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Gloucestershire Business News

Coal price shunts profits for Forest railway

Soaring costs for coal have threatened to derail the Dean Forest Railway – but public support is keeping the tourism gem on track.

James Graham, commercial manager, said the top Forest of Dean attraction routinely paid about £160 per tonne for coal supplies to feed its fleet of heritage steam locomotives with a head of steam – but the price now stands at a staggering £400.

In the wake of partial paralysis from the pandemic, the price came as a shock. 

James said: "It's the quantity needed that's the problem. The irony of the situation, given the Forest's coal mining heritage, hasn't escaped us, and we've even had approaches from some freeminers offering to help supply direct, though they have been set aback my the amount we need."

As a strategy to balance the cost, James said the railway made a £2 increase across the board to journey pricing.

"We hadn't increased prices for two years, and it's more a case of reining in the outgoings than profit, but the support we have seen has been strong, post-pandemic. This Christmas was our highest ever for ticket sales and for this season we will offer a Forest Flyer ticket for £8 for adults and £4 for children. So we are keeping high value at minimal outlay."

And despite the energy crisis impact, Dean Forest Railway still has its sights set on ambitious new plans: new land has been acquired from Network Rail for a new carriage shed facility at Lydney, while the bigger plan to extend the line to Beechenhurst and, at the other end of the existing 4.25-mile track, over to Cinderford, remains firmly on track.

"The chief challenge to extension is sorting out railway crossings. The track bed is there but the Parkend road crossing is an issue to resolve, as well as moving a cycle track, ensuring all parties are catered for."

The Dean Forest Railway is a heritage track that currently runs between Lydney and Parkend, following the former Severn and Wye Railway which ran from Lydney to Cinderford. 

The society began steam locomotive operations in 1971, purchasing trackbed and line from British Rail in 1986. They had reached Lydney Junction by 1995 and Parkend by 2005. The society operates both (coal-fed) steam and heritage diesel locomotives, as well as heritage diesel multiple units.

Trains for the spring timetable start running again on March 15. Options include an evening fish and chips steam train ride, a murder-mystery journey and even a steam footplate driving experience. You can book a visit and select various experiences here 

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