Portishead Approved - Construction Updates Thread - No speculation

[zwk500]

Surely a new entrance at the Southern end would either obliterate pl.2 completely (and with it the DMU stabling) or need a lift anyway as ground level is well below track level.

If you get rid of the parcels office there's no need to impact the tracks. However there is a new entrance on the eastern side due to open as part of the Enterprise Quarter development anyway which would fulfill a very similar purpose.

 

[Snow1964]

Local Somerset news is reporting that WECA (West of England Combined Authority) has agreed to pay £27m so construction can start this summer

The West of England Combined Authority has today (March 14) agreed to spend £27m to get the Portishead Railway back on track.

Work on restoring the railway line between Bristol, Pill, and the North Somerset town is now planned to begin in the summer — 61 years after the line was closed. The long awaited project to restore the abandoned railway had been thrown into limbo last year after the government cancelled the scheme set to fund the project.

£27m funding agreed to get Portishead Railway on track

Work could start in the summer

www.somersetlive.co.uk

 

[Dr Day]

Have DfT formally committed to paying their contribution, or is that waiting for the Spending Review or something else?

 

[Snow1964]

Have DfT formally committed to paying their contribution, or is that waiting for the Spending Review or something else?

I believe they did one of their conditional yes few months back agreeing subject to others also funding, so if WECA and others put up their shares, then yes.

If they actually expected the other parties to pay up is a different question.

 

[JKF]

Pretty sure all the ducks are in a row now, bar any last minute ‘tough decisions’ due to the economy. Looking forward to ‘construction updates’ in a few months! I may well go out and try to photograph as much of the line as possible over the next few months to document the ‘before’ condition. It’s not easy to get to a lot of places in the gorge but I’ve been fighting my way through vegetation to capture the steel trains over the last year and found quite a few interesting viewpoints.

 

[Sun Chariot]

I may well go out and try to photograph as much of the line as possible over the next few months to document the ‘before’ condition.

Great idea. I've never been geographically close enough to that branch.

I've done similar for some of the Bicester to Bletchley line - freight services before the line's mothballing in 1993, then I photo'd Verney Junction and Swanbourne just before line's reconstruction; and last October's trial runs with 800 & 168.
It's provided a fascinating comparison.

 

[Yindee8191]

Pretty sure all the ducks are in a row now, bar any last minute ‘tough decisions’ due to the economy. Looking forward to ‘construction updates’ in a few months! I may well go out and try to photograph as much of the line as possible over the next few months to document the ‘before’ condition. It’s not easy to get to a lot of places in the gorge but I’ve been fighting my way through vegetation to capture the steel trains over the last year and found quite a few interesting viewpoints.

I live in the area so might do the same. There’s a section you can currently walk along between the town and Sheepway so I’ll try and get some pictures of that.

 

[JKF]

There are currently contractors out clearing vegetation at the southern end of the line, working near the former Clifton Bridge station and having cleared vegetation within the line boundary from the suspension bridge tunnel. Having spoken briefly with one of them I believe this is just routine maintenance and not connected with the reopening, but it would help with access for things like ground investigation works.

It’s most noticeable around the suspension bridge end where several small trees have been removed giving a much clearer view of the line from the other side of the river, better for photos and videos!

 

[zwk500]

There are currently contractors out clearing vegetation at the southern end of the line, working near the former Clifton Bridge station and having cleared vegetation within the line boundary from the suspension bridge tunnel. Having spoken briefly with one of them I believe this is just routine maintenance and not connected with the reopening, but it would help with access for things like ground investigation works.

It’s most noticeable around the suspension bridge end where several small trees have been removed giving a much clearer view of the line from the other side of the river, better for photos and videos!

This section of line is, of course, still an active one and sees a regular heavy freight flow so maintenance needs to be carried out regardless of whether or not passenger services will run.

 

[Pat31]

There are currently contractors out clearing vegetation at the southern end of the line, working near the former Clifton Bridge station and having cleared vegetation within the line boundary from the suspension bridge tunnel. Having spoken briefly with one of them I believe this is just routine maintenance and not connected with the reopening, but it would help with access for things like ground investigation works.

It’s most noticeable around the suspension bridge end where several small trees have been removed giving a much clearer view of the line from the other side of the river, better for photos and videos!

I think this is annual clearance as it's an active line. I do remember them carrying out similar works around this time last year on that section.

 

[brad465]

This section of line is, of course, still an active one and sees a regular heavy freight flow so maintenance needs to be carried out regardless of whether or not passenger services will run.

How often is the freight service currently, and what RTT markers exist along the route to help identify when they run? (as on the branch, not the mainline where far more services make identifying branch line services harder)

 

[John R]

How often is the freight service currently, and what RTT markers exist along the route to help identify when they run? (as on the branch, not the mainline where far more services make identifying branch line services harder)

Here’s one such service.

Realtime Trains | 6Z51 1657 Portbury Automotive Terml to Margam T.C. | 19/03/2025

Real-time train running information for 6Z51 1657 departure from Portbury Automotive Terml to Margam T.C. on 19/03/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[zwk500]

How often is the freight service currently, and what RTT markers exist along the route to help identify when they run? (as on the branch, not the mainline where far more services make identifying branch line services harder)

At least once, normally twice each way daily - conveying steel from Portbury to Port Talbot while they rebuild the works for an Electric Arc Furnace and then the empties back to Portbury. @John R has provided the Timing Points to look for in RTT.
The evening steel train comes through Bristol Temple Meads at peak time, and makes a lovely squeal on the Up Through as it does.

 

[JKF]

How often is the freight service currently, and what RTT markers exist along the route to help identify when they run? (as on the branch, not the mainline where far more services make identifying branch line services harder)

Steel trains run every weekday at the moment, sometimes two each day. DB Cargo were operating them on a short term contract since the autumn, then GBRF were appointed to a three-year contract which started about three weeks ago, but due to issues with the wagons they had converted for this job it’s gone back to DB temporarily. There’s also paths for an inbound Saturday train for GBRF, but that hasn’t run yet.

RTT isn’t very reliable for the branch, trains often leave Portbury and get as far as Ashton before it’s reported as leaving. I search on ‘Portbury Dock Stop Board’ which will catch anything going into the docks.

Traksy is a bit more reliable but sometimes that reports late. I’ve spent many hours waiting for trains to appear in the depths of the woods! Inbound services report last at Parson St but are shown in the loop on Traksy waiting for the token & crossing to operate, and it’s fairly reliable showing when they move onto the branch.

The line is prone to tree falls which can delay trains, and some of the steel trains have struggled getting up the gradient out of the docks which has held them up (while I wait patiently with the camera).

Nothing else is running other than the monthly test train. Paths are still on the system for intermodal trains but the last of those ran in Dec 2023 iirc. Those were mostly conveying wine for a large distribution centre in Avonmouth. There’s also been inbound stone traffic a few years ago, brought down from Scotland on coastal shipping, which I think went to a site in the midlands for HS2.

 

[Snow1964]

North Somerset Council has awarded a £165k contract for designing highways and bridges associated with Portishead and Pill Metrowest phase 1B project

1 buyer​

• North Somerset Council Weston Super Mare

1 supplier​

• Amalgamated Construction Leeds

Description​

North Somerset Council procured a contractor to deliver the design and construction works to upgrade highways and bridges as part of the MetroWest Phase 1B project. The overall objective of MetroWest Phase 1B is to re-open the Portishead rail line and provide an hourly service between Portishead and Bristol Temple Meads, with new stations at Portishead and Pill. The Project will connect 50,000 residents to the rail network and forms part of a wider MetroWest programme to deliver strategic enhancements to the local rail network. The highway and bridge works comprise of two works packages. Package 1 is the highways scope which includes detailed design (stage 1) and construction (stage 2). Package 2 is the bridges scope which includes construction only. This notice relates to the award of the Stage 1 Package 1 Highways Detailed Design contract.

Award Detail​

1	Amalgamated Construction (Leeds) Value: £165,255

MetroWest Phase 1B Highways and Bridges Design and Construction Award of Stage 1 Package 1 Highways… [Award]

North Somerset Council procured a contractor to deliver the design and construction works to upgrade... A Contract Award Notice by North Somerset Council. Value £165K.

bidstats.uk

 

[Cross City]

Apologies if already mentioned, but I'm surprised there's no station for Ashton Gate.

 

[zwk500]

Apologies if already mentioned, but I'm surprised there's no station for Ashton Gate.

It got descoped early on as it was adding more cost than value to the project. It's not dead entirely - WECA have commissioned a study into the station on it's own merits. Ashton Gate station won't be much use for the football - the station and trains would be too small for matchday crowds, and the existing Bus links from the P&R and city centre work pretty well. So the justification for the station would be about the commuter numbers heading from the Ashton Gate area to the various employment centres.

 

[Cross City]

the station and trains would be too small for matchday crowds

I assumed this but it is a shame. Every time I go to watch my team there it seems disorganised and a bit of a pain to get there from the city with the roads being narrow and heavily congested.

 

[The exile]

I assumed this but it is a shame. Every time I go to watch my team there it seems disorganised and a bit of a pain to get there from the city with the roads being narrow and heavily congested.

A 3-car 166 every hour isn’t really going to help much….

 

[lachlan]

Ashton Gate also have conference rooms for rent during the week - the train service could come in handy for business travellers coming from Temple Meads as it's not the easiest by bus but I feel an hourly frequency is just too low to be useful here.

It will be interesting to see the passenger numbers for Ashley Down as a comparison which currently has an hourly service.

 

[zwk500]

Ashton Gate also have conference rooms for rent during the week - the train service could come in handy for business travellers coming from Temple Meads as it's not the easiest by bus but I feel an hourly frequency is just too low to be useful here.

In rail terms, this market will not be noticed even if you captured 100% of it. If you can serve it by the way, then fine but it won't be worth chasing.

It will be interesting to see the passenger numbers for Ashley Down as a comparison which currently has an hourly service.

Indeed.

 

[jazzy]

It will be interesting to see the passenger numbers for Ashley Down as a comparison which currently has an hourly service.

When will such numbers be available? My personal anecdata is about 10 people per train during the day time which feels healthy…

 

[zwk500]

When will such numbers be available? My personal anecdata is about 10 people per train during the day time which feels healthy…

There may be some early press releases, especially if results are good, otherwise you might have to wait until the annual ORR figures are published.

 

[JKF]

I think this is annual clearance as it's an active line. I do remember them carrying out similar works around this time last year on that section.

The vegetation works seem a bit more extensive I think, they’ve stripped out just about everything inside the fencing south of the suspension bridge including several small trees, which handily makes it a lot clearer for taking photos of the bridge tunnel from the other side of the river.

Within the woods itself there is some tree felling/lopping going on outside of the rail boundary within the woods area. Below is a photo of the line from yesterday, you can see the big pile of logs at the bottom of the bank where I suspect there is a drainage channel of some kind, so could be they’re going to access that once the debris is cleared. Tree felling was going on but on the other side of the line while I was there (though paused while two steel trains passed)



(photo shows 66186 with empty steel wagons running along an embankment with large logs and tree debris along the bank)

 

[Annetts key]

Keep in mind that the “standard” that Network Rail are supposed to be working to is to clear vegetation three metres back towards the boundary fence from the nearest running line, or to the boundary fence if this distance is less.

This will include the branches of trees unless the tree is on private land and the railway has been unable to gain permission to cut it back.

Although not likely applying here, separately, signalling, telecom or electrical infrastructure (including signals, location cabinets/cupboards, buildings, disconnection boxes, surface cable routes), signs etc. are supposed to also be kept clear of vegetation regardless of where it is on railway land. This may also include the path to get to this equipment.

 

[Web4160]

Final funding has been confirmed by the Government Report on the BBC

 

[John R]

Final funding has been confirmed by the Government Report on the BBC

Fantastic news!

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Fantastic news!

Government press release

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/...upporting-over-39000-new-homes-and-42000-jobs

The government is also announcing key rail projects across the country, including reinstating a passenger rail line between Bristol city centre and Portishead, which last ran over 60 years ago, delivering 3 brand new train stations, bringing thousands more people closer to a railway and funding a Midlands Rail Hub, creating brand new rail links for more than 50 locations.

Rail investment outside of London and the South East is long overdue, which is why the government is confirming additional funding right across England and Wales, which will improve access to jobs and leisure and stimulate housing growth in the regions.

with this specific detail

In addition, the government is investing a further £27 million to reinstate passenger rail services between Portishead and Bristol city centre. The new hourly services will connect an additional 50,000 people to the rail network and support a significant new housing development.

A paltry 27m was all that was needed but its taken this long is not a good in terms of getting these projects delivered without incurring even more costs from delays.

 

[Snow1964]

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.

 

[John R]

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.

Not "likely" but "definitely" as that plans that have Development Consent approval are for it to be immediately to the east of Quays Avenue. Given where a lot of the new housing development is, that's not such a bad place for it as might have been the case 20 years ago.