The changing face of Bristol

[Northmoor]

7 hours ago, eastwestdivide said:

Bit of a caption/photo mismatch on that story at the moment. If the station design is like that, then inflation may not be a problem...

 

If they'd built Portishead station at the very beginning of the project, that IS what it would look like now.

[Andy Kirkham]

10 hours ago, eastwestdivide said:

Bit of a caption/photo mismatch on that story at the moment. If the station design is like that, then inflation may not be a problem...

 

 

Unfortunately this image may be closer to the truth than we suppose. FosBR (Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways) gives more details of the compromises that were conceded to get this deal through https://fosbr.org.uk/funding-agreed-for-portishead-railway/

• Reduction of scope to bring the existing freight line up to passenger train line standards
• Reduction of Portishead and Pill platform lengths from 5-Car to 3-Car
• Removal of Portishead station building
• Reduction in selected highway scope (car parks, bridge works)
• Change in governance model, with DfT taking on the client role.

 

Still, it's a relief that the project is still going ahead at all.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 2, 2022 by Andy Kirkham

[KingEdwardII]

7 hours ago, Andy Kirkham said:

Reduction of Portishead and Pill platform lengths from 5-Car to 3-Car

Hmm, that may be a decision that will be regretted in years to come. Commuter traffic to/from Portishead is likely to be heavy. A 3 car limit will mean sardine conditions in the rush hours. 

 

I remember 3 car trains during the morning rush hour on the Portsmouth-Bristol route having people hanging out of the windows after the Bath stop.

 

A shame, since I think that the commuter traffic must be one of the major targets for the Portishead line - Bristol has truly awful road traffic and the rail route is likely to be a success because of that.

 

If I was in charge, 6 car would be my minimum for the platforms.

 

Yours, Mike.

[Northmoor]

13 minutes ago, KingEdwardII said:

Hmm, that may be a decision that will be regretted in years to come. Commuter traffic to/from Portishead is likely to be heavy. A 3 car limit will mean sardine conditions in the rush hours. 

 

I remember 3 car trains during the morning rush hour on the Portsmouth-Bristol route having people hanging out of the windows after the Bath stop.

 

A shame, since I think that the commuter traffic must be one of the major targets for the Portishead line - Bristol has truly awful road traffic and the rail route is likely to be a success because of that.

 

If I was in charge, 6 car would be my minimum for the platforms.

 

Yours, Mike.

I've written on this thread earlier Mike, that you can design for longer platforms and bigger car parks but not build them now.  Once the traffic develops, build the extensions.  Having the massive station building from day one is unnecessary (apart from having a fancy building for all the great and good, many of whom have caused a huge amount of delay and increased cost to the project, to have a ceremony in to congratulate themselves); you can start with a temporary building at one end of the platform and build the larger permanent one at the other when needed.

 

Rob

[Rivercider]

6 hours ago, Northmoor said:

I've written on this thread earlier Mike, that you can design for longer platforms and bigger car parks but not build them now.  Once the traffic develops, build the extensions.  Having the massive station building from day one is unnecessary (apart from having a fancy building for all the great and good, many of whom have caused a huge amount of delay and increased cost to the project, to have a ceremony in to congratulate themselves); you can start with a temporary building at one end of the platform and build the larger permanent one at the other when needed.

 

Rob

Yes I reluctantly agree with this. Get the thing open, hopefully it will be the great success I think it might be, then look to enhance the facilities, and service, as soon as they can be justified/paid for.

I want the Portishead re-opening to add ammunition to other campaigns, for Tavistock re-opening for example.

 

cheers

[Mike Storey]

7 hours ago, KingEdwardII said:

Hmm, that may be a decision that will be regretted in years to come. Commuter traffic to/from Portishead is likely to be heavy. A 3 car limit will mean sardine conditions in the rush hours. 

 

I remember 3 car trains during the morning rush hour on the Portsmouth-Bristol route having people hanging out of the windows after the Bath stop.

 

A shame, since I think that the commuter traffic must be one of the major targets for the Portishead line - Bristol has truly awful road traffic and the rail route is likely to be a success because of that.

 

If I was in charge, 6 car would be my minimum for the platforms.

 

Yours, Mike.

 

They may be able to get around this and run 5 car trains, by allowing one car to extend each end of the platform at Portishead. That is certainly allowable, under the ORR rules, for a through station (so ok for Pill) but it would require special dispensation to be undertaken at a terminus, and would require the platform to be relocated from what is presumably the original plan.

 

On the face of it though, the difference in cost between a three car platform and a five car is negligible, amounting to a few hundred thousand pounds (using modern modular construction). There would appear (from Google Earth) to be no gradient problems or special earthworks needed for the longer length. Out of £152m, it seems to be a strange concession. It would appear that this was agreed due to the slow recovery of passenger numbers from covid (which is actually less and less true), but as this does not open until probably 2026, that hardly makes sense.

 

 

 

 

[JZ]

Early trip to the Beach this morning and thought of getting pictures of progress, or lack of, at Portway Parkway. But ended up chatting to regulars on a quiet train. I did notice on Thursday that about 2/3 of the platform is in, but much still to do. I'm on the first down tomorrow, so, hopefully, I might get some photos from the back cab.

[JZ]

As promised, some shots of Portway Parkway progress.

'Digital Doris' already has the station code in, when you leave Shirehampton or Avonmouth, you get "The next station is..........." So I presume that there is a transponder for the GPS at the station that will kick in once opened.

Edited August 8, 2022 by JZ

[Tim V]

Nearly the same spot, 40 odd years ago.

[Tim V]

This one might be closer!

[KeithHC]

Nice to see at long last Gipsy Patch Lane is now fully opened.

 

Keith

[rodent279]

38 minutes ago, KeithHC said:

Nice to see at long last Gipsy Patch Lane is now fully opened.

 

Keith

I'll cycle that way on Thurs, I wonder how cyclist friendly the route through the new bridge to the A38 is?

[JZ]

Trip down the Beach this morning. Didn't get to get photograph Portway Parkway as it was still dark on the way out and fairly busy selling tickets on the return. I did get a glimpse of it though and can report that the platform is complete and most of the edging is done. Not certain of the timetable for opening it is, but I imagine the plan is for it to be done for the December timetable changes.

[JZ]

Grabbed these from the rear cab this morning.

The platform itself is just about finished. Fences to the rear and the walkway still to be done.

 

[JZ]

This morning I saw that there are a couple of shelters up. Work is also taking place on the park and ride itself and looks almost ready for surfacing. We have a CRS code, PRI, so it looks like it is to be called Portway Park & Ride, rather than the clumsy Portway Parkway. It has been showing on our diagrams since May and time is allowed for stopping there. That means at the moment we have an extra minutes or so at Shirehampton or Avonmouth.

 

And now a shameless plug. You yourselves can see it for only £2 return from Clifton, or £3 from any station Redland to Temple Meads. I look forward to seeing you.

[Andy Kirkham]

This thread began eleven years ago with a reflection on the view around the foot of the Temple Meads incline. Well, that view has just undergone a dramatic change as the long-derelict Grosvenor Hotel burned down the other night.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-63310801

[PhilJ W]

30 minutes ago, Andy Kirkham said:

This thread began eleven years ago with a reflection on the view around the foot of the Temple Meads incline. Well, that view has just undergone a dramatic change as the long-derelict Grosvenor Hotel burned down the other night.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-63310801

How very convenient for the developers.

[The Stationmaster]

5 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

How very convenient for the developers.

But best rid of it.  it had become pretty awful a good many years back.  So having since lain derelict I doubt it wouild have been worth saving except, possibly as a façade fora new building.

[rodent279]

2 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

But best rid of it.  it had become pretty awful a good many years back.  So having since lain derelict I doubt it wouild have been worth saving except, possibly as a façade fora new building.

If it's the one I'm thinking of, it's been covered in a false facade for some years now anyway.

[Rivercider]

19 hours ago, rodent279 said:

If it's the one I'm thinking of, it's been covered in a false facade for some years now anyway.

There is also the George Railway  former railway hotel almost next door, which has had a similar recent history I believe, and also awaits redevelopment.

 

cheers

[Andy Kirkham]

Just heard that Julie Boston, enthusiastic and outspoken campaigner for the Severn Beach line, has passed away at the age of 88 https://fosbr.org.uk/julie-boston-1934-2022/

 

[young37215]

Don't hold your breath but it seems the Portishead branch has actually been approved.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-63633295

[Michael Hodgson]

2 hours ago, young37215 said:

Don't hold your breath but it seems the Portishead branch has actually been approved.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-63633295

There'll be a great view of the trains from Clifton Down, and provided the tide is in, it should be very scenic to ride on too.

[The Stationmaster]

17 hours ago, Michael Hodgson said:

There'll be a great view of the trains from Clifton Down, and provided the tide is in, it should be very scenic to ride on too.

If you can see past the lineside jungle.

[Michael Hodgson]

2 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

If you can see past the lineside jungle.

It wasn't like that when we lived in the area, but I suppose the undergrowth have become overgrowth in the last half-century!