TheLastMinute
Member
I think there was, but it amended three or four years to the current Weston-super-Mare to Avonmouth/Severn Beach hourly service.
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Ashley Down station construction updates
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contrex
Established Member
When I mentioned the station opening on a Facebook group dedicated to the St Werburghs area, one person responded rather aggrieved that he would not be able to nip up to Parkway and get a fast train to London.
WesternBiker
Member
Indeed, but for those between Weston and Bristol, I’m sure Parkway would be a more useful destination…
zwk500
Veteran Member
It would, as well as providing extra coverage between Filton Abbey Wood and Bristol Parkway, which has always seemed far too underserved.
Xenophon PCDGS
Veteran Member
Has a timetable amendment been made which will show exactly what trains will be stopping at Ashley Down station?
WelshBluebird
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The stops are already on RTT and the NRE and GWR websites and apps are showing it. Doesn't seem to be in the Trainline's data yet (at least on the app).
Simple answer though is that Mon to Sat it's just the hourly Temple Meads to Filton shuttle, and on Sundays it's a subset of the Cardiff Central to Taunton / Exeter / Penzance services.
I’m still holding out for them eventually running the Avonmouth terminators through on to the Henbury line, but that was ruled out fairly early on in the proposals, I guess because it would only make sense for certain intermediate journeys, being something of a long way round. A Temple Meads to Parkway via Avonmouth would be quite handy for me as an alternative. Maybe if they eventually get the arena up and running at Filton and that area becomes more of a destination then we might see something like this.
I’m sure a half hourly service will emerge eventually for Ashley Down, there definitely seems to be more ridership on suburban trains, particularly between BTM & Clifton Down, so logical this will be a success too if a decent service is available. Give it a couple of decades and the Thornbury trains will call there too.
Snow1964
Established Member
The ORR authorisation is for two platforms of 126m length
For reference a 2car + 3car 16x is about 117m
two 3car 165s are 140m
a 5car IET is 130m
and if electrified a pair of 387s are about 161m
Not sure how platform length calculated.
For reference a 2car + 3car 16x is about 117m
two 3car 165s are 140m
a 5car IET is 130m
and if electrified a pair of 387s are about 161m
Not sure how platform length calculated.
I'm sure some appreciate the cross-city connectivity, but frequencies at Bedminster and Parson Street are too low to be attractive and there are long dwell times at Temple Meads.
Last time I went from Bristol to Weston it was quicker to walk to Temple Meads and catch a fast train to Weston, despite Stapleton Road being closer to me
freetoview33
Established Member
As part of a local group I can tell you what proposals there are.
Snow1964
Established Member
As far as I can work out the stopping at Ashley Down on Saturday 28th runs from first train, so there probably is a formal opening (without trains) earlier in the wee.
Sunday 29th, looks majority of the service is provided by IETs running between Cardiff and Taunton (I am guessing with selective door opening as ORR seems to suggest platforms only 126m long)
Xenophon PCDGS
Veteran Member
If this station offers as much has been intimated in this thread with the population level information present and future in the possession of official bodies, in the knowledge of what train services will be stopping there, why were the platforms only designed to be 126m long?
It’s what happens at Filton AW as well.
for a start, the IETs will be sent packing back to what they were built to do as soon as there’s anything to replace them.
Snow1964
Established Member
It is also closest station to Gloucestershire county cricket ground (Seat unique stadium) so is likely to be busy on match and other event days (and there are evening events eg the big drone shows in December)
The logic of not giving the option of 2 x3car does seem rather shortsighted, as harder to find correct stock to make up a train with a 2car and a 3car unit than if have flexibility to make up any 5 or 6 car formation on event days.
Though 6 car formations round here are as rare as hens teeth.
zwk500
Veteran Member
Pretty sure 6 cars can't do Severn Beach branch or Platform 1 at Temple Meads, which the Filton service interworks with.
Platform length is probably because of site constraints. Northbound platform has a bridge at one end and a cycle path between Allotments, which would’ve required purchase of said allotments or permanent closure of the path.
Going longer either way would be expensive and given Filton is shorter so prevents longer units unless that is extended, and any future stock will very likely have SDO, carries very little benefit.
Going longer either way would be expensive and given Filton is shorter so prevents longer units unless that is extended, and any future stock will very likely have SDO, carries very little benefit.
126m is easily enough for 5 car 16x which were supposed to be the default formation for the Pompeys. Definitely no issue with 4 car 387s either, if the wires ever go up. A five car 80x might have one door locked by ASDO which is a minor inconvenience but the units were never supposed to be working stopping services anyway, were it not for the DMU shortage forced upon GWR.
If I was a planner concerned about the number of seats serving Ashley Down, I'd be looking to increase frequencies rather than lengthen trains anyway. Hourly is very poor for an inner-suburban station.
freetoview33
Established Member
The formal opening is on Friday 27th with a stop on an existing service from Temple Meads and stops on two return trips from Filton Abbey Wood.
D6130
Established Member
Let's hope somebody remembers to notify the drivers concerned. The number of new station openings that have been ruined by failure to take this simple step! (e.g. Haddenham & Thame Parkway, Bentley (South Yorks. etc.)
freetoview33
Established Member
I will tell you if it doesn't! It did at Portway Park & Ride last year so there is a good omen
Do you have any more detail? Will the public be able to catch the train?
freetoview33
Established Member
No, will be just a special reserved carriage on a normal service.
WelshBluebird
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Based on a tweet by Martin Booth from Bristol 24/7, this formal open just happened this morning.
x.com
Based on the time of his tweet and RTT, looks like it may have been the 10.05 from Temple Meads: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:G44211/2024-09-27/detailed#allox_id=0 (assuming based on time of tweet and that service losing a couple of mins in the area).
Edit - and now lots of pr / reports of it this afternoon (too many to link to!)
x.com
x.com
With a video of a train just after starting to leave Ashley Down.
Based on the time of his tweet and RTT, looks like it may have been the 10.05 from Temple Meads: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:G44211/2024-09-27/detailed#allox_id=0 (assuming based on time of tweet and that service losing a couple of mins in the area).
Edit - and now lots of pr / reports of it this afternoon (too many to link to!)
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Whether or not this was a happy coincidence, but today’s official opening took place on George Mueller’s 219th birthday. For those who don’t know the area, he was the founder of the orphanage which dominates the skyline at Ashley Down.
WelshBluebird
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And open. Was pretty busy for the first train!
Very happy to see so many locals turn out for it!
And the good thing was the parents explaining to their children all the places they could now go easily by train. It wasn't just people out to have a gawk!
Indeed and also on a night where there's a concert on Cardiff or sporting event, to name just two, it could be a healthy amount.
Catchment area of new station is pretty dense suburbs.
Moderator note: as construction of the station has concluded, this infrastructure updates thread is now locked.
For trip planning / experiences discussion, please use the following thread:
Ashley Down station: experiences of using the new station and trip planning discussion
Once again JenOnTheMove has done an excellent video
www.railforums.co.uk
To discuss the new timetable, please use:
Ashley Down station timetabled services
The timetable today has been amended to include a number of stops on services via Yate it appears. The thing I really don't get is that looking at Monday onwards, the 2051 Bristol Temple Meads to Bristol Parkway and 2131 return from Bristol Parkway haven't had an Ashley Down stop inserted...
www.railforums.co.uk
For any posts of a speculative nature, please use:
How should the new Ashley Down station be served?
Moderator note: Split from https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/ashley-down-station-construction-updates.241979/ Can anyone predict which services might call at Ashley Down? Is there likely to be a direct service to Bath?
www.railforums.co.uk
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