Quick Details
Adult
18+
£ 29
Child
3-17
£ 14.50
Child
Under 3
Free
Dog
£ 2
Join us for two days of steam in the Forest!
March 28th & 29th sees the return of our Spring Steam Gala, this year focusing on smaller engines.
We’re delighted to confirm that the centrepiece of our Spring Steam Gala will be the in-steam reunion of GER 229 and Willy the Well Tank!
Both locos are veterans of the National Shipyard in Chepstow, which later became Fairfield Mabey – from where they were rescued in 1982.
This event will celebrate the 150th birthday of GER 229, and marks the first opportunity for the public to travel behind her since her return to steam – thought to be the first passenger train since being sold by the GER in 1914, and possibly her first public passenger train since she was built in March 1876!
Willy the Well Tank has been a popular loco since her return to steam in 2012, and we’re looking forward to seeing the 1918 Kerr Stuart built loco in her stunning red livery!
Both locos are being supplied by The Flour Mill, and we’d like to thank them for their assistance in bringing this event together.
Joining the line up for the weekend will be Bagnall No. 2572 ‘Judy’, appearing courtesy of the Bodmin Railway. She might be short on stature – only 90” high to squeeze under the London – Penzance mainline to reach the Port of Par – this 1937 built loco isn’t short on character, and is making her first visit to the Dean Forest Railway.
With the line up completed by DFR based Peckett R4 ‘Uskmouth 1’, our volunteers are also working hard to restore Andrew Barclay No. 2221, which, while now unlikely to join us in time for the event, is still proceeding apace – but we need your help.
We need to raise £20,000 to ensure the materials are available for the remaining mechanical and boiler work – which includes replacing the lower 12 inches of the outer firebox wrapper, backplate and throatplate, fitting a new main steam pipe and fitting 100 new tubes.
How you can help –
Become a member to follow the project:
https://dfr.hops.org.uk/membership
Donate towards the final push:
https://dfr.hops.org.uk/shop/donations/andrew-barclay-2221
Donations can also be made by:
Bank transfer – to the Dean Forest Railway Society, sort code 30-91-87 account 04655645 (please ensure to include “Barclay” is the payment description).
Cheque made out to the Dean Forest Railway Society (please ensure the reverse is endorsed “Barclay Appeal”), sent to Dean Forest Railway Society, Norchard Station, Forest Road, Lydney, GL15 4ET.