Norchard Colliery

Overview

A Forest of Dean drift mine bought by the Princess Royal Colliery Company in 1930 after floodwater from its workings threatened Princess Royal's own — the last deep mining in the Forest ended here in 1965, and the site is now the home of the Dean Forest Railway.

History

Norchard was originally an independent colliery in the Forest of Dean, owned by Lord Bledisloe, before a serious water incursion from its workings into the neighbouring Princess Royal Colliery in 1925 led, after legal proceedings, to the Princess Royal Colliery Company buying a controlling interest in Norchard itself in 1930 — bringing the source of the flooding under its own control. From 1937 the Princess Royal company worked Norchard from an entirely new drift, the New Norchard slant, driven to the surface at Pillowell. Norchard Drift closed in 1965, the year deep mining ended altogether in the Forest of Dean. The site, which had also housed a coal-fired power station, was purchased in 1978 by what became the Dean Forest Railway as its main base, and the heritage line still operates from Norchard today, running between Lydney and Parkend.

Workings

Worked as a drift mine rather than through a shaft; from 1937, principally via the New Norchard slant, driven to the surface at Pillowell.

Closure

Closed in 1965, the year deep coal mining ended entirely in the Forest of Dean.

What remains

The site, which also once housed a coal-fired power station, was bought by the Dean Forest Railway in 1978 and remains its main operational base today, on the heritage line between Lydney and Parkend.

Related mines

• Princess Royal Colliery — The Princess Royal Colliery Company bought a controlling interest in Norchard specifically because floodwater from Norchard's own workings had inundated Princess Royal's mine in 1925 — a genuine shared-hazard acquisition, not mere proximity.

Recorded claims

Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.

• A serious water incursion from Norchard's workings into the neighbouring Princess Royal Colliery in 1925 led, after legal proceedings, to the Princess Royal Colliery Company buying a controlling interest in Norchard from its owner, Lord Bledisloe, in 1930. ¹
• From 1937 the Princess Royal company worked Norchard from an entirely new drift, the New Norchard slant, driven to the surface at Pillowell. ¹
• Norchard Drift closed in 1965, the year deep mining ended in the Forest of Dean; the site was bought in 1978 by what became the Dean Forest Railway, which still operates from Norchard today. ²

Photographs & further reading

Sources

1. (primary) Forest of Dean Coal Mining — Princess Royal (Norchard) — Forest of Dean Local History Society (lightmoor.co.uk)
2. (secondary) Dean Forest Railway Society — History — Dean Forest Railway Society

Record created: 2 September 2026 · Last researched: 2 September 2026