Ruspidge Halt railway station

Ruspidge Halt
Site of the former station (now a linear park) in 2005.
Location
Place	Ruspidge
Area	Forest of Dean
Coordinates	51°48′41″N 2°30′34″W / 51.8115°N 2.5094°WCoordinates: 51°48′41″N 2°30′34″W / 51.8115°N 2.5094°W
Grid reference	SO649126
Operations
Original company	Great Western Railway
Pre-grouping	Great Western Railway
Post-grouping	Great Western Railway
Platforms	1
History
3 August 1907	Station opened
3 November 1958	Station closed
Disused railway stations in the United Kingdom
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Ruspidge Halt railway station is a disused railway station opened by the Great Western Railway (GWR) on the former Bullo Pill Railway, later known as the GWR Forest of Dean Branch.

History

A 1911 RCH map of railways in the vicinity of Ruspidge Halt

Railways and Canals of the Forest of Dean
Railways legend Waterways legend
Hereford, Ross and Gloucester Railway Mitcheldean Road Ross and Monmouth Railway Hereford, Ross and Gloucester Railway Lydbrook Junction Mitcheldean Road and Forest of Dean Jn Ry Drybrook Quarry Drybrook Halt Nailbridge Halt Lower Lydbrook Steam Mills Crossing Halt Upper Lydbrook Churchway Colliery Whimsey Halt Mineral Loop Drybrook Road Coleford Railway Serridge Platform Cinderford New Wimberry Quarry Whitecliff Quarry Speech House Road Bilson Halt Bicslade Tramroad Ruspidge Halt Bicslade Wharf Staple Edge Halt Eastern United Colliery Coleford (CR) Upper Soudley Halt Coleford (S&WR) Bullo Cross Halt Gloucester to Newport Line Milkwall Newnham Parkhill Colliery Ruddle Road Halt New Fancy Colliery Howbeach Colliery Parkend Forest of Dean Central Railway Whitecroft Awre for Blakeney Tufts Junction & Mineral Loop Norchard River Severn Middle Forge Junction Lydney Town Severn Railway Bridge Severn Bridge Gloucester and Sharpness Canal St Mary's Halt Sharpness Lydney Junction Sharpness Docks Lydney Sharpness Branch Line Upper Forge Lydney Harbour Pidcock's Canal Lydney Canal Lower Forge Gloucester to Newport Line River Severn

The Halt, which was located about 4 miles 4 chains from Newnham on a 1 in 201 gradient.^[1]

The station opened for Passenger services when they were introduced in August 1907, the low platform was constructed from stone and a stone building was provided from the outset.^[2]

Before the commencement of passenger services the Forest of Dean Branch was worked by train staff in two sections - Bullo to Ruspidge and Ruspidge to Bilson. So in order so that the passenger services could be introduced the former goods office was converted for use as a booking office (it had both the railway and public telephones).^[3]

The train staff working was also replaced by single line electric key token working and at this time a three-lever ground frame gave the porter control of the up and down distant signals and the gate bolts (which were interlocked).^[4]

Services

Preceding station	Disused railways			Following station
Staple Edge Halt Line and station closed		Great Western Railway Bullo Pill Railway		Bilson Halt Line and station closed

References

1. Pope, Ian; Karau, Paul (1997). The Forest of Dean Branch - Volume 2. Didcot: Wild Swan Publications Ltd. p. 235. ISBN 1-874103-36-4.
2. Pope, Ian; Karau, Paul (1992). The Forest of Dean Branch - Volume 1. Didcot: Wild Swan Publications Ltd. pp. 174, 176, 179, 182, 183. ISBN 1-874103-05-4.
3. Pope & Karau 1992, p. 174
4. Pope & Karau 1992, pp. 177, 179