The Severn and Wye Railway was built in west Gloucestershire to allow exploitation of the mineral resources of the Forest of Dean. The Severn and Wye Railway and Canal Company began construction of the tramway and canal in 1810. In 1868 the tramway was converted to broad gauge, and then to standard gauge in 1872. Upon bankruptcy in 1893 it was purchased jointly by the Midland Railway and Great Western Railway.[1] Gloucestershire (pronounced ; GLOSS-ter-sher) is a county in South West England. ... The Forest of Dean is a geographical, historical and cultural region in the county of Gloucestershire, England. ... This article is about the historical British railway company. ... The original Bristol Temple Meads station, first terminus of the GWR, is the building to the left of this picture The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company, linking South West England, the West Country and South Wales with London. ...

The 'Main Line' ran from Sharpness across the Severn Railway Bridge to Cinderford where trains reversed to continue to Lydbrook Junction on the GWR line from Ross-on-Wye to Monmouth. There were many branches : to Coleford and various collieries and a 'Mineral Loop' line was built to avoid reversal at Cinderford and the steep gradient from Speech House Road to Serridge Junction. Apart from the bridge over the Severn, the only major engineering features were a tunnel at Mierystock (now blocked) and a viaduct at Lydbrook (now demolished). This article refers to the English port of Sharpness. ... The Severn Railway Bridge was a bridge in Gloucestershire that used to cross the tidal River Severn and went from Sharpness to Lydney. ... Location within the British Isles Cinderford is a small town in Gloucestershire, England, with a population of 8,116 people (2001 census). ... Lydbrook is a civil parish in the Forest of Dean, a local government district in the English county of Gloucestershire. ... Location within the British Isles. ... Monmouth (Welsh: Trefynwy) is a town in south Wales, county town of the historic county of Monmouthshire. ... The Speech House is the administrative building of the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, England, lying at the centre of the forest on the road from Coleford to Cinderford. ... Lydbrook is a civil parish in the Forest of Dean, a local government district in the English county of Gloucestershire. ...

The railway mostly closed in the 1960s but a short stretch lives on as the Dean Forest Railway. Many of the other parts of the route have been converted into cycleways. Parkend Whitecroft (under construction) Norchard Middle Forge Junction Lydney Town St Marys Halt (request stop) Lydney Junction for Gloucester to Newport Line Class 73, number E6001, restored at Lydney, 7 May 2007. ...

References

• Cowdrey,John. "Historical Lydney", The Environment Agency. Accessed September 13, 2007.