What could an “ideal” Bristol service recast look like?

[PTR 444]

Assuming that a full recast of the Bristol area services is on the cards, with more frequent services and clockface timetables implemented at some point in the future, how might the service pattern look, and what action might be taken regarding joining up cross-Bristol services.

Looking at each route out of Temple Meads in isolation, my initial suggestion is:

• 2tph to London via Bristol Parkway
• 2tph to London via Bath
• 2tph to Oxford via Bath
• 2tph limited stop to Westbury, 1tph of which continues to Portsmouth and 1tph of which continues to Weymouth
• 2tph stoppers to Westbury
• 2tph to Plymouth, 1tph of which is semi-fast
• 2tph to Taunton via Weston-Super-Mare
• 2tph to Portishead
• 2tph to Avonmouth, 1tph of which continues to Severn Beach
• 2tph to Henbury
• 2tph to Cardiff Central
• 2tph to Swansea
• 2tph to Gloucester, 1tph of which continues to Worcester
• 2tph to Birmingham/North of England

With these services joined up across Bristol, my suggestion is that they could look something like this:

• Portsmouth/Weymouth - Cardiff (2tph)
• Westbury - Gloucester/Worcester (2tph)
• Taunton/Weston - Henbury (2tph)
• Portishead - Avonmouth/Severn Beach (2tph)
• Plymouth - Birmingham/North of England (1tph)
• Terminating services: London, Oxford, Swansea, Plymouth (1tph), Birmingham (1tph)

What are your thoughts on this, and do you think such provision would be workable?

 

[WTT Gremlin]

What are your thoughts on this, and do you think such provision would be workable?

Re Clockface, are you considering each service group to be separate, or would you try and combine some?

 

[Topological]

Probably overkill on Bristol to South Wales, but good to be ambitious.

Likewise, you may not need 2tph from Portsmouth.

I suspect you are underselling the Bristol - Plymouth fast service. I have often thought that a GWR London train that way would be useful. Possibly one of your proposed "via Parkway" London trains, or maybe more usefully one of the "via Bath" London trains.

 

[WelshBluebird]

Probably overkill on Bristol to South Wales, but good to be ambitious.

Currently 2tph with TfW planning an additional 1tp2h and already having had consultations about that being 2tph. So 4tph in total which matches the OP.

 

[PTR 444]

Re Clockface, are you considering each service group to be separate, or would you try and combine some?

I have combined some, as mentioned in the opening post. The idea is that there are a set of defined corridors (Cardiff - Westbury, Portishead - Avonmouth etc) which have a 2tph even interval service, with extensions at a lower frequency to destinations beyond the core.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 21 Mar 2026 ==

Probably overkill on Bristol to South Wales, but good to be ambitious.

Not really, as WelshBluebird has clarified.

Likewise, you may not need 2tph from Portsmouth.

My proposal isn’t 2tph to Portsmouth. It is 2tph from Cardiff Central to Westbury, with 1tph continuing to Portsmouth as per now, and 1tph continuing to Weymouth (pending Heart of Wessex Line upgrades)

I suspect you are underselling the Bristol - Plymouth fast service. I have often thought that a GWR London train that way would be useful. Possibly one of your proposed "via Parkway" London trains, or maybe more usefully one of the "via Bath" London trains.

Extending a London - Bristol train to Plymouth could work to provide another fast service in addition to Cross Country along that route. Stations between Bristol and Taunton can be served by the 2tph local service via Weston-Super-Mare as outlined in the OP, although something would still need to serve Wellington and Cullompton in the event that those stations reopen.

 

[WTT Gremlin]

I have combined some, as mentioned in the opening post. The idea is that there are a set of defined corridors (Cardiff - Westbury, Portishead - Avonmouth etc) which have a 2tph even interval service, with extensions at a lower frequency to destinations beyond the core.

I got that, but you have 2 different 2tph services between Bristol and Didcot (Foxhall Jn) via Bath. Would these be expected to be clockface providing a 15 minute frequency?

Ditto between Bristol and Cardiff; and between Bristol and Parkway.

 

[cle]

2tph Bristol-Oxford is a big uplift on 2tpw! I don't think the demand is there yet, but if one is more of a local service to Bath (or originates somewhere) - and the other is a fast shuttle per the plan today, it might work. Needs more stations opened really like Corsham or Wantage Road, or Royal WB. Or one Oxford goes to EWR / or on to Moor St, as was planned from Oxford. That brings Bath,Chippenham & Swindon -> Banbury/Lem/Birmingham etc - many new pairs. Not for end to end!

I think you are missing additional Birmingham (planned to Moor St) - and probably more towards Exeter.

I also think the 1tph Avonmouth should loop via Henbury, and eventually that is 2tph in both directions. Henbury having a much faster journey time via Ashley Down, but the mid point on the loop (Avonmouth?) - might well have a useable 4tph if evenly spaced, re equidistant journey time...

 

[brad465]

2tph Bristol-Oxford is a big uplift on 2tpw! I don't think the demand is there yet, but if one is more of a local service to Bath (or originates somewhere) - and the other is a fast shuttle per the plan today, it might work. Needs more stations opened really like Corsham or Wantage Road, or Royal WB. Or one Oxford goes to EWR / or on to Moor St, as was planned from Oxford. That brings Bath,Chippenham & Swindon -> Banbury/Lem/Birmingham etc - many new pairs. Not for end to end!

Those new stations between Bristol and Oxford would certainly help justify 2tph, but also this service can help take passengers off the busier London services who are only making local journeys (like Bristol/Bath-Chippenham/Swindon), freeing up more space for Reading/London passengers.

 

[PTR 444]

I got that, but you have 2 different 2tph services between Bristol and Didcot (Foxhall Jn) via Bath. Would these be expected to be clockface providing a 15 minute frequency?

Not so much, as one would be fast and the other semi-fast. The idea is that the semi-fast Oxford service would depart Temple Meads shortly after the fast London via Bath service, to allow more time before the next fast catches up with it.

Ditto between Bristol and Cardiff; and between Bristol and Parkway.

Bristol - Cardiff may be an exception though, as you could have a feasible 4tph even interval service which calls at Filton Abbey Wood, Patchway, Severn Tunnel Junction and Newport. I get that Pilning would be an outlier in this case, but it really should have a complete rebuild and a major new housing development around it anyway.

 

[WTT Gremlin]

Not so much, as one would be fast and the other semi-fast. The idea is that the semi-fast Oxford service would depart Temple Meads shortly after the fast London via Bath service, to allow more time before the next fast catches up with it.

Bristol - Cardiff may be an exception though, as you could have a feasible 4tph even interval service which calls at Filton Abbey Wood, Patchway, Severn Tunnel Junction and Newport. I get that Pilning would be an outlier in this case, but it really should have a complete rebuild and a major new housing development around it anyway.

Whilst nothing would be theoretically impossible, however, no recast of Bristol will avoid significant trade-offs unless it is something close to a full GWML (Mains PAD-RDG)/SWML(to CDF, possibly SWA) recast because of how everything has to mesh together.

The single largest (practical*) thing which could happen to make a significant difference to services from Bristol is extending the wires down from Parkway inc. the other approaches to BRI but may be wishful thinking. *Quadrupling of the Severn Tunnel would probably make a larger difference overall due to being able to segregate freight and highspeed - the WTT challenge being the AB+2 headway through the tunnel.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Assuming that a full recast of the Bristol area services is on the cards, with more frequent services and clockface timetables implemented at some point in the future, how might the service pattern look, and what action might be taken regarding joining up cross-Bristol services.

Looking at each route out of Temple Meads in isolation, my initial suggestion is:

• 2tph to London via Bristol Parkway
• 2tph to London via Bath
• 2tph to Oxford via Bath
• 2tph limited stop to Westbury, 1tph of which continues to Portsmouth and 1tph of which continues to Weymouth
• 2tph stoppers to Westbury
• 2tph to Plymouth, 1tph of which is semi-fast
• 2tph to Taunton via Weston-Super-Mare
• 2tph to Portishead
• 2tph to Avonmouth, 1tph of which continues to Severn Beach
• 2tph to Henbury
• 2tph to Cardiff Central
• 2tph to Swansea
• 2tph to Gloucester, 1tph of which continues to Worcester
• 2tph to Birmingham/North of England

With these services joined up across Bristol, my suggestion is that they could look something like this:

• Portsmouth/Weymouth - Cardiff (2tph)
• Westbury - Gloucester/Worcester (2tph)
• Taunton/Weston - Henbury (2tph)
• Portishead - Avonmouth/Severn Beach (2tph)
• Plymouth - Birmingham/North of England (1tph)
• Terminating services: London, Oxford, Swansea, Plymouth (1tph), Birmingham (1tph)

What are your thoughts on this, and do you think such provision would be workable?

You’ve lost the current 2nd train an hour to Salisbury, which does quite well at taking pressure off the Portsmouth service as well as providing the 2tph at Warminster. That really needs keeping as now on the opposite half hour to the Portsmouths.

 

[PTR 444]

I also think the 1tph Avonmouth should loop via Henbury, and eventually that is 2tph in both directions. Henbury having a much faster journey time via Ashley Down, but the mid point on the loop (Avonmouth?) - might well have a useable 4tph if evenly spaced, re equidistant journey time...

Another option for the 1tph Avonmouth would be to extend to Bristol Parkway via Henbury, providing an easier connection from Brabazon to Parkway for the London - Cardiff, Gloucester and Cross Country trains.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 21 Mar 2026 ==

You’ve lost the current 2nd train an hour to Salisbury, which does quite well at taking pressure off the Portsmouth service as well as providing the 2tph at Warminster. That really needs keeping as now on the opposite half hour to the Portsmouths.

I forgot about the additional Bristol - Salisbury trains in the opposite half hour to the Cardiff - Portsmouths. I think these could be retained in a hypothetical recast, although it would mean the Weymouths would need to be moved to a different service group. Perhaps something like this:

• 2tph Cardiff Central to Salisbury, 1tph of which continues to Portsmouth Harbour
• 1tph Great Malvern to Westbury and 1tph Gloucester to Weymouth, both forming part of a half-hourly core between Gloucester and Westbury

 

[William3000]

In addition, once East West Rail is open, the Oxford trains could be extended to Milton Keynes Central, Cambridge, or even Norwich. I know there are some aspirations for EWR services to run beyond Oxford to Cambridge, albeit by doing so it increases the prospect of delays.

 

[Magdalia]

In addition, once East West Rail is open, the Oxford trains could be extended to Milton Keynes Central, Cambridge, or even Norwich. I know there are some aspirations for EWR services to run beyond Oxford to Cambridge, albeit by doing so it increases the prospect of delays.

This would be a very bad idea. it would introduce significant performance risk on East West Rail for very little benefit. For most journeys from west of Oxford to Cambridge and east thereof, via London is still going to be the best route, especially now that the Elizabeth Line is open.

From a Bristol perspective (and Bath and Swindon) the important thing is to have a decent 2tph service Oxford-Swindon-Bath-Bristol. That will provide good connectivity with East West Rail.

 

[Acathater]

I'd add an hourly Bristol-Taunton all-stations via Westbury with additional stops at new stations at Somerton and Langport

 

[Kite159]

Extend one of those 2tph Westbury stoppers to Salisbury to give Warminster 2tph & to take pressure off the Portsmouth services.

 

[Snow1964]

From a Bristol perspective (and Bath and Swindon) the important thing is to have a decent 2tph service Oxford-Swindon-Bath-Bristol. That will provide good connectivity with East West Rail.

There is a good case (once Wellington and Cullompton stations are open) to have this start back at Exeter, rather than having multiple trains that require changes both at Bristol and Oxford.

You’ve lost the current 2nd train an hour to Salisbury, which does quite well at taking pressure off the Portsmouth service as well as providing the 2tph at Warminster. That really needs keeping as now on the opposite half hour to the Portsmouths.

Yes, unless the 4th platform is reinstated at Westbury, having trains terminate at Westbury isn't great (already regular delays awaiting platform at Westbury). Both Warminster and western Salisbury / Wilton have big housing growth, so should keep extra train to Salisbury (although Wilton station is long closed, even though developments are close to its site)

• 2tph to Oxford via Bath

I think half hourly to Oxford is overkill, but hourly yes

• 2tph limited stop to Westbury, 1tph of which continues to Portsmouth and 1tph of which continues to Weymouth

I would vary this, winter, each alternate one terminating at Yeovil, summer continuing to Weymouth

• 2tph stoppers to Westbury

As above, unless Westbury gets 4th platform back, it would be much better to terminate alternately at Warminster and Frome (both of which have had massive expansion). I realise both really need a reversing siding (like Bedwyn) so other trains can pass.

I'd add an hourly Bristol-Taunton all-stations via Westbury with additional stops at new stations at Somerton and Langport

Also need to consider the Trans-Wilts (the Chippenham-Trowbridge via Melksham), at the moment the long single track section sees frequently cancelled services, and some of its trains seem to be more operational needs than serving a regular service, (what is with Gloucester-Swindon-Southampton train ?). Would your service be better north of Trowbridge going to Chippenham or Swindon, than yet another service to Bath/Bristol.


Although this discussion is about service, desperately need to lengthen some of those 2car and 3car trains to Bristol. Really need 150m platforms so pairs of 3car units can operate at peak times.

 

[Magdalia]

A Bristol area recast needs to address the issues of the present and the future, not the past. Bristol is a fast growing city increasingly reliant on rail for commuting. A recast also needs to recognise the importance of Bath Spa, and future development at Brabazon.

It is worth looking at the latest data. Setting aside flows to/from London, the big flows (one way thousands in 2024/25) are:

606 Bath Spa-Bristol
270 Bristol-Cardiff
254 Bath Spa-Chippenham
178 Bristol-Cheltenham
164 Bath Spa-Trowbridge
157 Bath Spa-Swindon
149 Bristol-Taunton
141 Bristol-Chippenham
141 Bristol-Swindon
139 Bristol-Clifton Down
133 Bristol-Weston
116 Bristol-Newport
115 Bristol-Gloucester
111 Bristol-Exeter
109 Bath Spa-Bradford on Avon

A striking feature is that, coming in from the south and east, Bath Spa flows are bigger than Bristol.

I would be looking for 2tph on the following to serve these flows:

Paddington-Swindon-Bath Spa-Bristol
Oxford-Swindon-Bath Spa-Bristol
Westbury-Trowbridge-Bradford on Avon-Bath Spa-Bristol
Exeter-Taunton-Weston-Bristol
Cheltenham-Gloucester-Bristol
Cardiff-Newport-Bristol

I'm sceptical of the value of joining these up, especially where they require a reversal, but Exeter can probably be joined up with Cardiff or Cheltenham.

Some of them need to be longer trains. They also need to be not the "inter city" trains, where I'd just give Birmingham-Bristol-Exeter-Plymouth 1tph, though again with a long train.

Local services are going to be Severn Beach, Portishead and Brabazon/Henbury. If Bristol carries on growing rapidly I can see these needing to be more than 2tph. If they are not going to be that busy, why are Portishead and Henbury being built!? Looking from a long way away joining up Portishead and Henbury looks a good candidate for through working.

Also need to consider the Trans-Wilts (the Chippenham-Trowbridge via Melksham), at the moment the long single track section sees frequently cancelled services, and some of its trains seem to be more operational needs than serving a regular service, (what is with Gloucester-Swindon-Southampton train ?). Would your service be better north of Trowbridge going to Chippenham or Swindon, than yet another service to Bath/Bristol

What Melksham needs is a direct service to Bath Spa and Bristol. I'd go for a 2tph Melksham-Bath Spa-Bristol if it could be fitted in. If single track is involved it needs to be self-contained. Depending on timings these could also be the trains to serve Keynsham.

 

[PTR 444]

What Melksham needs is a direct service to Bath Spa and Bristol. I'd go for a 2tph Melksham-Bath Spa-Bristol if it could be fitted in. If single track is involved it needs to be self-contained. Depending on timings these could also be the trains to serve Keynsham.

This would necessitate reconstruction of the missing chord at Staverton. If it existed however, running the Melksham service from Swindon/Chippenham through to Bath/Bristol would probably have a much better business case than running to Westbury as per now.

 

[Acathater]

Also need to consider the Trans-Wilts (the Chippenham-Trowbridge via Melksham), at the moment the long single track section sees frequently cancelled services, and some of its trains seem to be more operational needs than serving a regular service, (what is with Gloucester-Swindon-Southampton train ?). Would your service be better north of Trowbridge going to Chippenham or Swindon, than yet another service to Bath/Bristol.

I think to Bath/Bristol as that's the natural direction for commuting from central Somerset

 

[Andyjs247]

In addition, once East West Rail is open, the Oxford trains could be extended to Milton Keynes Central, Cambridge, or even Norwich. I know there are some aspirations for EWR services to run beyond Oxford to Cambridge, albeit by doing so it increases the prospect of delays.

East West Rail is open now as far as Milton Keynes. Unfortunately, as discussed elsewhere, Chiltern are unable to provide a passenger service at present. Whether Chiltern actually gets to operate the service remains to be seen.

*Any* service between Oxford and Milton Keynes would be most welcome and an improvement on non-existent 2-car 196s. Whilst a 5-car 800 or 802 would be too big for the bay platform at MK, with a bit of imagination an extension to Northampton might be possible whether it is 1tp2h or 1tph.

 

[The Planner]

East West Rail is open now as far as Milton Keynes. Unfortunately, as discussed elsewhere, Chiltern are unable to provide a passenger service at present. Whether C

*Any* service between Oxford and Milton Keynes would be most welcome and an improvement on non-existent 2-car 196. Whilst a 5-car 800 or 802 would be too big for the bay platform at MK, with a bit of imagination an extension to Northampton might be possible whether it is 1tp2h or 1tph.

5 car 800 won't fit at Winslow or Bletchley at 130m without SDO. They don't fit in the MK bay either. Don't assume getting to/from Northampton would be easy either, you would certainly need extra rolling stock to do it.

 

[Manutd1999]

I don't think there's too much wrong with the longer distance services as they are, exectp for the need for an hourly Bristol (or Exeter)-Oxford service.

I would like to see the "MetroWest" concept fully built out though. Expanding to include Cardiff and running with a minimum 2ph on all branches, combining to give a high-frequency service through the core. Something like:

2ph Weston-Super-Mare - Bristol - Bath - Westbury
2ph Weston-Super-Mare - Bristol - Yate
2ph Portishead - Bristol - Henbury
2ph Bristol - Severn Beach/Avonmouth
2ph Bristol - Cardiff

 

[The exile]

I don't think there's too much wrong with the longer distance services as they are, exectp for the need for an hourly Bristol (or Exeter)-Oxford service.

I would like to see the "MetroWest" concept fully built out though. Expanding to include Cardiff and running with a minimum 2ph on all branches, combining to give a high-frequency service through the core. Something like:

2ph Weston-Super-Mare - Bristol - Bath - Westbury
2ph Weston-Super-Mare - Bristol - Yate
2ph Portishead - Bristol - Henbury
2ph Bristol - Severn Beach/Avonmouth
2ph Bristol - Cardiff

Assuming that the Bristol - Oxfords can stop at a reopened Corsham station, then (assuming the finances can be found) there should be a reinstatement of the Bradford North curve with at least 1 tph Bristol - Melksham - Chippenham / Swindon. Would also require redoubling of some (all?) of the line through Melksham, but that would be no bad thing!

 

[Snow1964]

Assuming that the Bristol - Oxfords can stop at a reopened Corsham station, then (assuming the finances can be found) there should be a reinstatement of the Bradford North curve with at least 1 tph Bristol - Melksham - Chippenham / Swindon. Would also require redoubling of some (all?) of the line through Melksham, but that would be no bad thing!

Holt station used to have island platform, and were sidings outside, it was also the junction for now closed line to Devizes. This means it would be quite easy to reopen north curve as single track, continuing these through former station site. With crossovers where the two curves join, will then have a passing place clear of the busy Westbury-Bath line. Line doesn't need doubling throughout, but needs a second loop in Beanacre - Lackock area (just north of Melksham)

 

[Sad Sprinter]

Half hourly Bristol to Birmingham Electrostar service calling at most stations.

Ditto for a Cardiff to Exeter service

Frequent electric stopper from Weston to Gloucester

 

[JohnRegular]

Poor Melksham really suffers from an unreliable and infrequent service that doesn't go to Bath and Bristol - I can't imagine anyone commutes between these stations.
I wouldn't want such a service to come at the expense of the existing Swindon-Westbury (hopefully extended to Salisbury) though; Trowbridge in particular is a sizeable town, and a reliable hourly service could be reasonably well-used.

I would vary this, winter, each alternate one terminating at Yeovil, summer continuing to Weymouth

I have wondered if every other train could go to Yeovil Junction (a handful of SWR trains via Westbury do this). Might open up some new journey opportunities with the West of England line.

 

[WTT Gremlin]

Poor Melksham really suffers from an unreliable and infrequent service that doesn't go to Bath and Bristol - I can't imagine anyone commutes between these stations.
I wouldn't want such a service to come at the expense of the existing Swindon-Westbury (hopefully extended to Salisbury) though; Trowbridge in particular is a sizeable town, and a reliable hourly service could be reasonably well-used.


I have wondered if every other train could go to Yeovil Junction (a handful of SWR trains via Westbury do this). Might open up some new journey opportunities with the West of England line.

From a pure crayon outlook, building a chord at Bradford-upon-Avon (and obviously double Melksham with double junctions all around) run 2 tph Temple Meads - Salisbury, and 2tph Temple Meads - Swindon. Would give 4tph turn up and go between Bristol to Bradford-on-Avon

 

[Snow1964]

Poor Melksham really suffers from an unreliable and infrequent service that doesn't go to Bath and Bristol - I can't imagine anyone commutes between these stations.
I wouldn't want such a service to come at the expense of the existing Swindon-Westbury (hopefully extended to Salisbury) though; Trowbridge in particular is a sizeable town, and a reliable hourly service could be reasonably well-used.

A number of towns in the area have grown (which is why Wiltshire gained a parliamentary constituency at last boundary Commission review).

Whats more likely to soon be a free for all on development because Wiltshires new strategic planning for next 12 years has been rejected by Planning Inspectorate, so soon will be no plan. (Basically councillors directed their paid council planning teams to a point where new plan was unacceptable) So watch this space, Wiltshire could soon be Bristols next commuter area

 

[PTR 444]

From a pure crayon outlook, building a chord at Bradford-upon-Avon (and obviously double Melksham with double junctions all around) run 2 tph Temple Meads - Salisbury, and 2tph Temple Meads - Swindon. Would give 4tph turn up and go between Bristol to Bradford-on-Avon

Would there be enough capacity for all of this between Bristol and Bradford-on-Avon, bearing in mind you would need to fit in Weymouth, Oxford and London trains too?

Also can the single track Melksham line handle 2tph to Bristol in addition to the existing Swindon - Westbury service (which should ideally be 1tph).