Weston-Super-Mare bay platform

[Class43lover]

Will the bay platform at Weston ever be used by terminating southbound trains? The services from Severn Beach to Weston use the through platforms, despite there being a bay platform. Mind you there isn't any dot matrix boards and the actual platform hasn't been used for many years, but I saw a rail tamper in there a few weeks ago. Does anyone know about this? What's more, Weston will soon become even busier with the new operator Go-Op, so they will need space to maneuver trains surely? If anyone knows anything I'd definitely be interested to know

 

[sh24]

I don't think bay platform is signalled for passenger use so can't see that happening anytime soon. However it is more likely than Go-Op actually hitting the rails. 3% of their target raised with 3 days to go.

 

[JonathanH]

What's more, Weston will soon become even busier with the new operator Go-Op

That doesn't appear to be happening - https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...e-approved-by-orr.277000/page-16#post-7282558

Will the bay platform at Weston ever be used by terminating southbound trains?

There isn't a direct connection into the bay platform. It requires a double shunt from the main platform.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Will the bay platform at Weston ever be used by terminating southbound trains?

It's an engineers' siding, only accessible via the carriage siding, rather than a platform ever in public use, isn't it?

 

[Dr Hoo]

Well the bay was a passenger platform once. I vaguely remember catching a DMU from there to Yatton before changing for Clevedon back in my schooldays (before the Bristol resignalling, Weston ‘loop’ singling and so on).

 

[Ashley Hill]

Like re-doubling Worle Jct to WSM I think it’s on the railways wish list (as has been mentioned here before) but will need finance to do it. It would be a handy platform.

 

[brad465]

It's an engineers' siding, only accessible via the carriage siding, rather than a platform ever in public use, isn't it?

Having a look on a map it does appear to require reversing via a siding to access, so yes the bay platform isn't suitable for terminating passenger services currently. If redoubling the approach lines ever got approved, I could see the work including reinstating this platform for passenger use, but no scheme yet exists to do this.

 

[JonathanH]

Is the theory of the current arrangement that a failed train could be 'put away' if needs be, or is it only for recessing engineering trains?

When was it last used to stable the stock for a charter train? Recent tours with a destination of Weston-super-Mare seem to have run on to Taunton or Bristol East Depot.

I note that it doesn't appear on the open data based signalling maps.

 

[zwk500]

Like re-doubling Worle Jct to WSM I think it’s on the railways wish list (as has been mentioned here before) but will need finance to do it. It would be a handy platform.

It will only happen if the Bristol suburban metro services become a reality. I think it might be quite a while until Weston sees them personally! Otherwise, 1tph local and the odd London extension isn't going to stretch the station capacity too badly I suspect.

 

[TheLastMinute]

Is the theory of the current arrangement that a failed train could be 'put away' if needs be, or is it only for recessing engineering trains?

According to the diagram included with original Notice to Trainmen issued for the resignalling in 1972, these were labelled as carriage siding so presumably they were intended to store stock between services or incoming holiday trains. The now removed second siding shown on the diagram was also connected at the other end so locos could run round in the siding if needed. How often this loop was used when loco hauled trained were the norm, I've no idea.

When was it last used to stable the stock for a charter train? Recent tours with a destination of Weston-super-Mare seem to have run on to Taunton or Bristol East Depot.

I note that it doesn't appear on the open data based signalling maps.

I'm not sure, but I'd imagine it would be a very long time ago. As access to the siding is controlled via a ground frame which is released by an Annetts Key locked from Bristol Panel, so post privatisation it would likely need someone from Network Rail/Railtrack to come down from Bristol to operate it. As the years went by, the risk of stabling a train on a siding that that hadn't any usage or maintenance for years would increase making such use more unattractive to operators. At the moment, there's currently a Stop board on the siding track just beyond Drove Road bridge, presumably because of the poor state of the track.

The reason it doesn't appear on the maps is probably because it's not controlled directly by Bristol panel, all they can do is remotely release and lock the Annetts Key located in a cabinet by the ground frame. That said, the crossover at Yatton is on the signalling maps which is also controlled by ground frame with Annetts Key, so it may just be more to do with excluding unnecessary detail in a station area.

It will only happen if the Bristol suburban metro services become a reality. I think it might be quite a while until Weston sees them personally! Otherwise, 1tph local and the odd London extension isn't going to stretch the station capacity too badly I suspect.

You're underestimating how busy Weston-super-Mare is. There's the hourly Cardiff-Taunton/Exeter, hourly Severn Beach/Avonmouth terminator plus the 2-hourly London Paddington terminator which waits in the station for 50 minutes. There are additional London Paddington services during the peak and the 1 tpd XC in each direction. During the day, there's a train somewhere on the loop 80% of the time on average. During late running, it's not unusual for services to have to wait on the main line because both platforms at Weston are occupied. This in turn delays the non-stopping CrossCountry services which are timed to pass Weston on the main line between the local trains.

Like re-doubling Worle Jct to WSM I think it’s on the railways wish list (as has been mentioned here before) but will need finance to do it. It would be a handy platform.

It would certainly be a very useful to put the Severn Beach terminator in there when the Paddington terminator is also in the station. However, I suspect there's next to zero chance of it happening before the line getting redoubled, which itself won't happen until money is found to replace Hutton Moor Road and Locking Moor Road bridges on the loop.

PS to OP, it's a lower case "s" in super, i.e. Weston-super-Mare. The "super" means "on top of", as in superficial or supervisor, hence the lower case.

 

[htwestern]

PS to OP, it's a lower case "s" in super, i.e. Weston-super-Mare. The "super" means "on top of", as in superficial or supervisor, hence the lower case.

Well even GWR can’t get it right on their website!

 

[mrcheek]

I seem to recall this idea has come up several times.
On one occasion, they even came up with a price for the track changes, resignalling etc. As soon as the figure was given the suggestion was quickly dropped.
Expect it to eventually happen when the Weston loop is redoubled. Which is a long way off

 

[Annetts key]

Will the bay platform at Weston ever be used by terminating southbound trains? The services from Severn Beach to Weston use the through platforms, despite there being a bay platform. Mind you there isn't any dot matrix boards and the actual platform hasn't been used for many years, but I saw a rail tamper in there a few weeks ago. Does anyone know about this? What's more, Weston will soon become even busier with the new operator Go-Op, so they will need space to maneuver trains surely? If anyone knows anything I'd definitely be interested to know

The bay platform is not very likely to have in service passenger trains anytime soon...

The layout was changed (in 1972) from when the station area was controlled by the signal box at Weston. As others have said, the only access to the line that the bay line is connected to is via a crossover controlled by a ground frame (G.F.).

Worse, this crossover is facing for moves from platform 2 going towards Bristol. When the points are set to reverse, a train can go from platform 2 towards the carriage siding. Or from the carriage siding back to platform 2. Access to the bay platform is only via the points being in the normal position for a train already on the carriage siding.

Hence a train arriving from Bristol direction cannot get to the bay platform without shunting.

According to the diagram included with original Notice to Trainmen issued for the resignalling in 1972, these were labelled as carriage siding so presumably they were intended to store stock between services or incoming holiday trains. The now removed second siding shown on the diagram was also connected at the other end so locos could run round in the siding if needed. How often this loop was used when loco hauled trained were the norm, I've no idea.



I'm not sure, but I'd imagine it would be a very long time ago. As access to the siding is controlled via a ground frame which is released by an Annetts Key locked from Bristol Panel, so post privatisation it would likely need someone from Network Rail/Railtrack to come down from Bristol to operate it. As the years went by, the risk of stabling a train on a siding that that hadn't any usage or maintenance for years would increase making such use more unattractive to operators. At the moment, there's currently a Stop board on the siding track just beyond Drove Road bridge, presumably because of the poor state of the track.

The reason it doesn't appear on the maps is probably because it's not controlled directly by Bristol panel, all they can do is remotely release and lock the Annetts Key located in a cabinet by the ground frame. That said, the crossover at Yatton is on the signalling maps which is also controlled by ground frame with Annetts Key, so it may just be more to do with excluding unnecessary detail in a station area.



You're underestimating how busy Weston-super-Mare is. There's the hourly Cardiff-Taunton/Exeter, hourly Severn Beach/Avonmouth terminator plus the 2-hourly London Paddington terminator which waits in the station for 50 minutes. There are additional London Paddington services during the peak and the 1 tpd XC in each direction. During the day, there's a train somewhere on the loop 80% of the time on average. During late running, it's not unusual for services to have to wait on the main line because both platforms at Weston are occupied. This in turn delays the non-stopping CrossCountry services which are timed to pass Weston on the main line between the local trains.


It would certainly be a very useful to put the Severn Beach terminator in there when the Paddington terminator is also in the station. However, I suspect there's next to zero chance of it happening before the line getting redoubled, which itself won't happen until money is found to replace Hutton Moor Road and Locking Moor Road bridges on the loop.

PS to OP, it's a lower case "s" in super, i.e. Weston-super-Mare. The "super" means "on top of", as in superficial or supervisor, hence the lower case.

Here's a diagram showing the current layout for this part of Weston:


A G.F. operator doesn’t have to be a Network Rail (Railtrack) employee. It can be any railway employee who has been suitably trained and deemed competent by their company. Hence it could be a shunter, guard or driver for example.

The intention originally was indeed likely for loco hauled trains to stable or run around. Indeed, there was a shunting indicator provided (it does not show up on any plans but may still be visible in the bushes on the up side) operated by a switch mounted on the Drove Road over bridge.

When HSTs were in use, on Sundays at certain times of day, the London terminator in platform 2 would shunt onto the carriage sidings freeing up the platforms so that two local Bristol - Taunton stopping services could pass one another. After these had left the station, the HST would shunt back to platform 2 ready for the departure to London. This continued off and on for many years.

It's not that long ago that Network Rail carried out sleeper replacement on the carriage siding. I suspect the main reason for the stop board is that because no trains are scheduled to use the carriage siding, it's not being inspected or patrolled.

Back to the bay line. It is extremely common for tampers to be stabled on this line. Indeed, if you look, the railway has constructed an enclosure for the small stones used by the "stone-blower" type tampers adjacent to this line (under the over bridge).

Weston-super-Mare:

The name Weston is made up of two Old English or Saxon words meaning the west tun or settlement. Because there are several places called Weston in Somerset descriptions were added to tell them apart. What is unusual about Weston-super-Mare is that the descriptive part of its name has remained in medieval Latin. Super (with small s) means on or above, and mare is Latin for sea.

 

[Class43lover]

Ah thanks I hadn’t realised that the crossover was facing the wrong way! Hopefully we’ll see this platform reinstated in the future as I’m sure it would be useful for avoiding delays on the cross country Weston bypass.

 

[Ashley Hill]

A G.F. operator doesn’t have to be a Network Rail (Railtrack) employee. It can be any railway employee who has been suitably trained and deemed competent by their company. Hence it could be a shunter, guard or driver for example.

Due to a extensive track circuit failure at Yatton some years ago we were held waiting events at WsM in the up platform. I offered to put the empty train in the siding to clear the platform but the signaller refused, he said no MOMs were available to operate the ground frame and wouldn`t let me do it.

 

[Annetts key]

Unfortunately like a lot of changes in the 1960s through to the mid 1990s, the assumption was that the railways were in decline. Hence any facilities that did not look like they were required for the then current services, we're removed. Many relief lines and bay platform lines were taken out of passenger use, lifted or shortened. And branch lines were singled or closed.

So, just in the Highbridge to Bristol area, Weston lost the bay platform, the "loop" lines were singled, the relief lines between Huish and Yatton were shortened and became goods loops (these have since been upgraded so can now take passenger trains again, but their length has not been increased), the branch to Clevedon was closed, Yatton lost its bay platforms, all other relief lines between Yatton and Temple Meads except the Up Relief between Parson Street station and Temple Heads were lifted or became goods sidings. And if course, the branch to Portishead closed to passenger traffic.

Now, okay, before COVID19, the increased growth has resulted in some of these changes being looked at again with a view to restoring some, if, when, money can be found. And that's the thing, unless and until the money is found, there will be no significant improvements made to the track layout or the signalling system.

 

[Snow1964]

Weston was at one time, 2 sets of platforms, the terminus (now gone) and the curved through platforms. Used to be able to use the bay platform direct, but now it is more a siding off another siding.

Couple of old photos on this link

Changes at the railway station - James Clay Stuff

Over the years the railway station at Weston-super-Mare, well in terms of tracks, has changed quite a bit, even if the buildings and platforms have remained as much as they have since the line was built. This photograph from the local paper reminded me of how much has changed.

jamesclay.net

 

[Annetts key]

Due to a extensive track circuit failure at Yatton some years ago we were held waiting events at WsM in the up platform. I offered to put the empty train in the siding to clear the platform but the signaller refused, he said no MOMs were available to operate the ground frame and wouldn`t let me do it.

Well, Bridgwater G.F. is worked by the freight personnel when the nuclear flask train uses it.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 May 2025 ==

Weston was at one time, 2 sets of platforms, the terminus (now gone) and the curved through platforms. Used to be able to use the bay platform direct, but now it is more a siding off another siding.

Couple of old photos on this link

Changes at the railway station - James Clay Stuff

Over the years the railway station at Weston-super-Mare, well in terms of tracks, has changed quite a bit, even if the buildings and platforms have remained as much as they have since the line was built. This photograph from the local paper reminded me of how much has changed.

jamesclay.net

Yeah, the first station was in the area of the former floral clock. The line originally being a separate line with a transfer station part way between between Worle and Uphill on the main (avoider) line. Then the replacement that later was to be known as the excursion platforms are where Tescos supermarket and car park are. The main station with the curved platforms being the result of building the Weston "loop" lines.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Well, Bridgwater G.F. is worked by the freight personnel when the nuclear flask train uses it.

I learnt Bridgewater GF nearly 35 years ago but I doubt I’d be allowed near it now. Everything is competency based nowadays.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Back when the current arrangement was put in place, what was the thinking behind it? Were there huge cost savings to be made by adopting such a restrictive layout?
Some of the rationalisations performed by BR in the 1970s and 1980s seem so short-sighted in hindsight that it's almost easier to believe it was an act of deliberate sabotage.

 

[Gloster]

BR had the Treasury looking over its shoulder and the only way to get many of the schemes through was to pare the work and the cost to the minimum. The Treasury was only interested in the bottom-line and anything above the minimum had to be solidly justified: no ‘it would be a useful’ or ‘we will probably need it in the future’. Justify it or lose it.

 

[Dr Hoo]

Back when the current arrangement was put in place, what was the thinking behind it? Were there huge cost savings to be made by adopting such a restrictive layout?
Some of the rationalisations performed by BR in the 1970s and 1980s seem so short-sighted in hindsight that it's almost easier to believe it was an act of deliberate sabotage.

The early 1970s were the era of the dreaded Surplus Track Capacity Grants under the Transport Act 1968 - basically time-limited extra cash to hastily rip out ‘surplus’ facilities.
Besides the Bristol re-signalling another example was the Weaver Junction-Motherwell re-signalling prior to electrification. Goodbye Keswick, etc.

 

[TheLastMinute]

To be fair to those specifying and designing the rationalisation schemes of the 70s and 80s, it really is an eye opener looking back at the timetables of the day as the service levels are nothing like they are today. For example, the weekday services from Nailsea and Backwell was only 24 daily services in 1973 compared with a total of 90 in 2025. I've got vague memories from the late 80s or very early 90s of the second platform at Weston-super-Mare being locked up during the day as it just wasn't needed.

Given the service pattern of the day. as well as the perceived wisdom of the day being that railways were in terminal decline, some of the decisions don't look wholly unreasonable.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

To be fair to those specifying and designing the rationalisation schemes of the 70s and 80s, it really is an eye opener looking back at the timetables of the day as the service levels are nothing like they are today. For example, the weekday services from Nailsea and Backwell was only 24 daily services in 1973 compared with a total of 90 in 2025. I've got vague memories from the late 80s or very early 90s of the second platform at Weston-super-Mare being locked up during the day as it just wasn't needed.

Given the service pattern of the day. as well as the perceived wisdom of the day being that railways were in terminal decline, some of the decisions don't look wholly unreasonable.

Equally though, singling a route without reducing the service might seem sensible if you can still deliver the same service with half the track... But that also means the remaining track is being hammered twice as hard, as well as being subject to forces it previously wasn't when it was unidirectional. It also then means that any subsequent increase in service comes with a significantly higher price tag.

The "Surplus Track Capacity Grant" described in #22 also seems, with hindsight, to have been proposed and implemented with nefarious intent.

 

[Annetts key]

I've got vague memories from the late 80s or very early 90s of the second platform at Weston-super-Mare being locked up during the day as it just wasn't needed.

And back when some of the services between Weston and Bristol were loco and coaches. the loco used the platform 1 line to run around the coaches that were on platform 2.

 

[mrcheek]

I've got vague memories from the late 80s or very early 90s of the second platform at Weston-super-Mare being locked up during the day as it just wasn't needed.

This is correct, for many years the second platform (actually confusingly numbered Platform 1) at Weston wasnt used at all, everything used Platform 2.
Occasionally, if there was disruption, you might have a service terminate on the other platform, but nothing would depart from there. As at Paignton today.

 

[MarkyT]

This is correct, for many years the second platform (actually confusingly numbered Platform 1) at Weston wasnt used at all, everything used Platform 2.
Occasionally, if there was disruption, you might have a service terminate on the other platform, but nothing would depart from there. As at Paignton today.

However, at Paignton, it's not possible to depart in the up direction from platform #1 because there's no left-handed crossover, while at Weston, both platforms have always been bidi under colour lights introduced in the 60s/70s.