Railway Station/private school- Boxbush (General)
by spindles 
, Gloucester, Sunday, September 06, 2009, 18:01 (5631 days ago)
Does anyone have any information on a railway station/halt or its buildings that was beside the Ross Road at Boxbush, (about half a mile or so from the Farmer's Boy pub)? The building is now a private house and the history is believed to be that it was either a station or a halt. It had a turntable for the trains nearby and there are still traces of where the track was. Later on the building was used as a private school. If it's any help, there was also a small turnpike building in the grounds but that was demolished some years ago.
Any information on its history or where I can find it out would be greatly appreciated.
Boxbush, Longhope
by slowhands , proud of his ancient Dean Forest roots, Monday, September 07, 2009, 06:39 (5631 days ago) @ spindles
Boxbush before the Lea Line / Boxbush tunnel
Hereford, Ross and Gloucester Branch
Co ords 368100 220600
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/168289
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Ἀριστοτέλης A Gloster & Hereford Boy in the Forest of Dean ><((((*>
Railway Station/private school- Boxbush
I believe you may be talking about Hopesbrook station which was just up the road from Boxbush just before the Mitcheldean (aka Lea/Boxbush) tunnel. The Hereford, Ross and Gloucester line initially opened as far as Hopesbrook c. 1853 and then when the remainder of the line was opened in 1855 the station was closed. Whether it would ever have had a turntable I couldn't say. Similarly having station buildings seems a little extravagant for a temporary station unless it had wooden ones or the original idea wasn't for it to be so temporary.
http://www.englandspastforeveryone.org.uk/resources/assets/L/Longhope_social_history_19... has discussion of various schools but I don't know the area at all so couldn't say if any of the locations correspond to that of the old railway station.
Hopesbrook ( Lea Line / Boxbush)
by slowhands , proud of his ancient Dean Forest roots, Tuesday, September 08, 2009, 09:14 (5629 days ago) @ grunson
That makes more sense, up the Ross road from the Farmers Boy !
A single track line with small station / turntable would fit, as would the Toll house/gate.
Hopesbrook
http://www.old-maps.co.uk/
367500 220900
entrance to "new" tunnel at Lea Line
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/244570
The section of the Ross road in the north-west was shifted again to the south to accommodate a railway in the 1850s, a tollhouse erected near Hopesbrook in the 1840s being altered to face the new road to its south.
The boarding school at Lea Line closed in the 1870s.
http://www.englandspastforeveryone.org.uk/resources/assets/L/Longhope_introduction_1928...
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Ἀριστοτέλης A Gloster & Hereford Boy in the Forest of Dean ><((((*>
Hopesbrook ( Lea Line / Boxbush)
by spindles , Gloucester, Tuesday, September 08, 2009, 13:30 (5629 days ago) @ slowhands
Thank you both very much for your replies, it has been a great help. The link to the article was very good as there is a lot of information about the area and I am sure my relative, who lives in the house will find it very interesting. Yesterday I found reference to Hopesbrook in a library book but wasn't sure if that was the right place. Unfortunately it seems that there is no photograph of the "station". I have seen the tunnel, in fact I have been inside it - but only a little way! At least I have more information and hopefully will turn up some more. Thank you again
(I knew Slowhands would come up with something!!)
Hopesbrook ( Lea Line / Boxbush)
by slowhands , proud of his ancient Dean Forest roots, Tuesday, September 08, 2009, 13:51 (5629 days ago) @ spindles
1840 - 1850 is the timeframe for very early "image capture" on plates
by 1885 ish Eastman had created photgraphic film.
so images of the Station are probably rare or were never taken :-(
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Ἀριστοτέλης A Gloster & Hereford Boy in the Forest of Dean ><((((*>