There were two lines which used to serve Coleford, both of which had their own stations. The Coleford Railway, whose main sponser was the GWR (line closed in 1917) and the Severn and Wye Railway (Coleford Branch) closed in 1916. Although nothing remains of the former two stations, the museum sits on the site of the old GWR line goods shed. Although a small site, the amount of railway artifacts that have been collected over the years is amazing, not to mention the preservation and restoration efforts of a working signal box, brake van and the 0-4-0 Peckett which is also on site. It’s somewhat bittersweet though, as after talking with the volunteers there, the Peckett is most likely never going to run again, due to a boiler recertification needed which is expected to cost upwards of 30K. Although one of the smaller sites i’ve visited, the passion of the volunteers and friendliness is enough to draw you back. I visited on a quiet day and received a private viewing and signalling talk with one other visitor. I can’t recommend a visit enough and i’m quite sure you will learn something new about signalling.
After taking a look around the site and in the signal box, its time to head on into the museum. It’s a small building over 2 floors but there is plenty to take in. What I found most interesting were the articles on display which document the site owners struggle with the council for opening the museum in the first place. Alongside the history of the Coleford stations and lines, you could frankly spend hours here if you are interested in the history.
Following on from the visit, I detoured further into Wales and ended up in Tintern. Enjoy these images of Tintern Abbey.
