North Filton / Brabazon

[jazzy]

Does anyone know what progress has been made on the construction of North Filton / Brabazon station?

Also, I see in recent news about the chancellor’s announcement for money for local transport that it includes “funding to support WECA’s ambitions for increased frequency of services between Brabazon and the city centre.”

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/...ort-as-chancellor-vows-the-renewal-of-britain

billion

£150m to improve rail infrastructure across the region, including funding to support WECA’s ambitions for increased frequency of services between Brabazon and the city centre. £200m for Mass transit development between Bristol, Bath, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset.

Has anyone found any detail on what this actually means?

Presumably there’ll be an increase in the current hourly Bristol Temple Meads to Filton Abbey Wood shuttle that will extend to North Filton and Henbury stations when they open?

What needs to change to allow this increased frequency, infrastructure or just more rolling stock and staff?

 

[I'm here now]

Does anyone know what progress has been made on the construction of North Filton / Brabazon station?

Also, I see in recent news about the chancellor’s announcement for money for local transport that it includes “funding to support WECA’s ambitions for increased frequency of services between Brabazon and the city centre.”

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/...ort-as-chancellor-vows-the-renewal-of-britain


Has anyone found any detail on what this actually means?

Presumably there’ll be an increase in the current hourly Bristol Temple Meads to Filton Abbey Wood shuttle that will extend to North Filton and Henbury stations when they open?

What needs to change to allow this increased frequency, infrastructure or just more rolling stock and staff?

It’s just some funding proclaimed as new. CRSTS2, I believe.

 

[davetheguard]

Can someone tell me what CRSTS2 means please!

 

[Snow1964]

Work actually started on Brabazon station in mid March, although like many projects initial work is enabling.

Depending on which documents you read, and how upto date they are, completion dates vary from 2026 to 2027. But most recent ones seem to suggest 27 months from the mid March 2025 start, so opening with summer (June) timetable change 2027.

The 19,000 seat YTL arena in the old hangers now expected to open mid 2028 having been delayed from its initial planned date of 2024 or 2025

 

[SkinnyFists]

Can someone tell me what CRSTS2 means please!

City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement, round 2 (round 1 is 2022-2027). It's basically the main transport funding pot from central government given to all combined authorities, in this case West England CA. A large proportion is then doled out to the respective local authorities.

 

[zwk500]

Presumably there’ll be an increase in the current hourly Bristol Temple Meads to Filton Abbey Wood shuttle that will extend to North Filton and Henbury stations when they open?

What needs to change to allow this increased frequency, infrastructure or just more rolling stock and staff?

AIUI initial service will remain at 1tph, just with the existing shuttle extended.

 

[Last Hurrah]

An hourly 2/3 coach service won’t be suitable post event for an attendance of 19000 with a significant number wanting to head back towards the city centre

To late now, but the vacant site near Temple Meads would have been a far better location

 

[WelshBluebird]

AIUI initial service will remain at 1tph, just with the existing shuttle extended.

Does the funding recently announced (mentioned in the original post) not change that?

 

[zwk500]

Does the funding recently announced (mentioned in the original post) not change that?

No idea, we'll have to wait and see how it all shakes out.

 

[jazzy]

Does the funding recently announced (mentioned in the original post) not change that?

That’s what I was trying to establish by starting this thread

https://travelwest.info/projects/henbury-rail-line-metrowest-phase-2/ suggests it will be 1 tph which is the frequency of the current Bristol Temple Meads to Filton Abbey Wood shuttle that’s being extended to North Filton and Henbury. The funding announcement talks about the frequency increasing (apparently a WECA aspiration) but I can find nothing online about WECA having such an aspiration.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

An hourly 2/3 coach service won’t be suitable post event for an attendance of 19000 with a significant number wanting to head back towards the city centre

To late now, but the vacant site near Temple Meads would have been a far better location

I imagine there would be additional provision of services on dates with stadium events?

 

[The exile]

I imagine there would be additional provision of services on dates with stadium events?

Or, along the lines of Coventry Arena, cancellation of all calls at Brabazon due to inadequate capacity for major events.

 

[zwk500]

That’s what I was trying to establish by starting this thread

https://travelwest.info/projects/henbury-rail-line-metrowest-phase-2/ suggests it will be 1 tph which is the frequency of the current Bristol Temple Meads to Filton Abbey Wood shuttle that’s being extended to North Filton and Henbury. The funding announcement talks about the frequency increasing (apparently a WECA aspiration) but I can find nothing online about WECA having such an aspiration.

The exact wording from the government press release is:

£150m to improve rail infrastructure across the region, including funding to support WECA’s ambitions for increased frequency of services between Brabazon and the city centre.

(https://www.gov.uk/government/news/...ort-as-chancellor-vows-the-renewal-of-britain)

That means that £150m supports other projects, it's not all for the Henbury line. There's also electrification, services out to Gloucester, , Portishead, etc that could all come under the very broad banner of 'improve rail infrastructure across the region'.
WECA's 10-year delivery plan in 2020 https://www.westofengland-ca.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/10-Year-Rail-Delivery-Plan.pdf does talk about 3tph to Severn Beach and 4tph to Westbury.

 

[The exile]

The exact wording from the government press release is:

(https://www.gov.uk/government/news/...ort-as-chancellor-vows-the-renewal-of-britain)

That means that £150m supports other projects, it's not all for the Henbury line. There's also electrification, services out to Gloucester, , Portishead, etc that could all come under the very broad banner of 'improve rail infrastructure across the region'.
WECA's 10-year delivery plan in 2020 https://www.westofengland-ca.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/10-Year-Rail-Delivery-Plan.pdf does talk about 3tph to Severn Beach and 4tph to Westbury.

And of course 1tph (indeed 1tpw!) is an increase in frequency over the status quo! So “politician speak” to be taken with the proverbial pinch of salt.

 

[Snow1964]

Does the funding recently announced (mentioned in the original post) not change that?

There are now extra funds, but not yet clear which of WECA aspirations are in the priority queue. Nothing been announced regarding revised target service commencement dates for any of the proposals.

Even if Bristol area gets handful of extra trains (released by 175s in South West), unlikely to be enough rolling stock until new trains arrive. Some services are currently operating as 2car (were previously 3car) or 3car (instead of pairs of units). Do they start extra services or restore train lengths ?

It's not practical to order BEMUs without the Temple Meads area being electrified because some services would be completely off wire all day and battery range is typically nearer 50-70 miles (temperature dependant) whereas many units do nearer 200-400 miles per day.

 

[tpm]

As I understand it, the Brabazon masterplan is is divided into four phases, each unlocking more development. The first requires the delivery of the new station (imminent, hopefully). The second phase requires 2-3 trains per hour. The third phase requires direct trains to Parkway in addition to that, and the fourth a metro line. So I would expect this to be pretty high on the list, as it unlocks development and associated benefits (and is probably also easier to deliver than many other schemes in the region).

 

[Snow1964]

The WECA masterplan is 3.5 years old, it came out 9 months after start of pandemic, so not a pre-pandemic version.

All the proposed dates are in table 2

https://www.westofengland-ca.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/10-Year-Rail-Delivery-Plan.pdf

 

[Edvid]

City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement, round 2 (round 1 is 2022-2027).

CRSTS2 is now called Transport for City Regions, as per the announcement.

 

[Annetts key]

The exact wording from the government press release is:

£150m to improve rail infrastructure across the region, including funding to support WECA’s ambitions for increased frequency of services between Brabazon and the city centre.

(https://www.gov.uk/government/news/...ort-as-chancellor-vows-the-renewal-of-britain)

That means that £150m supports other projects, it's not all for the Henbury line. There's also electrification, services out to Gloucester, , Portishead, etc that could all come under the very broad banner of 'improve rail infrastructure across the region'.
WECA's 10-year delivery plan in 2020 https://www.westofengland-ca.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/10-Year-Rail-Delivery-Plan.pdf does talk about 3tph to Severn Beach and 4tph to Westbury.

So, it's money to upgrade or improve infrastructure only.
And it's only £150m which is likely going to be split across multiple projects.

Nice to have, but once divided up, it may not a great deal of money per project, depending on how many projects it's going towards and how big they are.

 

[The exile]

So, it's money to upgrade or improve infrastructure only.
And it's only £150m which is likely going to be split across multiple projects.

Nice to have, but once divided up, it may not a great deal of money per project, depending on how many projects it's going towards and how big they are.

Doesn’t preclude some of the remaining 650 million also being used for infrastructure, presumably - this 150 being ringfenced for it?

 

[zwk500]

Doesn’t preclude some of the remaining 650 million also being used for infrastructure, presumably - this 150 being ringfenced for it?

well £200m is ringfenced for mass transit, but there's still £450m that hasn't had any further details. We shall have to wait and see if any further detail is announced tomorrow.

 

[The exile]

well £200m is ringfenced for mass transit, but there's still £450m that hasn't had any further details. We shall have to wait and see if any further detail is announced tomorrow.

Doubt there will be- after all, isn’t this funding the “reward” for having a mayor - who is in control of semi-devolved transport? What we may well hear about tomorrow (or not) is other schemes which do not fall under the purlieu of any one mayoral authority or are being progressed under legacy national schemes.

 

[John R]

What surprises me is that Portishead wasn’t announced as part of that money. If it’s not announced tomorrow then I’m not sure where the project stands.

 

[The exile]

What surprises me is that Portishead wasn’t announced as part of that money. If it’s not announced tomorrow then I’m not sure where the project stands.

The optimist in me thinks that it’s mostly “national money” (having come from one of those programmes) so might come up tomorrow - with WECAs extra contribution being in last week’s pot (but held over as the majority “good news story” is for this week. The realist in me is less hopeful.

 

[Benjwri]

Doubt there will be- after all, isn’t this funding the “reward” for having a mayor - who is in control of semi-devolved transport? What we may well hear about tomorrow (or not) is other schemes which do not fall under the purlieu of any one mayoral authority or are being progressed under legacy national schemes.

Rail is a complicated mess when it comes to mayoral areas. It’s still the purview of the national government and Network Rail, but the local governments basically pay in part or whole for improvements so they become more financially viable.

 

[Annetts key]

Work actually started on Brabazon station in mid March, although like many projects initial work is enabling.

Depending on which documents you read, and how upto date they are, completion dates vary from 2026 to 2027. But most recent ones seem to suggest 27 months from the mid March 2025 start, so opening with summer (June) timetable change 2027.

The 19,000 seat YTL arena in the old hangers now expected to open mid 2028 having been delayed from its initial planned date of 2024 or 2025

The aspirational date for North Filton (Brabazon) Station to open is November 2026. This will be with a 1tph service to/from Temple Meads.

The plan is to terminate trains at this station. Then the train will continue on the down line as ECS to Hallen Moor where there is an existing crossover. Reverse and return to the up platform to form the return service.

Later, after the new Henbury Station has been completed (including the associated track and signalling infrastructure changes), the train will terminate and change direction here.

 

[John R]

The aspirational date for North Filton (Brabazon) Station to open is November 2026. This will be with a 1tph service to/from Temple Meads.

The plan is to terminate trains at this station. Then the train will continue on the down line as ECS to Hallen Moor where there is an existing crossover. Reverse and return to the up platform to form the return service.

Later, after the new Henbury Station has been completed (including the associated track and signalling infrastructure changes), the train will terminate and change direction here.

That's helpful. Out of interest, what is the planned service once Henbury is open? Still only hourly?

Edit: Sorry - just seen that's discussed earlier!

 

[Snow1964]

Don't seem to have an open thread on Henbury, so posting here as it is same line.

Bristol Post live is reporting that Henbury station is expected to receive planning permission next week.

Planning permission could be approved for a new train station in a Bristol suburb next week. Henbury station would be built next to the A4018 Wyck Beck Road on the border between Bristol and South Gloucestershire.

South Gloucestershire Council is considering the application, as the station lies just on the north side of the border between the two council areas. The plans will be voted on by councillors on the strategic sites delivery committee on Wednesday, October 1. Planning officers are recommending that the committee vote to approve permission for the new station.

New Bristol train station set to be given green light next week

The station is expected to open in 2028

www.bristolpost.co.uk

 

[Snow1964]

Update on Henbury :
Planning permission was granted today (1 October)

It has finally happened - the Henbury Train Station has finally received planning consent from South Glos Council.

Despite securing funding a decade ago this much needed scheme has been delayed time and time again but has finally been given the go ahead after years of dither. The new station is due to come on track in early 2028.

Thank god - still a ways to go but we have funding and planning consent so this is a good day and much needed progress.

The one bit that still needs working out is the connecting ramp down from the dual carriageway but that is expected to be resolved prior to opening. It is also important to note that this is just the ‘spur scheme’ rather than the full henbury loop - essentially the train runs to and from Temple Meads but sadly doesn’t connect to Avonmouth. Let’s get this delivered and then start pushing for that much needed Avonmouth connection to that greater Henbury Loop ambition.

Despite this being delayed, and incomplete (as we really want the loop), this is still a good day.

Everything Henbury | It has finally happened - the Henbury Train Station has finally received planning consent from South Glos Council | Facebook

It has finally happened - the Henbury Train Station has finally received planning consent from South Glos Council. Despite securing funding a decade ago this much needed scheme has been delayed...

www.facebook.com

 

[Snow1964]

WECA has issued an update ahead of a meeting on 17th October

Two new railway stations at Henbury and North Filton are set to move a step closer this week.

Plans to further progress both stations will be reviewed by the Mayor and council leaders at click to open in a new window their next joint meeting on 17 October.

click to open in a new window Planning permission for Henbury station was granted earlier this month by South Gloucestershire Council, while work on site at North Filton is already underway. These stations, which are along the Henbury line, are being mainly funded by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, with contributions from South Gloucestershire Council, Bristol City Council, North Somerset Council, and GWR, with Network Rail as a key partner.

Both stations are part of the West Innovation Arc proposal, a corridor of connected development across Brabazon, a transformed Bristol Parkway station, and the Bristol & Bath Science Park. The Government’s New Towns Taskforce click to open in a new window recommended Brabazon and the West Innovation Arc for new town status at the end of September.

The proposed next stage of funding covers:

• North Filton station opening and further detailed design work on Henbury station
• Track and signalling upgrades on the Filton West railway curve, between Filton Abbey Wood and North Filton, enabling trains to travel up to 40mph and therefore run every hour in the initial service – and help make possible a more frequent service across the suburban network in the future
• A train to serve the hourly North Filton service, while engineering works are undertaken to increase capacity on the Henbury line

£38m step forward for new train stations - West of England Combined Authority

www.westofengland-ca.gov.uk