Pilning footbridge & station

[Radedamer]

No crossing of the lines – it's a bridge. Whether it would be appealing depends on journeys; good for London, Midlands, S Wales, not so good for central Bristol. Though how much would it actually lengthen journeys from Filton N to Temple Meads by? Anyways, this is all looking way ahead; plenty of time to change things before they build any Henbury stations!

 

[TheNewNo2]

I think you may mean a spur from Abbey Wood possibly? Whilst Henbury is reachable direct from Parkway on the centre line of the 'kite' junction, I don't think a Henbury service is supposed to run other than as an extension of a service between Abbey Wood and TM. Would be interested to know if wrong.

I suppose they could decide to reverse the service from Henbury at Parkway, before running down the SW facing part of the 'kite' to Abbey Wood. I hadn't thought of that, I admit.

Doesn't sound very appetising for Henbury and North Filton pax and involves flat crossing of the main lines (once quadrupled) that would otherwise not be necessary. On the other hand, it would give long distance connections at Parkway, I suppose.

I don't know quite where the trains for Henbury are meant to come from, but a train doing Filton Abbey Wood to Henbury seems unlikely to me, as either it's a terminator (which seems an odd idea) or it reverses and goes on to Patchway.

 

[HowardGWR]

No crossing of the lines – it's a bridge. Whether it would be appealing depends on journeys; good for London, Midlands, S Wales, not so good for central Bristol. Though how much would it actually lengthen journeys from Filton N to Temple Meads by? Anyways, this is all looking way ahead; plenty of time to change things before they build any Henbury stations!

I meant the east side, not the west, where I can't see easily how one would enter or leave a Parkway platform for reversal, without interfering with either the S. Wales or Bristol mainlines.

Edit: Mods, there is a Henbury thread I believe, but...........

 

[Radedamer]

Ah, sorry, I misunderstood you. I was thinking of the west-east line crossing the north-south.

 

[Henbury Loop]

This document would back up Llanigraham's thoughts that it is to be replaced.

Pilning Station Footbridge (No. BSW 942)
17.2.26 The footbridge provides passenger access across the BSW between station platforms. The
footbridge would require demolition and reconstruction to create sufficient clearance for the trains
and OLE to pass underneath the bridge. The works would be undertaken at some point in 2014
and would take approximately 8 weeks to complete. The worksite would be located within the
station carpark.

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse...tershire - environmental statement vol 1b.pdf

Sometime in 2014 indeed!

 

[D1009]

Took this at Bristol Parkway last night. It struck me as odd that GWR would devote a whole poster to the amended arrangements for Pilning for the Severn Tunnel block today.

 

[Radedamer]

For the taxi driver's sake, I hope he's being paid waiting time!

 

[Henbury Loop]

Pity I didn't know about this, I would have turned up with friends, family and pushbikes.

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

Pity I didn't know about this, I would have turned up with friends, family and pushbikes.

Lets all hold a meeting there - would make for a good story if the entire forum turned up and we took every taxi in a 100 mile radius

 

[tsr]

View attachment 24459

Took this at Bristol Parkway last night. It struck me as odd that GWR would devote a whole poster to the amended arrangements for Pilning for the Severn Tunnel block today.

*Starts a new trivia thread* Surely a candidate for the least-used piece of paper on the network...

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

*Starts a new trivia thread* Surely a candidate for the least-used piece of paper on the network...

I see that and raise you Barton station that once had a signboard saying

THIS SIGNBOARD IS NOT IN USE AT THIS TIME

 

[Henbury Loop]

Curiousity got the better of me.

Here is said taxi:

Car park absolutely bursting with workers/engineers vehicles, orange suits all over the rails between Patchway and Severn Tunnel eastern portal.

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

*takes note of the Taxi's number*

I bet thats the first that Pilning has been served by a 747

 

[D1009]

Lets all hold a meeting there - would make for a good story if the entire forum turned up and we took every taxi in a 100 mile radius

There's plenty of time, it's in RTT as a WTT "bus" running until 12 December!

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/bus/P08488/2015/11/07/advanced

Last week the block was cancelled, so a taxi replacement train ran.

 

[Henbury Loop]

FOSBR are normally pretty clued up on what is going on, but I sincerely hope this is just a rumour and nothing else.

source: http://fosbr.org.uk/files/newsletter/FOSBR_Newsletter_91_201605.pdf

Pilning threatened with closure

We are disappointed but not surprised to hear rumours that Network Rail intends to close
Pilning railway station in South Gloucestershire. It has suffered from a poor “service” of
one train in each direction (known as a “parliamentary service” as this avoids closure) since
2006, when it was reduced from a daily to a weekly service in each direction.
Pilning has the future potential to serve the extensive industrial and housing development
proposed by our local authorities at Severnside. It is expected that 25,000 new jobs will be
created in the area. It's on the line from Cardiff to Bristol Parkway so would enable
workers to travel to work from a variety of locations and give local people more options
when travelling to work.
For that reason we would like to see Pilning station retained and, in the future, have an
improved service. Responding to the West of England Authorities' Spatial Plan and
Transport Study consultation in January, we proposed that Pilning should be served by a
twice daily weekday service - enabling commuters from Severnside to get to work. At
present there is no public transport from Severnside to Bristol's North Fringe. We also
proposed that a new station be built to serve Severnside at Chittening on a future Henbury
Loop.
We suspect that this closure plan is due to the electrification programme. Network Rail
are raising bridges along the route to ensure that there is enough room for the wires to run underneath. We believe that they are reluctant to raise the bridge at Pilning and wish to
remove it instead. This would remove access to one of the platforms.
While we appreciate that Network Rail do not want to spend money on a little used
station, Pilning is little used because it does not have a meaningful service. It is within
walking distance of proposed industrial and housing developments and so has the
potential to be a useful and well used station thus providing workers and local people with
an alternative to the private car. At present they have no such alternative. The increased
passenger numbers travelling to Severn Beach and St Andrews Road (even with a train only
every two hours) shows the demand is already there and will only increase.
Should the station be closed and then found to be needed after all, re-opening could be
compromised by the costs involved. There would probably need to be a new GRIP process,
together with very expensive consultants' reports - which would rapidly ramp up the costs,
besides creating long delays. As it is almost bound to be needed in the future, closure now
would be a false economy. We will object strongly to any closure proposal.

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
If this were to be true, at what stage would the public be made aware? I can find nothing to confirm this at all.

 

[Kite159]

(what I think will happen) Footbridge temporary removed, with the Pilning call towards Wales replaced by a rail replacement taxi service from say Patchway (with the taxi being used to bring passengers back from Pilning to Patchway in order for them to connect with the next Cardiff service)

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

Footbridge temporary removed, with the Pilning call towards Wales replaced by a rail replacement taxi service from say Patchway (with the taxi being used to bring passengers back from Pilning to Patchway in order for them to connect with the next Cardiff service)

How will that be mentioned on RTT?

 

[causton]

How will that be mentioned on RTT?

How was the Newhaven Marine taxi mentioned?

RTT isn't the be-all and end-all of passenger information no matter how close it may be

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

How was the Newhaven Marine taxi mentioned?

RTT isn't the be-all and end-all of passenger information no matter how close it may be

I did not know... I did not know RTT existed back then.

As it happens, it looks as if it is entered as a Bus

 

[causton]

I did not know... I did not know RTT existed back then.

As it happens, it looks as if it is entered as a Bus

It didn't, it was a rhetorical question actually!

But I imagine it will either be entered as a bus schedule or not entered at all and be only detailed on a grotty poster at the station, then removed when the service is cancelled due to "lack of use"...

 

[Henbury Loop]

Footbridge temporary removed, with the Pilning call towards Wales replaced by a rail replacement taxi service from say Patchway (with the taxi being used to bring passengers back from Pilning to Patchway in order for them to connect with the next Cardiff service)

Did this happen over the bank holiday weekend then i assume?

Why on earth would they not wait until the Severn Tunnel closure later in the year and do it in one hit?!

 

[Henbury Loop]

The bridge as of 8pm this evening is still in situ....

Oh and somebody from GWR had the prestigious task of updating the noticeboard poster to get rid of the FGW version. - by the looks of it that timetable was only valid until last month.

 

[Henbury Loop]

Following on from PP's post in the Great Western Electrification thread;

There's the footbridge to remove first, unless I've missed that going in the last couple of weeks. The network change paperwork needed to effectively enable its removal (by closing the down platform) went in at the end of April and was approved at the end of May.

This is something seemingly not very many people were aware of, i think it is a travesty that they are going to close the down platform. Pilning is a undervalued asset.

I attach the letters which PP speaks of to this post.

FOSBR (Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways) are most unimpressed and are writing to Office of Rail and Road ORR and Western Enterprise Partnership WEP regarding this;

http://www.fosbr.org.uk/files/20160615_pilningpr.pdf

Pilning platform closure - statement to WEP JTB 17th June 2016
On 10th June 2016 FOSBR became aware of a Network Rail “consultation” on the closure of Pilning down
platform and the removal of the footbridge at the station.
On 21st April 2016 Network Rail circulated below letter to an unknown distribution list asking for comments on
footbridge removal with a deadline of 23rd May 2016.
http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse documents/network code/network change/completed propo
sals/western/ncg12016west594%20pilning/a%20ncg12016west594%20notification.pdf
On 25th May 2016 Network Rail circulated another electronic letter stating that the consultation period had
ended, any objections received had been “satisfactorily resolved” and as such the works can now be
undertaken.
For full text see: http://fosbr.org.uk/files/20160525_pilning_nrnotice.pdf
FOSBR do not believe that the footbridge removal has yet been authorized by the Office of Rail and Road.
Gantries for electrification will run through Pilning station so Network Rail would have to install a higher
footbridge to the down platform. FOSBR understand that Network Rail are struggling to deliver electrification to
time and budget and we do not wish to impede the electrification process. Pilning station is currently minimally
used as it is served by only two trains a week, one in each direction on a Saturday. However FOSBR believe
the station has great potential for workers at the expanding Severnside industrial estates if the service is
increased to a sensible weekday frequency. The costs of footbridge replacement should already be factored into
the electrification project.
FOSBR are submitting the following statement to the West of England Partnership Joint Transport Board
meeting on Friday 17th June 2016.
We understand that Network Rail have asked the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) to give permission to
close one platform at Pilning station. We believe that this action has occurred without proper
consultation. We understand that this is due to Network Rail's reluctance to spend money to ensure this
station and others, including Patchway, Lawrence Hill and Stapleton Road, are accessible. They are
prepared to allow these stations to breach the obligations of public organisations under equalities
legislation.
We would like the West of England Joint Leaders Board to confirm that they have not consented to this
and to assertively tell Network Rail and the ORR that this is not acceptable.
Pilning has the future potential to serve the extensive industrial and housing development proposed for
Severnside. It is expected that 25,000 new jobs will be created in the area. Pilning is on the line from
Cardiff to Bristol so would enable workers to travel to work at Severnside from a variety of locations and
give local people more options when travelling to work.
For that reason FOSBR would like to see Pilning station retained and have an improved service. In our
response to the West of England authorities' Spatial Plan and Transport Study consultations in January
we proposed that Pilning should be served by a twice daily weekday service enabling commuters from
Severnside to get to work. At present there is no public transport from Severnside to Bristol's North
Fringe. Severnside Community Rail Partnership have noted a large increase in passenger numbers
travelling to Severn Beach and St Andrews Road (with a train only every two hours). This shows the
demand is already there and will only increase.
FOSBR has evidence of local support for the restoration of services to Pilning and also of a lack of
consultation with Pilning Parish Council on this matter.
FOSBR will be writing to the ORR to complain about this proposal and the lack of consultation, and to
note the future potential of Pilning station and the need for local stations to be compliant with equalities
legislation. We also ask the West of England to ensure that all aspects of accessibility, including (where
possible), convenient interchange between rail and bus, is included in their bid for the Regional Growth
Fund on 21st July 2016.
Rob Dixon, FOSBR Chair

 

[The Planner]

Network Changes are sent to access beneficiaries (which means TOCs and FOCs) and also DfT and ORR so they would have had the opportunity to comment in the 30 days prescribed. They are not there as a mechanism for public response. Have a read of Part G of the Network Code as it will explain the process.

 

[Philip Phlopp]

Pilning would only get a like for like replacement - footbridge with steps, no accessible access. Disabled pax given taxi or alternative option for their journey under the reasonable adjustment.

If I were FOSBR, I'd be supporting the removal of the footbridge, rapid completion of electrification and then working on re-building the station to support much more frequent services, with a little station building and at least an accessible bridge if not perhaps a bridge fitted with lifts.

I'd also tend to think putting the platforms on avoiding lines rather than the through lines would be a wise idea in the longer run, so dropping the footbridge idea for now would make that goal more achievable longer term.

 

[Superted]

Well done to all those fighting to keep Pilning Station open. The footbridge has indeed now been demolished. I see it was Britain's third least used station last year and that was before Platform 2 was closed. It could go up a place or two this year.
Here is my blog of the trip: http://time-in-the-country.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/pilning-station.html

 

[Southern Dvr]

Sadly I fear their campaign to be in vain.
Nothing will force DfT to care about stations like Pilning. The only stations I can think of to return from the dead (so to speak) are Stone, Rugeley TV & Atherstone.

Good luck to these guys fighting for Pilning, I use to love going there to see the freight, but I don't think anything will change the minds of DfT.

 

[HowardGWR]

Pilning would only get a like for like replacement - footbridge with steps, no accessible access. Disabled pax given taxi or alternative option for their journey under the reasonable adjustment.

If I were FOSBR, I'd be supporting the removal of the footbridge, rapid completion of electrification and then working on re-building the station to support much more frequent services, with a little station building and at least an accessible bridge if not perhaps a bridge fitted with lifts.

I'd also tend to think putting the platforms on avoiding lines rather than the through lines would be a wise idea in the longer run, so dropping the footbridge idea for now would make that goal more achievable longer term.

You are back, great stuff. Hope that you will continue to inform us as you did so effectively in the past, especially on electrification. I agree with you about Pilning by the way. Far better to get the electrification project done and then plan the area rail services anew.

 

[Henbury Loop]

18th June 2016, 22:50

Sadly the great man is not back

 

[HowardGWR]

Sadly the great man is not back

Whoops! Thanks for putting me right. I wonder if he is still working for NR? Sorry OT now.

I think his comment is still current. On another thread, the question was raised about stations that should be closed. I really think the local activist group should be more concerned with seeing improvements that were already promised as 'the Metro' such as Ashley Hill and Henbury. Pilning can wait until it emerges that development in the area that warrants it is on the way to being achieved.