I live in Filton and my local councillor shared a message from network rail that drainage works associated with North Filton/Brabazon station will start in early august, with freight diverted via Severn beach line and an associated cut in passenger frequency there outside peaks.
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Portishead Approved - Construction Updates Thread - No speculation
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RailUK Forums
The current situation is that both reopening are going ahead - and things are moving forward with the opening of Charfield station as well. Money was made available for frequency improvements as well - though what that actually means has yet to be made clear. With the Burns Report stations probably meaning extra services from S Wales into Bristol - there’s going to be a lot going on.
norbitonflyer
Established Member
Timescales? I see Portishead has now slipped to 2028. What about Henbury?
Snow1964
Established Member
The north Bristol and South Gloucestershire councillors have been told that has also slipped to 2028
North Bristol Conservative Councillor angered by drift, dally and delay over crucial train station!
Conservative Councillor Mark Weston has expressed his anger and frustration over the news that the opening of the promised new Henbury station has been further delayed until 2028.
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North Filton extension of the current Abbey Wood shuttle “by 2027” (which sounds to me a bit like “we’re aiming for the end of 2026 but don’t reckon we’ll make it!”) That shouldn’t require any extra stock.
Forgive me for asking this question, as it has probably been answered elsewhere, but I can't seem to find an answer when I search the forum.
From photos of the disused line, I've seen road crossing what I imagine would have been level crossings. Are there going to be level crossings built on the new line?
From photos of the disused line, I've seen road crossing what I imagine would have been level crossings. Are there going to be level crossings built on the new line?
zwk500
Veteran Member
I'm fairly sure there will be no new level crossings, but the existing level crossing at the former Ashton Gate station site (Ashton Vale Road) will be upgraded.
duffield
Established Member
The main potential "new" level crossing on the former route was at Quays Road in Portishead but the ORR were apparently "not keen" and eventually it was decided to terminate the line on the far side of this road, to the south-east.
Annetts key
Established Member
There are no new level crossings that I am aware of, and some "existing" occupation /accommodation crossings are being done away with (these on the part of the line that is currently disused).
Ashton Junction Crossing - on Ashton Vale Road, is already a modern full barrier CCTV MCB crossing (with auto-raise). The former MCB (that was controlled from the old Ashton Junction signal box) was completely renewed in this modern form before this line reopened to freight (December 2001). What do you think needs upgrading or what proposals have you heard about or discovered?
zwk500
Veteran Member
I don't know anything for sure having not been directly involved but any uplift in service usually results in NR deciding *something* needs to be done.
Snow1964
Established Member
Quays Road is relatively new, originally the line ran straight, then curved towards the dock at the area now known as Parish Wharf. A new resited station was built in 1950s.
At that time the town was to west of the dock, and there was nothing except a criss cross of drainage ditches when Quays Road now exists. Apart from some minor cart track type roads the only road in area was the A369 Sheepway, Sheepway is now a B road and A369 takes different route.
The problem with terminating the line other side of the Quays, is it then doesn't reach town centre, or the original town, or the area with supermarkets. The Quays cut the trackbed, so logically would be replaced by a bridge if linen reopened, but that is not what is happening. The area where new station is proposed has some modern housing designed to be served by cars, unlike the older town where ORR doesn't want it to go back to.
Web4160
Member
That's not quite accurate. The plans are to divert Quays Avenue where it crosses the railway nearer the town and the new station will be partly at least sited where the existing road is.
Those of us who live to the east of Quays Road are not looking forward to the ensuring road works which will involve moving a traffic island. Ridiculous the ORR wouldn't allow a level crossing as trains would have been travelling at about 5 mph entering and leaving the station where it was originally going to be built.
zwk500
Veteran Member
Given the record of traffic at other crossings, it's not ridiculous at all. And the works moving a traffic island will be no more disruptive than those to install a level crossing would have been. Also, if/when the service gets to 2tph the 4 closures and hour wouldn't do a lot of good to the traffic in the town. For the sake of maybe 1/3rd of a mile installing a Level crossing would have been ridiculous.
What will happen to the remaining trackbed to the west of Quays Avenue? Feels like a good opportunity to create a shared use path alongside a new pedestrian crossing or underpass to take it to the new station.
I don't think the slightly further away station location will make much difference in practise. It can be mitigated by improving walking and cycling links from the town centre
I don't think the slightly further away station location will make much difference in practise. It can be mitigated by improving walking and cycling links from the town centre
Web4160
Member
Except it's more than just moving a traffic island. Quays Avenue will have to be moved to the west and approximately 200 yards of new road will need to be built. I suspect that will cause significantly more disruption than installing a single track level crossing. Plus as I point out below there will need to be a pedestrian crossing installed.
In any case I understand the refusal was on safety grounds not traffic disruption.
The trackbed to the west of Quays Avenue is supposed to be being used for a shared access path although the diverted road will presumably take up some of the land and a pedestrian crossing will need to be installed to enable the crossing of the diverted Quays Avenue
Snow1964
Established Member
So the road will be moved, but needs a pedestrian crossing for people to get to/from the station.
Can have a new pedestrian crossing, but not a low speed road level crossing. Do I detect inconsistent double standards.
In the last 10 years an access road was built across the railbed next to Portbury docks to allow an extra car storage space to be built - I wonder what will happen with that now?
The what three words location of the crossing is: pocket.guitar.town
The what three words location of the crossing is: pocket.guitar.town
Web4160
Member
I've just ridden past that on my bike. It looks like it is intended to be temporary in that its just tarmac laid across the rails although how they will get cars in and out when the railway is open is not clear.
tumbles
Member
Portishead is fully go ahead. Green light. Work starts in new year, although preliminary work already underway.
Henbury line is just a spur with two stations - North Filton & Henbury. Not the full loop - https://travelwest.info/projects/henbury-rail-line-metrowest-phase-2/
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It was always under the agreement that should railway line reopened they would have to build a new bridge. The hump back bridge by court house farm isn’t strong enough or wide enough for heavy traffic. Not sure what they’re planning as they’ve just expanded to have a car park by the M5 northbound just past J19 slip road.
Sustrans will also have to re route the cycle path somewhat although most of it is existing tracks. One bit will need to go under the avonmouth bridge along the route the old pedestrian walkway used to be before they widened the motorway and lost the northbound side walkway.
One of the subjects that often comes up regarding the attractiveness of the Portishead line is the location of Temple Meads with regard to the centre of Bristol. I've commented before that much of the white collar employment is based within 5 minutes at and around Temple Quay so very attractive for Portishead commuters. It's worth noting that today one of the largest private sector employers in Bristol (Hargreaves Lansdown) has announced its relocation from Anchor Road (around 20 mins walk away) to Temple Quay. With 2,000 Head Office staff (although I'm sure not all are in every day), that's another shift of the centre of gravity, added to which the massive University development at Temple Quarter will soon be starting to come on stream.
So I'm sure there will be plenty of takers for the new service.
So I'm sure there will be plenty of takers for the new service.
zwk500
Veteran Member
Agreed, although maybe 15 minutes rather than 5! And then there's the redevelopments south of the railway, including the new University of Bristol Enterprise campus, to add in on top of it.
tumbles
Member
The developments around Temple Quay are really going at a pace and absolutely right about the attractiveness of it. Just starting to worry how overcrowded some of the peak time trains might be if it starts as a 3 coach service.
zwk500
Veteran Member
I expect anybody from Portishead or Pill will get a seat in the morning although passengers from Parson Street and Bedminster may well choose to stand regardless given the short length of the journey. From experience on the Clifton Down line, in the evening there will be full and standing services but anybody going beyond Parson Street will probably find passengers for the earlier stops hang in the vestibules anyway for a quicker getaway on arrival so there's still seats available.
I regularly get the services between 17.00 and 18.30 from Temple Meads and have rarely not been able to get a seat before Stapleton Road. Admittedly that is on a half-hourly service but conversely it's on a line with a far bigger catchment.
Snow1964
Established Member
Just some of the jobs, and there is a 10 year plan to create 72,000 jobs in Bristol and Bath area.
72,000 new jobs: West’s Growth Strategy published - West of England Combined Authority
www.westofengland-ca.gov.uk
The full West of England Growth report is 120 pages so not going to quote it, but linking it for reference.
Snow1964
Established Member
18th - 19th October, lines are closed at Bedminster.
Not sure if this is routine work, or part of upgrades.
This is the section that was quadrupled in 1930s with platforms rebuilt to 200+m long
www.gwr.com
Not sure if this is routine work, or part of upgrades.
This is the section that was quadrupled in 1930s with platforms rebuilt to 200+m long
Planned Engineering Work and Disruption | Great Western Railway
Find out about planned engineering works, travel disruption and changes to Great Western Railway's published train timetables here.
www.gwr.com
Annetts key
Established Member
Likely to be only normal engineering work.18th - 19th October, lines are closed at Bedminster.
Not sure if this is routine work, or part of upgrades.
This is the section that was quadrupled in 1930s with platforms rebuilt to 200+m long
Planned Engineering Work and Disruption | Great Western Railway
Find out about planned engineering works, travel disruption and changes to Great Western Railway's published train timetables here.
tumbles
Member
Just standard work I think. They are slowly planning redoing the approach signalling/track that side of BTM but I think they said it will 2028 before its done.18th - 19th October, lines are closed at Bedminster.
Not sure if this is routine work, or part of upgrades.
This is the section that was quadrupled in 1930s with platforms rebuilt to 200+m long
Planned Engineering Work and Disruption | Great Western Railway
Find out about planned engineering works, travel disruption and changes to Great Western Railway's published train timetables here.
Feel like bit of poor planning losing the bridge over South Liberty Lane on the old Portishead west loop. At least the track bed is still there should they want to re-add a new bridge in future - anyone know when this was originally removed?
zwk500
Veteran Member
The potential for there being enough demand to justify reinstating that curve must be extremely low. It seems silly to incur the costs of building a bridge over nothing for the sake of a railway that'll never come.
The freight from Portbury is heading North or East, the passenger flow from Portishead and Pill is to Bristol, Cardiff and London. The remaining traffic from Weston or Taunton and beyond to Portishead can change at Parson Street or Temple Meads and any freight that does want to head west can run via Westbury if needed (or a convoluted loop via Avonmouth).
pdeaves
Established Member
June/July 2023.