Return to the Mineral Loop

Three weeks ago I walked along the track of the old Mineral Loop that was built by the Severn & Wye Railway.  Since then I've been reading a bit about its history, so decided to return and walk at a more leisurely pace.

Dilke Bridge

I was dropped off at Dilke Bridge - not quite the beginning of the Loop but near it, and from there I headed for home, 7½ miles away. 

After a couple of hundred yards the track runs past the site of Lightmoor Colliery, where an engine house, which once contained a Cornish beam engine (hooray!) is the only sign of the old pithead that I could see over the high fence. It's looking very dilapidated and has lost its roof, but my book informs me that it's been 'listed' as being of architectural value, so perhaps it will be restored one day.  It beats me why anyone should bother, though - just a plain square building and not half as impressive as its Cornish cousins.

Central Bridge

Beyond Lightmoor, somewhere deep in the forest, lies Acorn Patch, where there was a huge ammunition dump during the last World War. I think I spotted the point at which the sidings once diverged from the 'main' line, but was reluctant to stray too far into the dense undergrowth and could find no other clues to its location.*  Instead, I pressed on and soon arrived at Central Bridge, which spanned the intended (but never constructed) route of the Forest of Dean Central Railway. Amid all the peace and beauty of the forest, it's easy to forget that this place was once a hive of industry.  If you'd told anyone, as late as the 1950's, that grass, trees and cycle tracks would triumph before the century was out, I'm sure they'd never have believed you.

Next, the track runs close by the site of New Fancy Colliery.  A sign post informed me that I had walked 3.5km, which a fancy app on my smartphone says is 413385 barleycorns, 174 chains or 2.17 statute miles.  So only a little over 5 miles to go. How would we survive without all this technology?

One of the old ventilation shafts
over Moseley Green tunnel

Soon, my chosen route left the course of the Mineral Loop, passing behind the Rising Sun Inn -a highly recommended lunchtime stop, though not today.  This is Moseley Green, where the old railway line went through a 503 yard-long tunnel that has a story to tell. In 1942 the Admiralty was desperate to find safe places to store munitions, so requisitioned the tunnel.  The tracks were lifted, the three ventilation shafts capped, and on one of the shafts they plonked an anti-aircraft gun.  Now perhaps I'm not the brightest girl around, but wasn't that likely to give the game away?  Imagine the scene... and here comes a German Spionageflugzeug, which quickly notices that the railway line present in 1941 has mysteriously disappeared. Then, flying down to get a closer look, he's fired on from one of the vent shafts!  Perhaps that's why the Admiralty moved out in 1943 and the railway line was reinstated.

By now the bell of Parkend Church could be heard, announcing mid-day. I was feeling hungry, and found a shady spot to eat my picnic lunch - tuna on homemade wholemeal bread, a nectarine and a pint of so of peach juice.  Yes, the diet continues.

If you have, then thank you for reading this far.  I'll attempt to complete this account of my walk in a later post.

* I found it a few days later. See my post on July 8th, Acorn Patch