.
There were eight main stations, , , , , Fawley
Fawley (HR&GR) railway station
Fawley railway station is a disused stone built railway station that served the village of King's Caple in Herefordshire on Hereford, Ross and Gloucester Railway. The station had two platforms each with its own brick built waiting rooms, and a small goods yard. It was situated just south of Fawley...
, , and . There were also three halts, , and .