5521 at Whitecroft

After some dreadful weather throughout most of June, it was a pleasure to get out with the cameras again yesterday for my annual visit to the Dean Forest Railway to photograph the goings on at their GWR Branchline Weekend.

The railway had reopened Whitecroft station at the end of May, and this was my first opportunity to see it.   I have to say that they have made an excellent job of the platform and associated buildings.    Judging from the piles of bricks tucked away near the station buildings, there is more development still to come.   Ideally the DFR will construct a second platform here, and reinstate the loop line to serve it, as this will help the operation of their services considerably.    At present, there is no passing loop anywhere between the two terminal stations at Lydney Junction and Parkend, which means that trains have to be flighted at busy times such as the Branchline Weekend.   Of course, nothing can happen without funding, and I would hope that, even in the current economic difficulties, some sort of grant can be obtained to assist with the costs of further improving the facilities at Whitecroft.   I for one have been investing heavility in the National Lottery in a so far vain attempt to scoop a big enough pot to finance early retirement, and now that the Olympics will soon be out of the way, is it too much to hope that the Heritage Lottery Fund will have a few thousand pounds spare to invest in something that's actually useful?

Anyway, with the rant over, the next thing I've got to look forward to is a trip to Whitby, with the North York Moors Railway on the doorstep.   Surely we're due for a prolonged stretch of decent weather soon?