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Ross-on-Wye

The Railway

The Decline

Increasing car ownership meant that people were choosing not to use the railway so it became redundant. This was well before the Beeching Report caused the closure of the majority of the smaller lines. This marked the beginning of the end for the railway through Ross. This meant that on the 4th January 1959, the last passenger train from Monmouth arrived in Ross and the line was officially closed on 5th January 1959.

As a direct result of the Beeching Report, on the 31st October 1964, the last trains left Ross for Hereford, on the Ross-on-Wye to Rotherwas Junction section, and the section was officially closed on the 2nd November 1964.

The Ross-on-Wye to Gloucester line, the Ross-on-Wye to Grange Court section, was finally closed on the 1st November 1965 and the Ross to Monmouth line, the Ross-on-Wye to Lydbrook Junction section, was also closed on the 1st November 1965.

The Station Ross on Wye
A single ticket from Weston-under-Penyard to Ross

The Station Ross on Wye
Photo of Ross Station after the rails were removed
(Click for a larger image)

Here we see a photo, although not particularly clear, of the station area after the rails were removed. In the foreground are the sleepers and to the right is the goods shed. In the distance is the station and bridge between the platforms.


The Last Train

The last passenger train to run the Ross to Monmouth section was a "closure special" (ticket no. 55 can be seen to the right) on 4th of January 1959 and was put on by the Stephenson Locomotive Society. It ran from Chepstow to Ross-on-Wye via Monmouth and is believed to have been the only train to have ever run this route in a single journey.

A ticket from the last train
A ticket from the last train
(Click for a larger image)

The last train in Ross Station
The last train in Ross Station
(Click for a larger image)

The special was hauled by 6412 and 6439, which were a pair of 0-6-0 pannier tanks number 6439 and 6412. Since then, 6439 has been broken up for scrap but 6412 is operating on the West Somerset Railway.

To the left is a photo showing 6439 pulling the last train in Ross Station.



next Wye Street Remaining Evidence previous


1 Track Layout Diagrams of the G.W.R and BR W.R. Section 36 Ross, Monmouth and Chepstow - R. A. Cooke
2 The Ross and Monmouth Railway Act, 1871 - printed in London by George Edward Eyre and William Spottiswoode
3 Wye Valley Railway - BM Handley/R Dingwall - Oakwood Press
4 Ross Gazette - Article: Tireless worker for town...
5 Ross Gazette - Article: In Memoriam August 31st, 1835


[Page updated: Mar 18 2011 00:45:38]






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