Dean Forest Railway

The Dean Forest Railway was one of the earliest established railways to preserve DMUs in their own right rather than as cheap traction. They were leaders in terms of setting up one of the first formal DMU groups, and the line hosted a “DMU Day” in 1996 which grew to become the annual railcar convention hosted at different railways today.

Some of the first seeds of The Railcar Association were sown here and the group has gone from strength to strength since.

Initially buying, restoring and running a Class 108 2-car set, a further power car was later acquired followed by a second trailer neatly forming two 2-car sets. In 2008 (following the sale of a large fleet of 108 vehicles from Peak Rail) the second trailer car was swapped in favour of a third power car and unique TSL centre vehicle with the aim of creating a 3-car set.

From time-to-time other DMU vehicles in poor condition have been moved to the line on a temporary basis and scrapped as sources of spare parts for both the DFR fleet and other groups. Class 108, 115 & 117 vehicles have all been involved.

Since 2013, the railway has had a 2-car and 3-car set to draw from. Normal services are provided by the 2-car set, with the 3-car set operating on more busier days and days when the unit is acting as a substitute for failed steam traction. On the busiest of special events such as Thomas weekends, the two sets are combined to provide a full 5-cars.

From 2020, there were seven Class 108 vehicles on site making the railway the Class 108 capital of the world! Two vehicles were spares donors however, with normality being restored in 2022. The combination of the well presented vehicles, their longevity in service and the historic interest of the unique TSL centre car makes the Dean Forest arguably the leader of Class 108 preservation.

The resident vehicles are constantly maintained to a high standard ensuring their long term futures on this picturesque forest line, which runs for four and a quarter miles through (as the name suggests) the Forest of Dean from Lydney (Junction) to Parkend.