Portishead Approved - Construction Updates Thread - No speculation

[The exile]

Not totally clear how to interpret the section of the press release that says 3 new stations. One is obviously Portishead (a station that had previously been built and resited in 1954) but is likely to be resited further from town centre.
One of the others is probably Pill, but not clear about third one.

As a reminder, the line originally had following stations and Halts : Bedminster and Parson Street (rebuilt in 1930s with two islands about 220m long, as part of quadrupling through to branch junction), then on actual branch had Ashton Gate, Clifton Bridge, Nightingale Valley Halt, Ham Green Halt, Pill, Portbury shipyard, Portbury and Portishead.

Suspect the “3 new stations” are Haxby, Cullompton and Wellington.

 

[zwk500]

Not totally clear how to interpret the section of the press release that says 3 new stations. One is obviously Portishead (a station that had previously been built and resited in 1954) but is likely to be resited further from town centre.
One of the others is probably Pill, but not clear about third one.

The 3 stations are almost certainly a separate project to Portishead,

Suspect the “3 new stations” are Haxby, Cullompton and Wellington.

Agree

 

[Annetts key]

The third "new" station is likely to be a new station at Ashton. On a new site, not the site of the previous Aston Gate (even though part of the platform for this still exists).

Pill is reopening (same site as the earlier station), it's part of the current scheme. As is a new Portishead station. Details of which are and have been available for some time.

 

[ainsworth74]

Please see here for wider discussion of the announced funding today. This thread is for Portishead only.

 

[zwk500]

The third "new" station is likely to be a new station at Ashton. On a new site, not the site of the previous Aston Gate (even though part of the platform for this still exists).

Pill is reopening (same site as the earlier station), it's part of the current scheme. As is a new Portishead station. Details of which are and have been available for some time.

The '3 New Stations' are almost certainly separate items in that announcement, not stations on the Portishead Line.

 

[Snow1964]

North Somerset Council press release on the announcement

Suggests construction will not start until spring or summer 2026, and line reopening will be 2028

The long-awaited return of the Bristol & Portishead line has been given the official green light by the Department for Transport today.

The final £27.6million has been approved to re-open the line in 2028 and build new stations at Portishead and Pill.

This paves the way to mobilise in the autumn to start work in spring/summer 2026.

The reopening of the line, which was axed in the 1960s during Beeching cuts, will slash travel times in half and reduce car commuting.

This is just one part of a wider £400 million rail upgrade across the West of England, creating new stations and increasing train services to better connect communities.

Councillor Mike Bell, Leader of North Somerset Council, said: “It’s brilliant to announce today that, after many years of hard work, we have this crucial funding for the reopening of the Portishead to Bristol rail line.

“This Department for Transport backing means we can roll up our sleeves in readiness to get out on site, connecting 50,000 residents back into the rail network by linking Portishead and Pill with Bristol and beyond.

“When it opens, the line will offer its first passenger trains in generations, with journey times of just 23 minutes providing more sustainable access to jobs, education and an estimated £43 million in economic growth every year.

West leaders welcome government green light for Portishead line

DfT gives greenlight to Portishead to Bristol rail line

n-somerset.gov.uk

 

[lachlan]

North Somerset Council press release on the announcement

Suggests construction will not start until spring or summer 2026, and line reopening will be 2028

West leaders welcome government green light for Portishead line

DfT gives greenlight to Portishead to Bristol rail line

n-somerset.gov.uk

Is that 23 minutes from Portishead to Temple Meads? That's going to be transformative for anyone commuting to Bristol.

 

[geoffk]

A shame it's only going to be hourly but better than nothing. I wonder how long it will be before a half-hourly service is deemed to be needed, along with a passing loop (presumably at Pill).

 

[John R]

Is that 23 minutes from Portishead to Temple Meads? That's going to be transformative for anyone commuting to Bristol.

Indeed, especially for those working in the Temple Quarter, where the majority of the white collar office work is based. And also for anyone who will be working at the massive new University development immediately adjacent to Temple Meads. Not only will the train land you right where you need to be, but by car or bus you have to get to the other side of the city from Portishead.

It will also make commuting from Portishead to Bath by rail a viable option too.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 8 Jul 2025 ==

A shame it's only going to be hourly but better than nothing. I wonder how long it will be before a half-hourly service is deemed to be needed, along with a passing loop (presumably at Pill).

I believe the proposal is that in the rush hour it will be around every 40 minutes. Not an ideal frequency, but better to get the thing built after years of delay.

 

[Pat31]

This is great news, agree with those above, get it built and improve frequency when it's completely saturated it's predicted ridership.

 

[zwk500]

This is great news, agree with those above, get it built and improve frequency when it's completely saturated it's predicted ridership.

Ideally before that but yes. Get it built, get people on it, then use that data to demonstrate the case for further improvement.

 

[Annetts key]

The BBC has this to say:

Government acts as guarantor for Portishead railway

Trains are set to run from the North Somerset town to Bristol for the first time in 60 years.

www.bbc.co.uk

Another £27m helps assure Portishead line's future​

Sophia Allsopp
BBC News, West of England

A major funding boost has helped to secure the revival of a defunct rail line between Portishead in North Somerset and Bristol.

The government has announced a further £27.6m for the Portishead Line project, bringing its support to more than £47m, on top of millions already promised by local authorities.

Trains are expected to be running in 2028. The line is seen as a critical way to ease traffic congestion and support economic growth in one of North Somerset's fastest-growing towns.

Announcing the funding, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the line would "better connect people with jobs, education, and new opportunities".

The scheme is also being funded by the West of England Combined Authority, North Somerset Council and Network Rail.
The service, which was cut in 1964, is expected to significantly reduce commuting times between Portishead and Bristol city centre.

Ms Alexander said the project formed part of the government's Plan for Change, aimed at boosting connectivity, building housing, and generating jobs.

The announcement comes alongside wider infrastructure commitments across the South West, including the approval of railway stations for Cullompton and Wellington, and upgrades to the A382 and other local roads.

The government said it was investing a total of £92bn in transport projects across the UK.

 

[Farigiraf]

Will the services interwork with Avonmouth/Severn Beach services, or just run as a shuttle from Temple Meads?
If it is the latter, I doubt connections at Bristol Temple Meads towards Stapleton Road, Clifton Down etc. will be particularly good, since it's likely they'll time the service to provide regular half-hourly intervals at Bedminster and Parson Street (instead of two trains turning up within 10 minutes and then a 40 minute wait).

There's also the option of combining it with the Filton/Henbury shuttle to provide 2 north-south suburban services through Bristol: Henbury-Portishead and Severn Beach - Weston (potential upgrading of these corridors to tram-train / mass transit could be discussed in a speculative discussion thread).

 

[The exile]

Will the services interwork with Avonmouth/Severn Beach services, or just run as a shuttle from Temple Meads?
If it is the latter, I doubt connections at Bristol Temple Meads towards Stapleton Road, Clifton Down etc. will be particularly good, since it's likely they'll time the service to provide regular half-hourly intervals at Bedminster and Parson Street (instead of two trains turning up within 10 minutes and then a 40 minute wait).

There's also the option of combining it with the Filton/Henbury shuttle to provide 2 north-south suburban services through Bristol: Henbury-Portishead and Severn Beach - Weston (potential upgrading of these corridors to tram-train / mass transit could be discussed in a speculative discussion thread).

There’s no shortage of services heading out of the north/east end of Temple Meads that it could theoretically be combined with - service provision at the two ends of Temple Meads is very imbalanced.

 

[zwk500]

Will the services interwork with Avonmouth/Severn Beach services, or just run as a shuttle from Temple Meads?
If it is the latter, I doubt connections at Bristol Temple Meads towards Stapleton Road, Clifton Down etc. will be particularly good, since it's likely they'll time the service to provide regular half-hourly intervals at Bedminster and Parson Street (instead of two trains turning up within 10 minutes and then a 40 minute wait).

There's also the option of combining it with the Filton/Henbury shuttle to provide 2 north-south suburban services through Bristol: Henbury-Portishead and Severn Beach - Weston (potential upgrading of these corridors to tram-train / mass transit could be discussed in a speculative discussion thread).

I believe it will initially be a shuttle as that's the least disruptive option for introducing a new service. At the moment, the Filton-BTM and Severn Beach/Avonmouth-BTM/Weston services interwork* but the addition of the Portishead line would give opportunity for that to be rewritten to provide better cross-Bristol connectivity.

(*) - this interworking is why you have Avonmouth - Weston SM but Weston SM - Severn Beach trains. The Diagram runs Weston - SB - BTM - Filton - BTM - Avonmouth - Weston. There are several ways you could write the diagrams with Portishead in the mix though.

 

[Noddy]

I believe it will initially be a shuttle as that's the least disruptive option for introducing a new service. At the moment, the Filton-BTM and Severn Beach/Avonmouth-BTM/Weston services interwork* but the addition of the Portishead line would give opportunity for that to be rewritten to provide better cross-Bristol connectivity.

(*) - this interworking is why you have Avonmouth - Weston SM but Weston SM - Severn Beach trains. The Diagram runs Weston - SB - BTM - Filton - BTM - Avonmouth - Weston. There are several ways you could write the diagrams with Portishead in the mix though.

And presumably the (?)hourly service to Yate.

 

[The exile]

And presumably the (?)hourly service to Yate.

Which does not currently exist - so getting very much into the forbidden realms of speculation!

 

[yorksrob]

This is certainly excellent news.

I must admit, it was disappointing when the reversing Beeching initiative was cancelled, however this gives some confidence that there's still a place for good proposals to go forward.

Now on to Tavistock......

 

[zwk500]

This is certainly excellent news.

I must admit, it was disappointing when the reversing Beeching initiative was cancelled, however this gives some confidence that there's still a place for good proposals to go forward.

Now on to Tavistock......

Yes, well done to the consultants who have obviously had to work hard to demonstrate to the government there's a case to invest in.

 

[lachlan]

Yes, well done to the consultants who have obviously had to work hard to demonstrate to the government there's a case to invest in.

Previous posts on here reckoned the case was rather poor and this was why it kept getting pushed back. Can anyone confirm?

 

[tumbles]

Previous posts on here reckoned the case was rather poor and this was why it kept getting pushed back. Can anyone confirm?

I wouldn't say that. The biggest setback in this whole plan was Grant Shapps needlessly delaying it several times over fears 'green activists' might try and hold up the plan. There was never any objection from any green/climate groups they were all fully positive on the plan. In needlessly delaying it some 18 months the costs ballooned + covid delays. Had he not and just pressed go we would have had it running already, at probably half the now estimated cost.

 

[The Planner]

Pill and Portishead are 126m platforms, so can fit 6x20 or 5x23 or 24m trains. So you would hope that there are a few years breathing space before any loop needs considering. I can't see any passive provision for one anyway.

 

[Snow1964]

Pill and Portishead are 126m platforms, so can fit 6x20 or 5x23 or 24m trains. So you would hope that there are a few years breathing space before any loop needs considering. I can't see any passive provision for one anyway.

Most of the Bristol suburban area can only take 5cars, but it does complicate train formation when need to pair a 3car and 2car in the peaks.
There have been occasional 6car workings on Portsmouth via Westbury because no 2car units were available, so it is a known difficulty.

I would have thought they wouldn't want 2car BEMUs, and 5car is overkill on many off peak services, would have been better if they aimed for 2x3car. Although 126m long platforms does rather lend itself to pairs of 3section double articulated units on 4 bogies with each unit about 62m long (think Alstom Coradia stream)

 

[tumbles]

Pill and Portishead are 126m platforms, so can fit 6x20 or 5x23 or 24m trains. So you would hope that there are a few years breathing space before any loop needs considering. I can't see any passive provision for one anyway.

The logical passing place would be Pill where it was originally. However this is now complicated with the line coming from the Docks.

 

[JKF]

There was also a passing loop somewhere north of or near the north of the gorge, which I think was around the actual half way point, as well as double track up to Clifton Bridge station. Some of the formation in the gorge was built as double track too, including the tunnel beneath the suspension bridge, so there are likely several places with space for a loop if needed. I think it’s been said that Pill is too close to Portishead for a loop, as it wouldn’t allow regular spacing between services.

 

[zwk500]

The logical passing place would be Pill where it was originally. However this is now complicated with the line coming from the Docks.

Doesn't particularly complicate things, so long as there's signals for flighted trains. The junction would move north of Pill (rather than south as now), if a train is coming out of the docks, it just waits on the docks line for the passenger services to cross and follows the bristol-bound train. If the train is coming into the docks, it follows the ex-Bristol train up and the Bristol-Bound train will just need to wait at Pill for a bit longer to let the Freight to get into the loop and clear of the turnout.
And that's if there's not enough time for the freight to simply wait by Parson Street/Ashton Gate Loop and run to Pill in between the services.

I think it’s been said that Pill is too close to Portishead for a loop, as it wouldn’t allow regular spacing between services.

The loop being too close to the terminus shouldn't be a problem for regular spacing as the train will just sit at Portishead for as long as it needs. Pill being too long in travel time (which is not necessarily the same as distance0 from Ashton Gate/Parson Street would be an issue, as a half-hourly service requires a travel time over the longest section of 14 minutes or less (allowing 1 minute margin for the next departure).

 

[The Planner]

The logical passing place would be Pill where it was originally. However this is now complicated with the line coming from the Docks.

Not always, it depends on how the timetable falls.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Jul 2025 ==

Doesn't particularly complicate things, so long as there's signals for flighted trains. The junction would move north of Pill (rather than south as now), if a train is coming out of the docks, it just waits on the docks line for the passenger services to cross and follows the bristol-bound train. If the train is coming into the docks, it follows the ex-Bristol train up and the Bristol-Bound train will just need to wait at Pill for a bit longer to let the Freight to get into the loop and clear of the turnout.
And that's if there's not enough time for the freight to simply wait by Parson Street/Ashton Gate Loop and run to Pill in between the services.

The loop being too close to the terminus shouldn't be a problem for regular spacing as the train will just sit at Portishead for as long as it needs. Pill being too long in travel time (which is not necessarily the same as distance0 from Ashton Gate/Parson Street would be an issue, as a half-hourly service requires a travel time over the longest section of 14 minutes or less (allowing 1 minute margin for the next departure).

Ashton Jn to Pill is effectively absolute block, its one section of 2 aspect signals. You can't leave Pill or Ashton Jn until the preceding train is at either location. Its 30mph too so around a 10 minute section.

 

[Snow1964]

Not always, it depends on how the timetable falls.

Although if the aim is to run half hourly in peaks and link them to the Henbury trains cross Bristol (rather than 2 separate services) then can probably deduce something, as the Bristol-Filton part is already operating and it has been commonly quoted the Bristol-Portishead section will be 23-25 minutes.

Of course a complete recast of timetables could eventually happen, although unlikely until the local rolling stock can use electric (or battery) timings instead of slow diesel ones. So in meantime could just add the 23 mins to the Filton-Bristol shuttle. That would determine the layover time at Portishead and where trains would cross.

 

[JKF]

The Bristol to Filton trains are diagrammed with the Severn Beach line workings (I think allocated units alternate between an Avonmouth run and a Filton run), so if those then run to Portishead it will need some retiming of the Severn Beach workings.

 

[tumbles]

The loop being too close to the terminus shouldn't be a problem for regular spacing as the train will just sit at Portishead for as long as it needs. Pill being too long in travel time (which is not necessarily the same as distance0 from Ashton Gate/Parson Street would be an issue, as a half-hourly service requires a travel time over the longest section of 14 minutes or less (allowing 1 minute margin for the next departure).

I think the line Pill to Portishead is going to be 60mph rated while rest retains the 30mph current doesn't it.

I think there was a loop just by Ham Green Lake looking at historic maps