Five Decades in the Forest

AUTHOR: Alistair Clarke

PUBLISHER: Dean Forest Railway Society

ISBN: 978-1-5272-9930-6

PRICE: £20

WEBSITE: www.dfrsociety.org.uk

THE DEAN

Forest Railway is one of the most popular heritage railways. Running for four-and-a-half miles between Lydney Junction and Parkend, the railway operates a fleet of steam and diesel locomotives through the Forest of Dean.

Like most other heritage railways in the UK, the Dean Forest Railway we have now is the result of years of hard work by volunteers to restore it into a leading tourist and visitor attraction, in a particularly attractive part of the country.

The Dean Forest Railway Society was formed in early 1970, with its first open days taking place towards the end of 1971, so the book has been produced to commemorate the 50th anniversary of those first open days.

The book, produced by Dean

Forest Railway Society chairman Alistair Clarke, takes the reader on a fascinating pictorial journey through the last five decades, showing the level of work that the railway has had to achieve to be where it now is.

It also demonstrates the changes in traction used by the railway, starting with industrial steam locomotives through to a whole host of former British Railways steam and diesel locomotives and DMUS. The wide range of visiting locomotives are also featured within the pages.

Published by the Dean Forest Railway Society, all proceeds from the sale of this 164-page softback book will go towards the continued development of the railway. As a pictorial record of what the volunteers have achieved in the restoration of this much-loved heritage line, it is well worth the £20 price tag. Recommended.

(AMC)