What to See in Lydney - Top Sights and Attractions

Railroad company in Lydney, England. The Dean Forest Railway is a 4+1⁄4-mile long heritage railway that runs between Lydney and Parkend in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire.

The route was part of the former Severn and Wye Railway which ran from Lydney to Cinderford. The society that operates the line started steam locomotive operations in 1971, and bought the trackbed and line from British Rail in 1986, reaching both Lydney Junction and Parkend railway stations by 1995 and 2005 respectively. Trains are operated by both steam and heritage diesel locomotives, and heritage diesel multiple units.

The Dean Forest Railway has been given the former Griffithstown Station building. Its removal was completed in June 2016, and is expected to be placed at the new upcoming Speech House Road.

CrossCountry are now providing a combined fare for travel to Lydney mainline station and then onto the Dean Forest Railway.

The Dean Forest Railway plans to extend its heritage services a further 2+1⁄2 miles through/into the middle of the Royal Forest at Speech House Road, bringing the line to a total of about 6+3⁄4 miles in length. In 2016, DFR's director of civil engineering and director of development Jason Shirley announced plans to expand the railway to Cinderford. The project's status as a strategic regional development means that a large proportion of the estimated £8million cost could be met by Government funding.^[1]

Castle in St Briavels, England. St Briavels Castle is a moated Norman castle at St Briavels in the English county of Gloucestershire. The castle is noted for its huge Edwardian gatehouse that guards the entrance.

St Briavels Castle was originally built between 1075 and 1129 as a royal administrative centre for the Forest of Dean. During the 13th century the castle became first a favourite hunting lodge of King John, and then the primary centre in England for the manufacture of quarrels, large numbers of which were required for crossbows in medieval warfare. The castle was transferred many times between royal favourites in the 14th and 15th centuries and slowly declined in appearance and importance. St Briavels Castle became used primarily as a court and as a notorious debtors' prison, conditions being documented by the prison reformer John Howard in 1775. Following local riots and a parliamentary investigation in the 1830s, reforms in the 19th century brought an end to the castle's use as a prison.

Extensive renovation at the turn of the 20th century allowed St Briavels Castle to be taken over as a Youth Hostel in 1948. It remains in this role today, owned by English Heritage and open to the public. The castle is classed as a Grade I listed building and as a Scheduled Monument.^[2]