
Bilson Halt
Bilson was the point where the FoD branch diverged into the Churchway and Whimsey branches, and later the Cinderford Extension as well. When passenger services started on the FoD branch, the Cinderford Extension was not completed so a temporary halt was built at Bilson to serve Cinderford. The halt was originally opened in August 1907 and closed in April 1908. However, it may have been used unofficially after this by colliers and was reopened for passengers in April 1917, only to "officially" close again in October 1920. However, it does seem that it was "unofficially" in use after that. It is a little unclear as to when exactly the halt was removed but it would certainly have been removed after passenger services were withdrawn in November 1958.
Goods traffic was in abundance at Bilson by the very nature of its junction status, and at times during the line's history, there were congestion problems. However, the industry of Cinderford went into decline after World War Two and the goods yard at Bilson was closed in August 1967, along with what was left of the FoD Branch at this time. The area around Bilson is now, rather ironically, an industrial estate, an idea proposed in the early 1940's but not implemented until after the closure of the railway.