The changing face of Bristol

[KeithMacdonald]

M'Lady and I were in Bristol last night, for a performance at the Wardrobe Theatre. All very nice, but what a performance it was just getting there, to find a route in that didn't risk us unwittingly blundering into the Clean Air Zone!

[phil_sutters]

Bristol - ancient (mounted police) & modern (driver on phone - allegedly)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-bristol-64982398

[Northmoor]

36 minutes ago, JZ said:

Not just freight, the loops are also used for passenger services. A few months back, myself and the despatcher at Gloucester watched in amazement as the signaller gave the road to an early running Westerleigh oil tankers train. As we slowly trundled along behind it until it was looped at Haresfield, an XC service was following us one signal behind until we were looped at Charfield. After a further delay at Westerleigh to let S Wales and Paddington services past on the mainline, we were more than half hour late by the time we reached Parkway.

Arguably this should happen more often than perhaps it does.  There is still an expectation that passenger trains should always have priority over freight; while the XC train was no doubt fairly full (usually are), your train I'm guessing was more lightly loaded?

You don't say how early it was, but delaying the oil train and risking it missing its path might have resulted in the driver running out of hours with the train well short of its destination.  I don't know what the penalty charges would be from Murco (or whoever runs the site at Robeston now) if a couple of million litres of their products don't arrive within a given time slot, when the staff are available to conduct the safe unloading.  How much would it cost the industry to repay all the passengers on a Gloucester to Bristol TM train?  Delaying twenty (or even a hundred) people on a Sprinter - who are already on heavily subsidised and likely low-value tickets - is probably considerably cheaper.

[The Stationmaster]

2 hours ago, Northmoor said:

Arguably this should happen more often than perhaps it does.  There is still an expectation that passenger trains should always have priority over freight; while the XC train was no doubt fairly full (usually are), your train I'm guessing was more lightly loaded?

You don't say how early it was, but delaying the oil train and risking it missing its path might have resulted in the driver running out of hours with the train well short of its destination.  I don't know what the penalty charges would be from Murco (or whoever runs the site at Robeston now) if a couple of million litres of their products don't arrive within a given time slot, when the staff are available to conduct the safe unloading.  How much would it cost the industry to repay all the passengers on a Gloucester to Bristol TM train?  Delaying twenty (or even a hundred) people on a Sprinter - who are already on heavily subsidised and likely low-value tickets - is probably considerably cheaper.

The factors vary from place to place although the reasons normally remain in resoect of resource use and delays to freight custmer's resources - where there can be penallty clauses.

 

But the passenger traffic pattern also makes a difference.  For exam themple east of Maidenhead on the Relief Lines most freights capable pf 60 or 75 mph will soon leave all stations passenger trains  a long way behind them.  Put the freight behind a stopping passenger trains - even an EMU - and it will lose time hand over fist and use extra fuel because of all the additional stopping and starting as it keeps on overtaking the passenger trains.  different of course where station stops are less frequent.

But basically Signalmen - irrespective of whatever fancy military style name they are given nowadays - should know their margins properly and regulate accordingly unless Control has asked for a particular train to be given priority.

[Steadfast]

3 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

But the passenger traffic pattern also makes a difference.  For exam themple east of Maidenhead on the Relief Lines most freights capable pf 60 or 75 mph will soon leave all stations passenger trains  a long way behind them.  

Absolutely, the purple trains average about 30mph, so leaving Acton there's no point doing more than that until you're past Southall, and even then it's signalling dependant. If you do manage the heady heights of 40 - 45 you're hard on the brakes slowing it down for adverse signals so best not to even try. Save fuel, reduce SPAD risk and have a more relaxing drive.

 

Jo

Edited March 17, 2023 by Steadfast

[Steadfast]

3 hours ago, Northmoor said:

You don't say how early it was, but delaying the oil train and risking it missing its path might have resulted in the driver running out of hours with the train well short of its destination. 

6B13, the loaded that's through Gloucester around midday is booked into Haresfield. Whether it's a Margam or Newport driver, he can make Westerleigh ok. 

 

The bigger thing with freight trains is being looped left right and centre is the time wasted stopping and getting going again. It's amazing how much time you gain if you skip the loop (ie in addition to the time you would be stationary) and you can maintain average speeds that mean a passenger wouldn't catch you, though obviously that is route dependant!

 

Jo

[Steadfast]

4 hours ago, phil_sutters said:

Bristol - ancient (mounted police) & modern (driver on phone - allegedly)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-bristol-64982398

Taunton, actually. No idea why BBC have categorised it as Brizzle rather than Somerset. It ticked me when I saw it this morning on there.

 

Jo

[rodent279]

4 hours ago, KeithMacdonald said:

Tannoy

Aarrghhh, I hate it when people use that term!

It's not a Tannoy, it's a PA system!

Tannoy is a trade name.

[melmerby]

2 minutes ago, rodent279 said:

Tannoy is a trade name.

So is Hoover but both have become generic terms.

[melmerby]

Bristol has never been the same since the GWR took over the Bristol & Exeter railway😃

[Ian Smeeton]

5 hours ago, KeithMacdonald said:

 

And here

https://www.gazetteseries.co.uk/news/23361907.update-charfield-train-station/

 

A new train station in a South Gloucestershire village is about to be given the green light by planners.

But a neighbour living next door to where the station will be built has complained that public announcements from the Tannoy will wake her up every morning.

 

Put a whistle board in until the station is built.

 

She'll think he PA is very quiet by comparison!

 

Regards

 

Ian

 

[rodent279]

3 minutes ago, melmerby said:

So is Hoover but both have become generic terms.

Hoover arguably more so.

[Rivercider]

1 hour ago, melmerby said:

Bristol has never been the same since the GWR took over the Bristol & Exeter railway😃

Amalgamated with......

 

cheers 

[The Stationmaster]

On 17/03/2023 at 18:18, Steadfast said:

Absolutely, the purple trains average about 30mph, so leaving Acton there's no point doing more than that until you're past Southall, and even then it's signalling dependant. If you do manage the heady heights of 40 - 45 you're hard on the brakes slowing it down for adverse signals so best not to even try. Save fuel, reduce SPAD risk and have a more relaxing drive.

 

Jo

I watched it in live action on the 'Staff Information' screen yesterday morrning with a stone empty chasing a S 345 Down the Relief.  Although theh freight lost no time (according to RTT) following the LixLine train the Driver must have been getting some very late clearing yellows east of Maidenhead.  And just for a laugh west of Maidenhead where the unit could get goimng the freight started gaining time.  I'll say more on the Crossrail thread as what happened at Reading was distinctly amusing to say the least.

[KeithMacdonald]

Here's a salutary tale from the 1970s, of conflict in Bristol between Folk Singers and the Salvation Army. 

Probably somewhere near the Llandoger Trow on a Friday night.

 

 

[Fat Controller]

16 minutes ago, KeithMacdonald said:

Here's a salutary tale from the 1970s, of conflict in Bristol between Folk Singers and the Salvation Army. 

Probably somewhere near the Llandoger Trow on a Friday night.

 

 

Alongside his folk-singing, Fred was a lecturer in Social Work at Bristol Poly, as it then was.

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Was at Patchway for a short while this morning. Suppose this is the changing face of Bristol express units... Wonder if the IET will last for 45+ years?

[The Stationmaster]

Thanks for the reminder Peter - I'm off to nearby  Stoke Gifford for lunch on Monday 👀

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Of course, some might prefer the IETs...  Patchway again.

[The Stationmaster]

You were there on the wrong day Peter.  Cardff Valleys Class 231 'FLIRTS' are making their way into England that way.  They're  presumably on mileage accumulation trips? 

 

On Monday morning there was one in Hullavington Loop when my train heading for Parkway passed and 3 hours later one arrived from that direction into the Down loop platform at Parkway.   I don't know if it was the same one or if it was another one out to play.  The morning one was running Swindon to Newport and the later one was running Swindon to Cardiff so it might have turned round at Newport for a second trip to Swindon.

[40F]

19 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

You were there on the wrong day Peter.  Cardff Valleys Class 231 'FLIRTS' are making their way into England that way.  They're  presumably on mileage accumulation trips? 

 

On Monday morning there was one in Hullavington Loop when my train heading for Parkway passed and 3 hours later one arrived from that direction into the Down loop platform at Parkway.   I don't know if it was the same one or if it was another one out to play.  The morning one was running Swindon to Newport and the later one was running Swindon to Cardiff so it might have turned round at Newport for a second trip to Swindon.

 

 

231`s are now in service it is the 756`s which are now on proving runs.

Edited March 30, 2023 by 40F

[JZ]

As far as Portway Park & Ride is concerned, it seems the council are dithering over getting the car park finished, but rumour has it that it will open at the end of the month, or beginning of the next. But which months?

Anyway, Saturday morning saw my return from Cardiff routed down the Filton relief, so I was able to get a photo or two of the progress at Ashley Hill station. The platforms appear complete, but a footbridge is still required, as is access from the footpath.

 

[Steadfast]

That unbelievable progress. When I last drove through there (admittedly beginning of June) the works being undertaken looked like they were initial clearance works and it'd be months or years before construction commenced.

When the block was on the Relief lines I managed to photograph stuff force to use the Mains, as well as the compound near Horfield Jn where they loaded the RRVs with platform sections. Photos and captions linked from my Flickr, from 7th June.

 

 

The final summer of Cross Country HST operation and the sun shining made it worth sticking around for this one. 43304 leads 43301 on 1E67 Plymouth - Leeds, seen approaching Horfield Junction. The road rail machine is stabled in the possession for the construction of Ashley Down station. This site in Horfield is the location of the compound where the sections to make up the new platforms are loaded up and tripped down to the site, which is between here and Narroways Hill Junction.

 

The Filton Relief Lines were under possession for the construction of Ashley Down station. This site in Horfield is the location of the compound where the sections to make up the new platforms are loaded up and tripped down to the site, which is between here and Narroways Hill Junction

 

66136 digs into the 1:75 slog up Filton Bank with 4C90 Acton - Tytherington. It looks almost flat in photos, but the gradient doesn't ease until the approach to Filton Abbey Wood. The stop boards on the Reliefs are the Possession Limit Boards for the Possession to allow construction work on the new Ashley Down station to take place.

 

Plus a few other gratuitous "recent Bristol" shots:

 

165133 sits in the Up platform at Stapleton Road, waiting to allow 165135 coming off the Severn Beach line to cross over in front of it. The guard is about to reboard 165133, as the signal has just cleared, routed up the bank towards Filton.

 

 

33029 leads 33025 past Stapleton Road as the pair drop down Filton Bank a few minutes late, working 1Z25 Burton on Trent - Paignton, 'The Crompton Torbay Venturer'

 

It's 66s galore at Stoke Gifford. Freightliner's 66509, 66542, 66547 and 66567 sit in the yard awaiting their next turn of duty, while 66107 sits in the Down Loop at Bristol Parkway with 6A12 Tytherington - Quainton Railhead, a train that runs most Saturdays.

 

Maritime blue 66005 'Maritime Intermodal One' waits time in East Depot with 4C90 from Acton to Tytherington. From there, the train would return to Quainton Railhead, via Acton, with another load of stone for HS2 construction. Blue sky and a blue engine, but surprisingly few photographers out today for this one.

 

Finally, from what used to be ICI Severnside, a scene that's changed rather a lot:

 

Seen shortly after arrival with 6C03 from Northolt, 66115 sits quietly as unloading begins at Severnside. The energy from waste centre here incinerates the refuse to generate electricity.

 

Jo

Edited July 3, 2023 by Steadfast

[Captain Kernow]

Lovely photos taken recently. I am amazed to see Ashley Hill station, I didn't even know it was being built! Long time since I retired!!

 

[KeithMacdonald]

On 17/03/2023 at 14:16, phil_sutters said:

Bristol - ancient (mounted police) & modern (driver on phone - allegedly)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-bristol-64982398

 

Is it illegal to use a mobile phone while riding a horse?