Portishead Approved - Construction Updates Thread - No speculation

[John R]

Because the Up Main line through Bedminster station is fully bidirectional, two down direction trains can pass one another here after leaving Bristol Temple Meads station if required. Obviously that depends on there being no up direction train approaching that needs to use the Up Main line.

And indeed that frequently happens.

I guess one potential cause of congestion will be Portishead bound trains waiting at Parson St because of a train heading towards Temple Meads on the Up Main (and potentially the Portishead train then holding something up behind it). That would be alleviated by reinstating the Down Relief.

However, I can see why, in the drive to get the business case over the line, the cost involved wasn't considered justifiable.

 

[brad465]

There are currently two island platforms, each serving one of the main lines with the other side of each platform not in use for passenger trains.

If you mean the platform edge for the Up Relief line (previously called the Up Goods line up to point where the Up Main to Up Goods / Up Relief crossover is located, but the name was changed when this area was resignalled when it came under control of TVSC at Didcot), then trains coming off the branch travelling in the up direction to Bristol Temple Meads can already use this platform. So I think you can be certain that this platform will be used for passenger trains.

Yes this is what I'm hoping for.

Because the Up Main line through Bedminster station is fully bidirectional, two down direction trains can pass one another here after leaving Bristol Temple Meads station if required. Obviously that depends on there being no up direction train approaching that needs to use the Up Main line.

Usually this happens if a slightly late-running XC causes the Cardiff-Taunton/Exeter, which usually leaves 8-10 minutes after, to leave first, where the latter is held at Bedminster to let the former through. Of course where the XC is really late, the overtaking occurs in the Weston-super-Mare area.

 

[John R]

Of course where the XC is really late, the overtaking occurs in the Weston-super-Mare area.

Or Yatton loops.

 

[PP57601]

Neither the bi-di route through Bedminster, the loops at Yatton or the Weston-SM avoider will help when a train is sat at the junction waiting to turn right on to the Portbury/Portishead branch.


Also, I’ve been delayed many times coming into Bristol whilst the signallers put a stopper through the Up Relief (then cross into p5/6) and then delay an XC on the Up Main, waiting to access p3/4.

Why not make the Up Relief reversible all the way from Bristol East Gantry to Ashton Gate Jn and run the Portishead trains that route (both directions).

 

[chipbury]

I took this photo of Pill station location today whilst cycling past.

Photo shows several pieces of plant clearing the embankment.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

NR Western Twitter have this very short video which shows very little but hopefully on the radar of their media team who will keep tabs on progress.

https://x.com/networkrailwest/status/2095501272187052440

 

[JKF]

I presume at some point there will be line closures affecting freight traffic.

Though the GBRF steel trains (only current ‘regular*’ traffic) run in batches when a ship arrives, so you can get gaps of a couple of months then a few weeks of mostly daily trains. Depending on how predictable deliveries are this could be worked around.

*deliveries of Class 99s run about every two months though have gone through Avonmouth too.

 

[JKF]

Two pictures from today as I passed by on a bike ride.

Picture 1 is of Pill station with plant working on widening out the cutting, digging well into the bank on the up platform side. Bar ends can be seen from the soil nails which are reinforcing the steep bank, which I believe will have concrete sprayed on it at a later stage. I’m surprised at how far back into the bank they are going, as the old platform was presumably of an adequate width before, at a guess they’ll be moving the platform face back a bit, and also need some space at the back for the new access ramp.



Second picture is of some work going on below Pill viaduct which I assume is related to the reopening. There is a road closure until October, and a sign saying ‘danger, unsafe structure’ which Id hope doesn’t refer to the viaduct itself given several thousand tonnes of imported steel slab will be passing over it this week!

 

[The exile]

Second picture is of some work going on below Pill viaduct which I assume is related to the reopening. There is a road closure until October, and a sign saying ‘danger, unsafe structure’ which Id hope doesn’t refer to the viaduct itself given several thousand tonnes of imported steel slab will be passing over it this week!

Well,. if all of the drainpipes are as securely fixed to the structure as the one on the right, there is presumably a fairly high risk of one of them coming down on your head!

 

[chipbury]

I saw that unsafe structure sign the other week and did wonder. At the time there was no work on the viaduct only excavations on the sea wall the other side of the viaduct from your photo. It looked to be drainage related.

 

[zwk500]

I wonder if that's just the contractor's standard signs, rather than any specific concerns about the structure.

 

[JKF]

It could just be the risk of falling debris while work is taking place. The brickwork does look a bit rough and there is stuff growing out of the top which is never a good sign.

The viaduct is something of a village landmark, used to appear on the badge of the local junior school (not sure if it still does), however there’s quite a few large trees on the village green and on the creek side which obscure the view of it quite a bit, so you don’t really get a nice view of the whole thing now.

 

[Web4160]

Making good progress at the Pill Station site.

 

[Ashley Hill]

I hope the other platform will remain intact. I doubt it though, all trace of history seems to be removed in new projects, look at Oxford - Bletchley as an example.

 

[JKF]

I was surprised at how far back they’d gone with the digging, but they have to fit the ramp in so that sort of makes sense. A shame the original platform couldn’t have been used as it was quite long so might have allowed for longer trains in future. Hopefully there will still be space for this.

 

[68000]

Good video on Youtube from Green Signals about the project

 

[JKF]

A good video, nice to get an inside view of the various compounds. A few corrections however:

* It’s called the Avonmouth Bridge, not ‘Gordano Viaduct’. Not sure where that name came from!
* Early in the video the presenter says the line to Portishead was disused and lifted - it’s only been lifted now as part of the rebuilding (this is stated later in the video)
* He says the points at Portbury Junction were removed - the points were never installed in the early 2000s, but were actually delivered to site with parts left in the cess and plain line through to the docks.
* The site engineer at the main compound says the Portishead end of the line was decommissioned in the 1960s. Freight actually ran up until 1981 and special trains ran for the GWR 150 celebrations in 1985. Not sure when maintenance trains stopped running but I saw at least one later in the 1980s. The section under the M5 up towards Portbury was relaid with CWR and concrete sleepers in the late 70s not long before freight stopped (this might be the track sent to the Avon Valley as it would have barely been used!)
* Whitebeam trees don’t only grow in the gorge, we have one at work! Though they are ‘native’ to the gorge.
* I’d hesitate to call it a ‘frequent commuter service’ at one train per hour! Hopefully that will be improved on in time.

It might also have been fair to point out that the DCO (which accounts for a lot of the cost) was only necessary because the local authority bought the tracked from BR to protect it from development, but in doing so lost the grandfather rights that went with the railway - had they not done this the DCO wouldn’t have been needed and we might have been a bit further along by now! I’ve also heard it stated that they would only have needed the DCO from Portbury Jn but applied for the whole line, including the section through various designated nature sites in the gorge, which increased cost and complexity.

 

[Annetts key]

As I'm sure I have said before, I'm fairly certain that maintenance trains / light loco / maintenance on track machines stopped in the same time frame as when BR was privatised. Before then, these movements were very occasional.

The railways own inspection coach hauled by a loco did make it as far as Aston Junction at least once (I was on it when it made the return journey back to BTM) in either 1988 or 1989 , so it's possible that it may have also gone further on another occasion.

There may have also been one or more Santa specials or other charter specials. I remember something that took place after 1987 but before 1992, but as I had no involvement I can't remember any details.

Ashton Junction signal box was only staffed when a train was scheduled. Most traffic was going to or from the Ashton engineering depot (until that closed). But occasionally something did go at least part way along the line towards Portbury.

In the early 1990s the electrical wiring for Ashton Junction signal box was condemned. Power to the electrical signalling was then disconnected (I have the date somewhere, as it was my team and I that carried out some of the disconnections). So the barriers and road lights for the crossing no longer worked (although at that time the barriers could still be hand operated). I don't think any train used any part of the line after that. Not until the work to reopen it for the freight to Portbury.

Then at some point vandals started smashing up parts of the signal box. And setting fire to it. Which resulted in it being demolished.

At Portbury Junction, the point work was laid in. I don't know if the switch rails were ever installed and the points had a plain rail installed instead of the normal position switch rail from the start. But that's what was there when I was carrying out maintenance work in that area around five years ago.

As said above, all the required rail point parts were in the cess next to the point work. It would have taken one shift for the P.Way to bring the points into use (not including connecting the old track to the points). But no signalling (no point operating equipment) was provided. So that would have taken considerably longer to provide.

 

[tumbles]

I can definitely remember a maintenance train by Ham Green Halt sometime around 93/94 time. As teenager at the time it caught us off guard somewhat as don't think seen anything down the line for ages before that. It may have been a road/rail type vegetation clearance vehicle that got on the tracks nearby rather than running down the line. Some of the rail defo got nicked towards Ashton Bridge Station in 90s so can't imagine it came all way from the ML.

 

[wiltshirebloke]

A good video, nice to get an inside view of the various compounds. A few corrections however:

* It’s called the Avonmouth Bridge, not ‘Gordano Viaduct’. Not sure where that name came from!

I think, in terms of the M5, the Gordano Viaduct refers to the elevated split section of the motorway which runs alongside the 'rockside' south of the actual bridge.

 

[duffield]

A good video, nice to get an inside view of the various compounds. A few corrections however:

* It’s called the Avonmouth Bridge, not ‘Gordano Viaduct’. Not sure where that name came from!
...

Yes, the "Gordano Viaduct" is about 5 miles south-west of the Bridge and formally known as the Wynhol Viaduct.

 

[Snow1964]

I think, in terms of the M5, the Gordano Viaduct refers to the elevated split section of the motorway which runs alongside the 'rockside' south of the actual bridge.

Even that name is unofficial, M5 is Wynhol viaduct (named after a local farm)

The Portbury Dock branch passes under the M5 Avonmouth bridge, whereas the M5 crosses the line towards Portishead over a plain concrete bridge that looks more like a covered way

 

[JKF]

Even that name is unofficial, M5 is Wynhol viaduct (named after a local farm)

The Portbury Dock branch passes under the M5 Avonmouth bridge, whereas the M5 crosses the line towards Portishead over a plain concrete bridge that looks more like a covered way

When they built the motorway they made a point of providing enough clearance for electrification under that bridge. I wonder if it will ever get wired? I think the line would be quite challenging to electrify but discontinuous wiring is at least a possibility. Tree falls in the gorge block the line reasonably often, I could see that being quite a risk to 0HLE too.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Oct 2026 ==

I can definitely remember a maintenance train by Ham Green Halt sometime around 93/94 time. As teenager at the time it caught us off guard somewhat as don't think seen anything down the line for ages before that. It may have been a road/rail type vegetation clearance vehicle that got on the tracks nearby rather than running down the line. Some of the rail defo got nicked towards Ashton Bridge Station in 90s so can't imagine it came all way from the ML.

I once saw an engineering train running past there from school, you could still see the line as the trees weren’t as big then. Came as a bit of a surprise and quite lucky to catch it at that moment. I think this was after the GWR 150 trains, and might have been the viaduct inspection train which was on Pill viaduct for a few days around then - 31158 hauling on one day and a Bath Road allocated one on another (possibly 252?). It had a kind of cherry picker that would go under the bridge from above - quite elaborate given that you could have easily inspected it with a small machine from ground level.

I also encountered a track recording unit while hiking with friends along the line in around 1987, we were taking a shortcut from Ham Green Halt to the river towpath cutting off the corner, marching along the four foot heads down. Fortunately it was travelling slowly and stopped while we sheepishly scurried up the cutting. It was quiet common to walk or play on the line at this time, people would walk their dogs along it never expecting a train to be there.

 

[zwk500]

When they built the motorway they made a point of providing enough clearance for electrification under that bridge. I wonder if it will ever get wired? I think the line would be quite challenging to electrify but discontinuous wiring is at least a possibility. Tree falls in the gorge block the line reasonably often, I could see that being quite a risk to 0HLE too.

The chances of the section of line through the gorge ever being wired has a probability near as makes no difference to zero. It's too environmentally and visually sensitive to justify the construction works and Masts when BEMUs are going to be a thing. And as there'd never be any need to stable trains at Portishead there's no need to provide wires or charging as the return trip is well within a current BEMUs range, let alone a future one.
The loop at Ashton might get wired as part of a Bristol - Weston/Taunton Scheme but that'd be about it. In the event of traction getting trapped north of Pill and running out of charge it'd be recovered as per any other mechanical failure once the blockage is cleared (or they might install a trickle charger from the station supply at Portishead).

 

[The exile]

. It had a kind of cherry picker that would go under the bridge from above - quite elaborate given that you could have easily inspected it with a small machine from ground level.

Called a “Gozunda” ISTR!

 

[tumbles]

When they built the motorway they made a point of providing enough clearance for electrification under that bridge. I wonder if it will ever get wired? I think the line would be quite challenging to electrify but discontinuous wiring is at least a possibility. Tree falls in the gorge block the line reasonably often, I could see that being quite a risk to 0HLE too.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Oct 2026 ==


I once saw an engineering train running past there from school, you could still see the line as the trees weren’t as big then. Came as a bit of a surprise and quite lucky to catch it at that moment. I think this was after the GWR 150 trains, and might have been the viaduct inspection train which was on Pill viaduct for a few days around then - 31158 hauling on one day and a Bath Road allocated one on another (possibly 252?). It had a kind of cherry picker that would go under the bridge from above - quite elaborate given that you could have easily inspected it with a small machine from ground level.

I also encountered a track recording unit while hiking with friends along the line in around 1987, we were taking a shortcut from Ham Green Halt to the river towpath cutting off the corner, marching along the four foot heads down. Fortunately it was travelling slowly and stopped while we sheepishly scurried up the cutting. It was quiet common to walk or play on the line at this time, people would walk their dogs along it never expecting a train to be there.

I still wonder sometimes if you have figured out who you are replying to here, I can remember seeing a train going along by Ham Green Halt when at school, not sure why was down by the long jump pits. Seem to recall it was where the teachers would sneak down to for a crafty fag too The thing with OHLE is probably more the other bridges and tunnels that probably aren't scoped for the extra height allowance. Sheepway bridges are probably fine but not sure about the tunnels and crossings like the one at Clifton Bridge Station which is pretty low. I think battery trains are a more suited solution for this branch and possibly the SB line too.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Oct 2026 ==

The chances of the section of line through the gorge ever being wired has a probability near as makes no difference to zero. It's too environmentally and visually sensitive to justify the construction works and Masts when BEMUs are going to be a thing. And as there'd never be any need to stable trains at Portishead there's no need to provide wires or charging as the return trip is well within a current BEMUs range, let alone a future one.
The loop at Ashton might get wired as part of a Bristol - Weston/Taunton Scheme but that'd be about it. In the event of traction getting trapped north of Pill and running out of charge it'd be recovered as per any other mechanical failure once the blockage is cleared (or they might install a trickle charger from the station supply at Portishead).

We need to consider finishing off the GWML electrification before anything else.

 

[norbitonflyer]

When they built the motorway they made a point of providing enough clearance for electrification under that bridge. I wonder if it will ever get wired?

Isn't that normal practice when a new bridge is built over a railway? For example, I understand the A1 Newark bypass has enough clearance over the Newark to Lincoln railway even though, when the bypass was built in 1964, the recently published Beeching Report had proposed the line not for electrifiction but for closure. (It was reprieved, and the Lincoln to Grantham line got the chop instead)

Indeed, although the line from Lincoln to Newark opened in 1846, the A1 bridge built in 1964 is the oldest one over it.

 

[tumbles]

Isn't that normal practice when a new bridge is built over a railway? For example, I understand the A1 Newark bypass has enough clearance over the Newark to Lincoln railway even though, when the bypass was built in 1964, the recently published Beeching Report had proposed the line not for electrifiction but for closure. (It was reprieved, and the Lincoln to Grantham line got the chop instead)

Indeed, although the line from Lincoln to Newark opened in 1846, the A1 bridge built in 1964 is the oldest one over it.

They nearly didn't factor this in when they built the metrobus guided bridge over the Portishead Branch by where Ashton Junction Signal Box was. They had to revise the plans because they realised they needed to leave space incase it did happen!