Bath Spa railway station
Main buildings seen from Dorchester Street | |||||
General information | |||||
Location | Bath, Bath and North East Somerset England | ||||
Coordinates | 51°22′39″N 2°21′23″W / 51.3775°N 2.3564°W | ||||
Grid reference | ST752643 | ||||
Managed by | Great Western Railway | ||||
Platforms | 2 | ||||
Other information | |||||
Station code | BTH | ||||
Classification | DfT category C1 | ||||
History | |||||
Original company | Great Western Railway | ||||
Pre-grouping | Great Western Railway | ||||
Post-grouping | Great Western Railway | ||||
Key dates | |||||
31 August 1840 | Opened as Bath | ||||
1949 | Renamed Bath Spa | ||||
Passengers | |||||
2018/19 | ![]() | ||||
Interchange | ![]() | ||||
2019/20 | ![]() | ||||
Interchange | ![]() | ||||
2020/21 | ![]() | ||||
Interchange | ![]() | ||||
2021/22 | ![]() | ||||
Interchange | ![]() | ||||
2022/23 | ![]() | ||||
Interchange | ![]() | ||||
Listed Building – Grade II* | |||||
Official name | BATH SPA STATION | ||||
Designated | 11 August 1972 | ||||
Reference no. | 1395629[1] | ||||
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Bath Spa railway station is the principal station serving the city of Bath in Somerset, England. It is on the Great Western Main Line, 106 miles 71 chains (106.89 mi; 172.0 km) down the line from the zero point at London Paddington between Chippenham to the east and Oldfield Park to the west.[2] It is the busiest station in Somerset, and the second busiest station in South West England after Bristol Temple Meads.[3]
The station is managed by Great Western Railway, who operate all trains at this station.
History
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/Bath_Spa_Station_1845.png/220px-Bath_Spa_Station_1845.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/57/Bath_Spa_railway_station.jpg/220px-Bath_Spa_railway_station.jpg)
Bath Spa station was built in 1840 for the
The station has wide spacing between the platforms because it was built with two
A three-track goods shed was built immediately west of the station, to the north of the main track. In 1877 a goods depot was built about 500 metres to the west at
A footbridge leads from the rear of the station across the Avon, allowing direct access to the Widcombe area of the city. Open in 1862, the bridge was originally made from wood and tolled (known locally as Halfpenny Bridge). However, this original structure collapsed disastrously in 1877 with a number of deaths, and the present steel girder bridge was erected as a replacement later that same year.[7]
Redevelopment
Since privatisation Great Western Railway has managed Bath Spa. In 2005 the company obtained listed building consent for alterations to the building, including the installation of lifts to the platforms. Ticket barriers have also been installed.[8]
Other developments started in 2011 to integrate the station with the new
Bath Spa won awards for Best Medium-Sized Station and Overall Best Station at the 2013 International Station Awards.[12]
The station was modified in April 2017 for the
Other stations in Bath
Railway stations in Bath | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The only other open station in Bath is Oldfield Park, a small commuter station in a western suburb, with limited services to Bristol and to Bath Spa, and onward stations.[14]
Former stations now closed in Bath were
Services
All services at Bath Spa are operated by Great Western Railway. They provide services between London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads at a frequency of 2 trains per hour (1 train per hour on Sundays). These give a service from Bath to Chippenham, Swindon and Reading 1 train every 2 hours extends beyond Bristol to Weston-super-Mare, and 3 trains a day extend to Taunton or Penzance.[18]
Between Bristol Temple Meads and Westbury a further 3 trains per hour are provided, calling at many of the smaller stations along the route. Of these trains 1 train per hour runs between Cardiff Central and Portsmouth Harbour, 1 train per hour runs from Bristol Temple Meads to Salisbury and 1 train per hours runs from Gloucester to Westbury, with 1 train per 2 hours extending to Weymouth. [19]
Preceding station | ![]() |
Following station | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Bristol Temple Meads | Great Western Railway (Great Western Main Line) |
Chippenham | ||
Oldfield Park | Great Western Railway (Wessex Main Line and Heart of Wessex Line) |
Freshford |
Civil engineering
The
St James's Bridge
St James's Railway Bridge | |
---|---|
Coordinates | 51°22′42″N 2°21′18″W / 51.3783°N 2.3549°W |
Carries | GWR Main Line |
Crosses | River Avon |
Characteristics | |
Longest span | 27 m (89 ft) |
History | |
Architect | Brunel |
Opened | c. 1840 |
Statistics | |
Listed Building – Grade II | |
Official name | ST JAMES'S RAILWAY BRIDGE |
Designated | 5 August 1975 |
Reference no. | 1395151[20] |
The eastern bridge is a elliptical stone arch, with a smaller circular arch either side. It was repaired in brick in 1927. Although not referred to as such, it is a skew bridge, crossing the river at about 45 degrees; it "embodies Brunel's ability to find elegant architectural solutions to engineering challenges."[20]
Skew Bridge
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/Railway_bridge_over_the_River_Avon_-_geograph.org.uk_-_2070688.jpg/220px-Railway_bridge_over_the_River_Avon_-_geograph.org.uk_-_2070688.jpg)
Skew Bridge | |
---|---|
Coordinates | 51°22′38″N 2°21′30″W / 51.3772°N 2.3583°W |
Carries | GWR main line |
Crosses | River Avon |
Characteristics | |
Material | Stone abutments/pier, with
|
First section length | 24.38 m (80.0 ft) |
Second section length | 24.38 m (80.0 ft) |
History | |
Designer |
|
Built | 1840 |
Rebuilt | 1878 |
Statistics | |
Listed Building – Grade II | |
Official name | SKEW BRIDGE AND ASSOCIATED CANTILEVERED WALKWAY IMMEDIATELY TO THE WEST OF BATH SPA STATION |
Designated | 21 September 2000 |
Reference no. | 1395344[21] |
Brunel originally intended the Skew Bridge over the Avon to be constructed of cast iron, but he was unable to let the contract for this. Instead, he designed each arch to consist of six arches of laminated timber. Each arch had five laminations of 6 inches (15 cm) thick
In 1878, Wakefield Simpson replaced the timber arches with two wrought iron truss spans, supported by iron cylinders which rest on the original piers and abutments. The bridge was strengthened in the 1960s with additional steel supports and superstructure, to allow it to carry the extended platforms of Bath Station.[21][23]
St James' Viaduct
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/31/Geograph_2070690_Ornate_railway_viaduct_in_Bath.jpg/220px-Geograph_2070690_Ornate_railway_viaduct_in_Bath.jpg)
St James' Viaduct | |
---|---|
Coordinates | 51°22′38″N 2°21′36″W / 51.3772°N 2.3600°W |
Carries | GWR main line |
Crosses | Lower Bristol Road |
Other name(s) | Holloway Viaduct, Southgate Viaduct |
Characteristics | |
Material | Limestone, brick, steel |
History | |
Built | 1840 |
Opened | 21 Aug 1840 |
Rebuilt | 1911, 1961 |
Statistics | |
Listed Building – Grade II* | |
Official name | St James' Viaduct (MLN110705) |
Designated | 11 August 1972 |
Reference no. | 1395135[24] |
After the Skew Bridge, the line continues towards Bristol over St James' Viaduct, a "castellated Gothic fantasy"[25] with pointed arches and arrow slots on the northern (Bath-facing) side; the southern side is plainer. There are seventeen arches in total; the spans crossing Wells Road and Lower Bristol Road were rebuilt in steel in 1911–12 as locomotives had become heavier; the former span was again rebuilt in 1961–62.[24][25]
References
- ^ a b c Historic England. "Bath Spa Station (1395629)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
- ISBN 978-1-9996271-0-2.
- ^ "Office of Rail & Road".
- ^ "Avonside House Design and Access Statement" (PDF). Bath and North East Somerset Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ISBN 1-85260-508-1. R508.
- ^ a b Goods shed, Bath Spa Station, Bath - Historic Building Assessment (PDF) (Report). Oxford Archaeological Unit. 10 March 2000. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
- ^ Historic England, Halfpenny Bridge and Lodge House (1394582) Retrieved 12 December 2021
- ^ "Gating proposal for Bath Spa Station ticket hall" (PDF). Bath and North East Somerset Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ^ "Bath Southgate Transport Interchange" (PDF). Southgate Bath. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ^ "First image of £12m Bath restaurant scheme". Bath Chronicle. 8 December 2011. Archived from the original on 9 January 2012. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
- ^ "Retail Proposals at Bath Spa Railway Station, Bath" (PDF). Oxford Architects. Bath and North East Somerset Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ^ Harris, Nigel, ed. (25 December 2013). "Awards for Bath Spa". Rail. No. 738. Haymarket. p. 12.
- ^ "Modernisation of Bath Spa station". Rail Engineer. Archived from the original on 18 January 2018. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
- ^ "Oldfield Park". The Heart of Wessex Line 2010. Archived from the original on 7 January 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ^ "The Midland Railway". Bristol and Bath Railway Path. Archived from the original on 28 November 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ISBN 9781445625829. Archivedfrom the original on 26 January 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- ISBN 1-904349-09-9.
- ^ Table 125 National Rail timetable, December 2023
- ^ Table 133 National Rail timetable, December 2023
- ^ a b Historic England & 1395151.
- ^ a b c Historic England & 1395344.
- ISBN 0297844083.
- ^ Great Western Main Line Route Structures Gazetteer | Historic England. Alan Baxter & Associates LLP. 18 April 2012. p. 485. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
- ^ a b Historic England & 1395135.
- ^ a b Great Western Main Line Route Structures Gazetteer | Historic England. Alan Baxter & Associates LLP. 18 April 2012. p. 487. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
External links
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