Nailsea and Backwell railway station
General information | |
---|---|
Location | Backwell, North Somerset England |
Coordinates | 51°25′10″N 2°45′01″W / 51.41952°N 2.75030°W |
Grid reference | ST479692 |
Managed by | Great Western Railway |
Platforms | 2 |
Other information | |
Station code | NLS |
Classification | DfT category F2 |
History | |
Original company | Bristol and Exeter Railway |
Pre-grouping | Great Western Railway |
Post-grouping | Great Western Railway |
Key dates | |
14 June 1841 | Opened as 'Nailsea' |
1 July 1964 | Closed to goods traffic |
Passengers | |
2018/19 | 0.498 million |
2019/20 | 0.520 million |
2020/21 | 85,382 |
2021/22 | 0.298 million |
2022/23 | 0.414 million |
Notes | |
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road |
Nailsea and Backwell railway station, on the
Description
The station sits atop an embankment about 40 feet (12 m) high,
The station has two platforms, separated by two running lines. The line runs on a slight curve through the station, at an angle of roughly 067 degrees,
To the north of the station is a pay and display car park with 285 car parking spaces, six motorcycle spaces and a number of cycle racks.[8] Cycle storage is also available.[7] The car park is run by North Somerset Council.[9] There is a bus stop adjacent to the car park, with services between Bristol and Nailsea.[10]
Services
The station is managed by
Services between London Paddington and Weston-super-Mare call at Nailsea and Backwell in the early morning and evening, running non-stop between Bristol Temple Meads and Nailsea and Backwell, also stopping at Yatton, but not always at Worle or Weston Milton. From Monday to Friday there are five morning services and one evening service to London, with seven services from London, all in the evening. Saturday sees three services to London, all in the morning, and four services from London, all in the evening. There are seven services to and six from London on Sundays, spread throughout the day. These intercity services are formed of Class 800s, which are longer than the station, so passengers in the front carriage have to move to a different carriage to get out.[11][16] Passengers are prevented from getting out onto the tracks by a selective door-opening system.[17] The typical journey time to London is roughly two hours.[11]
In 2008, one morning northbound CrossCountry service would make a stop at Nailsea and Backwell to serve as a morning peak service,[18][19] but this operation has ceased. CrossCountry services still pass through the station, but do not stop.[20] Occasional Great Western Railway intercity services between London and Weston-super-Mare or Taunton and Exeter also pass through non-stop.[11]
Preceding station | National Rail | Following station | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Parson Street | Severn Beach – Weston-super-Mare )
|
Yatton | ||
Bristol Temple Meads | Cardiff Central – Penzance )
|
|||
Great Western Railway (London Paddington – Weston-super-Mare) |
The station has adjacent bus stops, served by the First West of England number X7 bus between Bristol bus station, Nailsea and Clevedon, with an hourly service in each direction.[10]
History
The first section of the
Due to its being built on an embankment, lightweight building materials were used for the station: the platforms originally rested on timber supports for most of their length. Station buildings, including a goods shed and a combined ticket office and waiting room, were built on the eastbound platform in the 1860s.
When the railways were
Extra seating was provided in 2006 following action by the Severnside Community Rail Partnership,[35] and in 2008 overgrown foliage was cleared from the car park to improve sightlines and help with security. The station was repainted at the same time, and decorated with silhouettes of students from Backwell School.[36] The embankment suffered subsidence in 2013.[37]
In 2012, the station had a free car park with 120 spaces, but this was frequently full by 7:30am on weekdays,
There is no wheelchair access to the southbound platform; the ramp to the northbound platform is steeper than 1 in 12, making it unsuitable for wheelchair users, and there is a large height difference from the train doors to the platform. In 2011 the government announced a £37.5 million scheme to improve stations under an "Access For All Mid-Tier programme", of which £1,023,000 was to go towards building new ramps at Nailsea and Backwell.[46][47][48] The works were due to start in 2013, but were delayed until 2014 due to a need to repair subsidence on the embankment and wait for works on the car park to be completed.[37] However, due to the delays the funding was withdrawn.[49] Further funding was secured in 2015, but plans for ramps were shelved entirely in 2016 due to fears of further subsidence. Great Western Railway have stated they are looking at installing lifts instead.[50][51]
Preceding station | Historical railways | Following station | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Bristol Temple Meads or Ashton[Note 2] |
Bristol and Exeter Railway (1841-52) |
Yatton | ||
Ashton Line open, station closed. |
Bristol and Exeter Railway (1852-56) |
|||
Bristol Temple Meads | Bristol and Exeter Railway (1856-60) |
|||
Flax Bourton Line open, station closed. |
Bristol and Exeter Railway (1860-76) |
|||
Bristol to Exeter line (1876-1948) |
||||
Bristol to Exeter line (1948-63) |
||||
Parson Street | Bristol to Exeter line (1963-82) |
|||
Bristol to Exeter line (1982-97) |
||||
Bristol to Exeter line (1997-2001) |
||||
Bristol to Exeter line (2001-06) |
Future
Nailsea and Backwell is on the Weston-super-Mare/
The 2017 West of England Joint Spatial Plan suggested that facilities and access to the station be improved to create a multimodal interchange with the Bristol MetroBus scheme, a link to the A370 Long Ashton Bypass and potentially to the M5 motorway at Clevedon. Parking and accessibility improvements are also suggested.[59]
Incidents
There have been several railway incidents in the Backwell area. On 20 September 2002, the 19:40
A serious incident occurred on 17 October 2004, when
On 8 January 2018, Andrew Tavener, a Nailsea resident, was struck by a train at the station, then arrested on suspicion of murdering his wife, Claire Tavener, earlier that day. He was taken to hospital with 'life changing' hand injuries.[71][72][73] He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison for the murder.[74]
The station creates a height and width restriction on the road below, which in 2020 led to a bus becoming wedged under the station. The road and railway were both closed while the bridge was structurally assessed. There have been several previous incidents of tall vehicles becoming stuck.[75][76]
Notes
- ^ Railways in the United Kingdom are, for historical reasons, measured in miles and chains. There are 80 chains to the mile.
- ^ a b Flax Bourton was constructed in 1860 between Bristol and Nailsea; however, there was an earlier station at Long Ashton, but sources are inconsistent about whether the station opened with the line in 1841,[21] or later in 1852.[22] There is general agreement among such sources that the station, called "Ashton", closed in 1856; however other sources, e.g. Oakley (2002),[1] do not mention this station at all.
- ^ Oakley's 1983 work Railways in Avon, a short history of their development and decline 1832 – 1982[28] does not mention the station being called Nailsea; however, both Butt[21] and Oakley's 2002 book Somerset railway stations[1] make reference to the name change. Butt's directory, published in 1995, is accurate up to the end of 1994, and makes no mention of the station going back to being called Nailsea and Backwell.[21] Oakley's 2002 book does not give a date for when the name switched back, merely saying that it had done so by the time the author visited.[1]
References
- ^ ISBN 1-904537-54-5.
- ^ Deaves, Phil. "Engineers' Line References: MLN1 Paddington to North Road Junction". Retrieved 11 April 2012.
- ISBN 978-0-86093-632-9.
- ^ Nailsea Town Council (August 2006). "Baseline Review Final report" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 April 2014. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
33% of the working population of the Town remains in Nailsea to work, an equal amount travel to Bristol each day.
- ISBN 9780319236277.
- ^ "Network Capability — Baseline Declaration: (1) Track and Route mileage: (2) Line-speeds: Western Route" (PDF). Network Rail. 1 April 2009. p. 55. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 October 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
- ^ a b c d "Nailsea & Backwell (NLS)". National Rail. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
- ^ a b Angear, Vicky (16 June 2014). "Car park extension completed". North Somerset Times. Archant. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
- ^ a b "Nailsea and Backwell station car park price rise blamed on commuters". North Somerset Times. Archant Community Media. 17 February 2017. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
- ^ a b "X6/X7 bus timetable". FirstGroup. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f "Central 4 - Cardiff and Bristol to Weston-super-Mare and Exeter" (PDF). Great Western Railway. May 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
- ^ a b "Central 6 - Bristol to Severn Beach: The Severn Beach Line" (PDF). Great Western Railway. May 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
- ^ Miles, Tony (December 2010). "LOROL Class 150s all with FGW". Modern Railways. London. p. 90.
- ^ Salveson, Paul (June 2012). Abell, Paul (ed.). "Severn Beach: Not your typical branch line!". Today's Railways UK (126). Sheffield: Platform 5: 42–47.
- ^ "Taunton-bound passengers from Bristol to benefit from trains with more seats and better WiFi". County Gazette. Newsquest. 25 October 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
- ^ "Central 1 - London Paddington to Bristol, Cheltenham Spa and South Wales timetable" (PDF). Great Western Railway. May 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 October 2015. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
- ^ "February 2007". Cardiff and Avonside Railway Society. February 2007. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
The station platforms [at Worle] are to be extended to accommodate First/GW HST trains from December 2007, with the newly introduced partial door opening system which does see regular daily use at other North Somerset stations at Yatton and Nailsea & Backwell.
- ^ Rhodes041. "Class 220 Arriva Crosscountry (2/09/08) Nailsea & Backwell". YouTube. Archived from the original on 19 December 2021.
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- ^ "February 2009". Cardiff & Avonside Railway Society. February 2009. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
15/12 ... Arriva XC changed its HST diagrams, the 9S53 06:40 Plymouth – Aberdeen (which used to call at Weston-super-Mare, Yatton and Nailsea & Backwell) and the 9V59 09:00 Glasgow – Plymouth were discontinued being replaced by...
- ^ "Timetable: Scotland, the North East to the South West and South Coast; 11 December 2011 to 13 May 2012" (PDF). CrossCountry. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 May 2012. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
- ^ OL 11956311M.
- OCLC 612226077.
- ^ OCLC 55853736.
- ISBN 978-0-7110-3236-1.
- ISBN 978-1-871674-05-7.
- ^ a b "Roy creates replica of 1930s railway station". North Somerset Times. Archant. 5 October 2016. p. 11.
- ^ "Domesday Reloaded: Nailsea/Backwell B.R.Station". BBC. 1986. Retrieved 3 April 2012.
- ISBN 0-86063-184-2.
- ^ Deaves, Phil (5 May 2015). "UK railway franchises". Retrieved 6 May 2015.
- ^ "Wales and West". Wales & West. Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
- ^ "Wessex Trains". The Iron Road: Railway Photography by Scott Borthwick. Archived from the original on 9 December 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
- ^ "FirstGroup wins rail franchises". BBC News. 13 December 2005. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
- ^ "First Great Western bids for longer rail franchise deal". BBC News. 11 May 2011. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
- ^ "The Great Western Railway is back in business". Railnews. 21 September 2015. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
- ^ "Progress Report: Autumn 2006" (PDF). Severnside Community Rail Partnership. Autumn 2006. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
- ^ "Progress Report: January 2009" (PDF). Severnside Community Rail Partnership. January 2009. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
- ^ a b Angear, Vicky (6 November 2013). "Safety fears prompt station repairs". North Somerset Times. Archant.
- ^ a b c "CS10: Transportation and Movement. Scheme: Extend car parking facilities at Nailsea/Backwell Rail Station" (PDF). North Somerset Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 October 2014. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
- ^ a b "Commuter station set to introduce parking charge". This is Bristol. Northcliffe Media. 25 April 2012. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
- ^ "North Somerset station car park in line for extension". This is Bristol. Northcliffe Media. 19 November 2009. Archived from the original on 13 September 2012. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
- ^ "Weston-super-Mare parking changes approved". BBC News. 17 April 2012. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
Proposals to add a further 180 spaces to Nailsea and Backwell railway station car park and introduce car parking charges were also approved.
- ^ "Nailsea and Backwell station parking solution?". This Is Somerset. 8 January 2009. Archived from the original on 14 September 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
- ^ "Station car park set to expand". This is Bristol. Northcliffe Media. 12 January 2009. Archived from the original on 3 May 2012. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
- ^ "Information about Nailsea and Community". Nailsea Town Council. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
Nailsea is a thriving and historic Somerset town with a busy town centre, excellent restaurants, cafes and pubs and free parking.
- ^ "Railway station car park expands" (Press release). North Somerset Council. 17 December 2013. Archived from the original on 17 October 2014. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
- Weston, Worle & Somerset Mercury. Archived from the originalon 27 December 2013. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
- ^ "Improved access to train stations". Action for Access. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
- ^ "Successful bids for Access for All Mid-Tier funding" (PDF). Department for Transport. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 February 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
- The Bristol Post. 20 June 2014. Archived from the originalon 14 July 2014. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
- ^ "Lifts could be installed to improve access at Nailsea and Backwell Railway Station". North Somerset Times. Archant Community Media. 25 November 2016. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
- ^ Vicky Angear (18 October 2017). "Anger following more delays for railway station improvements". North Somerset Times. Archant Community Media. p. 8.
- ^ White, James (13 March 2009). "Item 04: Greater Bristol Metro" (PDF). West of England Partnership. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
- ^ "Campaign for trains from Bristol Temple Meads every half-hour". This is Bristol. Northcliffe Media. 17 January 2012. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
- ^ "Benefits of Bristol to London high-speed rail link 'must go beyond just mainline'". This is Bristol. Northcliffe Media. 3 March 2011. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
- Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways. Autumn 2011. Archived from the original(PDF) on 4 February 2012. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
- ^ "Weston's rail commuter services could be cut, warns town's MP" (Press release). John Penrose MP. 17 July 2009. Archived from the original on 3 January 2013. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
- ^ "MP takes drive for better rail services to top". This is Bristol. Northcliffe Media. 29 October 2011. Archived from the original on 16 October 2013. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
- ^ Bray, Nigel (1 October 2010). "Response to the West of England Partnership Joint Local Transport Plan3 Consultation" (Press release). Railfuture Severnside. Archived from the original on 29 August 2013. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
Regarding rail access to airports, a link from Nailsea station or from a reopened Flax Bourton station would be more convenient for passengers travelling to Bristol Airport from the west.
- ^ "West of England Joint Spatial Plan Publication Document" (PDF). November 2017. pp. 35, 39–40. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
- ^ "November 2002". Cardiff & Avonside Railway Society. November 2002. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
20/09 ... Around 22.00 at Nailsea & Backwell, the 19.40 Plymouth-Gloucester local service was delayed whilst Transport Police were called to deal with two men who assaulted the Guard following a complaint of smoking in a non-smoking area. CS gas was apparently used prior to making the arrest and some other passengers were treated for gas inhalation.
- ^ "Hunt for Nailsea train guard attackers". This is Bristol. Northcliffe Media. 11 November 2009. Archived from the original on 11 September 2012. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
- ^ "Yobs who spit at Bristol train staff will be tracked by their DNA". This is Bristol. Northcliffe Media. 22 December 2009. Archived from the original on 12 September 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
- ^ Smith, Richard (19 September 2013). "COW on the tracks delays rail passengers: See the pictures". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
- ^ Molloy, Mark (19 September 2013). "Runaway cow halts rush hour trains". Metro. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
- ^ "Cow on the line strands passengers for two hours". ITV News. 19 September 2013. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
- ^ "Commuters escape from train blaze". BBC News. 19 October 2004. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
- ^ a b "December 2004 magazine". Cardiff & Avonside Railway Society. December 2004. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
A serious incident just short of Nailsea & Backwell station (alongside the common), saw the 2W63 20.06 Temple Meads-Weston-super-Mare local Wessex Trains service, formed with 143613 + 143621, stopped and evacuated due to a fire which gutted coach 55654 and smoke damaged 55679 (both from set 143613). Fire services took two hours to get the blaze under control, the flames reaching around 20 feet in height, but there were no serious injuries, three persons being treated for smoke inhalation of the 23 passengers and crew travelling on the service. The mainline was closed until 03.30 the following day, the units being dragged back to Bristol and store at St.Phillips Marsh depot for examination. The fire was thought to have started due to a mechanical fault. 19/10 143613 was taken to St Phillips Marsh for an investigation into the fire. The main frame of 55654 was badly buckled and it is beyond repair. The unit was taken by road to Crewe Works later in the week.
- ^ "November 2005". Cardiff & Avonside Railway Society. November 2005. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
Stored: 143613/615 – ZC [Crewe Works]
- ^ "September 2006". Cardiff & Avonside Railway Society. September 2006. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
Disposals: Pullman : 143613 @CF [Cardiff Canton]
- ^ "August 2005 section: "Miscellaneous"". Cardiff & Avonside Railway Society. August 2005. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
- ^ Kitching, Chris (8 January 2018). "Mum-of-two found dead at home as police launch murder probe". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
- ^ Pickstock, Heather (9 January 2019). "Tributes paid to mum-of-two Claire Tavener who was 'beautiful inside and out'". Bristol Post. Local World. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
- ^ Angear, Vicky (8 March 2018). "Nailsea man pleads guilty to murder of wife Claire Tavener". North Somerset Times. Archant. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
- ^ Bennett, Geoffrey (10 April 2018). "Everything heard in court when Tavener was sentenced for stabbing his wife to death". Bristol Post. Local World. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
- Archant Community Media. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
- ^ "Mind your head on top". Nailsea People. 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2020.