Shapridge Mill

Shapridge Mill

00 British Railways (Western Region), 8 by 1 foot

Shapridge Mill is to be converted to LMS for the March 2021 exhibition

The Westbury Brook Valley Railway [WBVR] runs from the Junction at Grange Court for 4.4 miles to Shapridge Mill. The WBVR opened in 1851 but until 1904 only handled goods traffic. In 1904 the Great Western Railway introduced a 'basic' passenger service with a steam railcar serving halts along the WBVR. The steam railcar was subsequently replaced by an auto-coach (push-pull train) latterly powered by a 14XX. Passenger services were withdrawn in 1957. Despite the introduction of a passenger service the WBVR remained goods orientated with general goods traffic handled until 1964 and quarry traffic continuing to 1981. The WBVR is inspired by the Great Western Railway's Forest of Dean and Forest of Dean Central branches. The layout is set in the 1950's

Four track plans were developed and the fourth was used. The design process is shown in Shapridge Mill - design process

Panoramas of the layout

The Halt


The limited facilities at Shapridge Mill Technically the Halt is a Platform as its staffed and parcels traffic is handelled	The platform is unusually busy with passengers and parcels awaiting the auto train	The auto train has arrived from Gloucester The auto coach's parcels section is stopped by the parcels

Industries on the layout

Shapridge Forge produces materials for the
rail industry such as axles, expansion joints,

turnout fittings (check rails, ties, frogs, & rods)
and fasteners.

It is inspired by a forge in nearby Lydney.

Prinknash Oils is inspired by a short lived
oil siding at Coleford (Gloucestershire).

Kirke Coal Merchant, Fine Forest Coal

Coal was extensively handelled by the

railways into the the 1960's

Fine Forest Coal was the marketing slogan
of the nearby Forest of Dean Collieries.


West Quarry, the quarry is of the layout but the quarry's limestone is loaded at this siding	A white lie - East Quarry is a siding in the fiddle yard. The photo shows a Collett Goods loco arriving from Grange Court before proceeding to the Quarry.