100 British Bus Routes: Route 23
Coleford to Gloucester
19 March 2022
ABOVE: Stagecoach West E400 Scania 15785 (VX13 FLB) on route 23 in the middle of roadworks, near Hygrove Lane, north-east of Calcotts Green and just a few miles from Gloucester. All photos in this article were taken on Saturday 12th March 2022.
Operator: Stagecoach West
Runs: Daily, with limited evening services on Mondays to Saturdays
Weekday frequency: Hourly
Estimated Vehicle Requirement: 6 buses (including route 22, Coleford – Cinderford – Gloucester)
Off-peak journey time: 80-85 minutes
Estimated route length: 27-30 miles
Runs: Daily, with limited evening services on Mondays to Saturdays
Weekday frequency: Hourly
Estimated Vehicle Requirement: 6 buses (including route 22, Coleford – Cinderford – Gloucester)
Off-peak journey time: 80-85 minutes
Estimated route length: 27-30 miles
Coleford had its moment of fame in 1643, with a battle between Royalists and Parliamentarians during the English Civil War. (You can read about it on the Coleford Town website here.)
My Enviro 400 Scania has to reverse onto the bus stop at Coleford’s Angel Hotel, as the manoeuvre around the town’s Market Place, with its imposing clock tower, is just a little too tight to allow the bus to pull straight into the stop.
I’m in Gloucestershire, just two miles east of the Welsh border, taking one of the two main routes between here and Gloucester, route 23 (the other being the 22). The two routes provide a half-hourly service over common sections.
Routes 22 & 23 appear to be interworked, with drivers and vehicles changing from one route to the other at both ends. This explains why the bus is leaving a different way to the way it came in; the inward arrival (already showing “23”) came from Bank Street, to the east, but we’re going out via the High Street and Cinder Hill, to the south. It also explains how I see three 23s in the opposite direction during my journey, when logic would suggest that there should only be three on the route in total!
ABOVE: E400 Scania 15877 (VX13 FLD) arriving at Coleford Clock Tower at the end of a journey on route 22 from Gloucester, already showing the display for the 1125 departure on route 23, which I will travel on.
Although Gloucester is broadly north-east of Coleford, our main intermediate call is Lydney, south-east of here, so we’re essentially heading in completely the wrong direction for our ultimate destination. This is why I love buses – you never know where you’re going to pass through!
Mining was clearly important in this area (ochre and iron ore). As we deviate into the village of Sling, there’s a Miners restaurant closely followed by a Miners Country Inn.
We’re in the heart of the Forest of Dean. Sometimes we can see for miles – there’s a town up a hill in the distance; sometimes we’re driving through the middle of the forest itself – often on a hill, so the trees stretch up to the left of us and down to the right.
ABOVE: Forest of Dean, eight minutes out of Coleford.
ABOVE: Somewhere around Bream, with Whitecroft in the distance
As we enter Whitecroft there are sheep wandering in the road, with no regard for their personal safety! This town is at an elevated level and I suspect it’s the town I saw earlier. There’s another mining reminder in the form of the Miners Arms pub.
ABOVE: Sheep in the road at the entrance to Whitecroft
We come into Lydney, where temporary traffic lights are in place on the road approaching the bus station. Exit from the bus station is “not signal controlled”, which sounds challenging although it isn’t a problem for our friendly driver.
It’s a nice spot, Lydney. I suspect we may be relatively high up and south-facing, and the sun seems to be shining favourably on the place. Although I think we’re high up, there’s a harbour here on the banks of the River Severn, although I see no hint of this from the number 23 at this point.
We turn north-east now – we have no choice as the river will impede any southern trajectory. The river comes into view as we reach Blakeney, and we’ll be clinging close to the western side of the Severn for the rest of the journey.
ABOVE: Just south of Broadoak, looking across the Severn
There’s a challenging arch bridge on the road at Newnham-on-Severn, requiring us to use the middle of the road to pass. At 14′ 3” this would presumably have prevented earlier generations of double-decker buses from using this route, so passengers would not have enjoyed the views that we can appreciate now from the top deck.
ABOVE: The low bridge at Newnham-on-Severn. There’s another low bridge further along the road at Broadoak. Both would have precluded earlier generations of double-deckers (except low-height ones).
Further along, there’s another imposing Clock Tower in Newnham Town Centre.
ABOVE: Newnham-on-Severn, with the river in the background
After Newnham, we come to Westbury-on-Severn, where the 22 rejoins from Cinderford. The two routes stay together for the rest of the journey to Gloucester.
ABOVE: 15731 (VX61 FKE) on a route 22 working towards Coleford, near Westbury-on-Severn
Gloucester is soon coming into view and the last part of our journey is along the A40 dual carriageway – quite a contrast from the villages and forest lanes we have traversed through to get here.
We left Coleford with eight passengers on board, but the journey has livened up and there’s a decent load coming into Gloucester.
This is where I discover that a new bus interchange has sprung up since I was last here some years ago. I can’t quite decide whether it’s exactly the same site or across the road from it, but it’s quite a transformation from what I found last time.
It’s smart and modern with good digital information displays. My only grievance is that the toilets only take contactless payments (20p entry). Surely some bus users are not going to be able to use these facilities because they don’t have the appropriate cards?
I digress. Various roadworks along the way have delayed us, and we’re arriving into Gloucester 10 minutes late. The bus promptly leaves as a service 22 – back to Coleford via Cinderford.
The 23 is a lovely ride through the countryside. I love the forest part in particular, whilst the later riverside views are stunning. If you have time for a full round trip, do the 22 back as well!