Wye Valley line

[Doctor Fegg]

Apparently the track is due to be lifted on the stub of the disused Tidenham branch, the southern end of the Wye Valley line. The latest update by A-B Connecting Communities, who are campaigning to create a cycle and walking path along the line, includes this:

To summarise Darren Bryce from the NDAC at Chepstow has been liaising with John Grimshaw from Greenways and Sustrans to complete a planning application for the section of the railway path from the A48 Bridge to Tintern including Tidenham Tunnel. This will be submitted at the end of January to FoDDC.

The railway track will be lifted from now to the end of July and the path works will be constructed with the aid of a voluntary work camp in September. (14th -22nd)

Sustrans is happy in principle to allow NDAC and other partners to use the land, but they are not allowed to sub-let the tunnel and will continue to lead on discussions with the Historic Railway Estate. Sustrans would like John Grimshaw to take on the development of the route for the next six months, after which time they will review progress.

The Forest of Dean Railway has now been given permission by Network Rail to remove the track from Dayhouse Quarry back to the main line junction. We think that this may take them two or three years to complete. At the end of that time Greenways hope to be able to work up a second phase to continue over the A48 to Wye Dean College, and thence to connect with the proposed new Wye Link Bridge to the National Shipyard Development where it will continue along a riverside walk to connect with the Wales Coastal Path.​

 

[PeterC]

It would have made a much more attractive tourist line than the Forest of Dean Railway. However "if I was going there I wouldn't start from here".

 

[Nick Ashwell]

As a Chepstow local I've always been fascinated by the WVR. I'd have loved to have seen a reopening but the missing bridge at Tintern would always be too expensive to rebuild and much of the trackbed around Tintern is now heavily used footpaths.

Why do they need to come over the A48? There's already a foot crossing and the existing bridge or they could use the railway bridge next to NDAC. Would be a complete waste of money. Also I though the link road was going to be further down as its a second bypass, meant to skip Chepstow in its entirety

 

[deltic08]

Also as a local lad, I can remember auto trailers and Collett 0-4-2 tanks along the Wye Valley to Monmouth and Ross-on-Wye. Sad day when it closed as it was such a beautiful journey and a treat for a shilling half day return.

Chepstow was a poor choice of terminus. Should have been Severn Tunnel Jnc for better connections to Bristol, Cardiff and London.

At the top end they went beyond Ross to Gloucester and Hereford but only early morning.