Severn Beach line
Severn Beach line | |||
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Technical | |||
Number of tracks | Part four-track, part double, part single | ||
Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) | ||
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The Severn Beach line is a local railway line in Bristol and Gloucestershire, England, which runs from Bristol Temple Meads to Severn Beach, and used to extend to Pilning.[2] The first sections of the line were opened in 1865 as part of the Bristol Port Railway and Pier; the section through Bristol was opened in 1875 as the Clifton Extension Railway.
The line has faced several threats of closure over the years, and has been reduced to single track in many places.[3] In the 21st century it has experienced a surge in passenger numbers, with a 90% increase in the years 2007–2011.[4] All services along the line are operated by Great Western Railway, generally two trains per hour in each direction between Temple Meads and Avonmouth, calling at all stations, with one train per hour extended to Severn Beach. The line carries little freight traffic, with most of the heavy freight traffic to Avonmouth Docks being routed via the Henbury Loop Line through Filton. The line was highlighted by Thomas Cook as one of the scenic lines of Europe.[5]
Route
From
The line then enters the mile-long
Beyond Severn Beach, the line used to continue north through the town and further along the bank of the Severn, meeting the Bristol and South Wales Union Railway's line near New Passage Pier. It then joined with the South Wales Main Line at Pilning.[6][7][8][9]
The line was listed among Thomas Cook's most favoured attractions for its scenic route along the River Avon and River Severn.[5]
Services
Services along the line are operated by Great Western Railway, mainly using diesel Class 166 Turbo units.[10] Until mid-2017, the line had been operated by Class 150 Sprinter units, occasionally supplemented by Class 153 Super Sprinter and Class 158 Express Sprinter units.[11][12] Until 2012, Class 143 Pacer units were a regular sight, but these were moved south to work in Devon following a cascade of Class 150/1 units from London Midland and London Overground.[12][13]
Monday to Friday, two trains per hour run from
Clifton Down is the line's main passing point, so trains to Avonmouth usually arrive at the same time as trains to Bristol Temple Meads. Most trains call at all stations. The typical journey time from Temple Meads to Avonmouth is 28 minutes, and 37 minutes to Severn Beach.[15]
All stations on the line are in Travel Zone A (Bristol City) apart from Severn Beach which is in Zone C.[16]
History
The Bristol Port Railway and Pier
Bristol sits on the
As built, the railway was isolated from the rest of the national network, having not been intended for anything more than local traffic, so a connection to the main line railways was needed in order to develop Avonmouth as a port. However, due to the position of Clifton station and the large amount of developed land in the
Clifton Extension Railway
The Clifton Extension Railway initially ran from Clifton Down to Narroways Hill Junction with what is now the Cross Country Route north through Bristol, then part of the Great Western Railway; and over a viaduct from Narroways Hill to the Midland Railway's Bristol to Gloucester line near Fishponds. The line was managed by the Clifton Extension Railway Joint Committee, but in 1894 responsibility was passed to the Great Western & Midland Railways Joint Committee.[17] Services began to Clifton Down on 1 October 1874.[18]
The initial service provided by the Midland Railway was between Clifton Down, Fishponds and Mangotsfield, where passengers could change for services to Bath, Birmingham and other Midland destinations. The Great Western provided services from Clifton Down to Bristol Temple Meads, the city's major station, where passengers could change for trains to London, Exeter and Wales, among others. The Great Western also provided occasional through services to Weston-super-Mare. There were a total of 23 trains in each direction between the two companies Monday-Saturday.[18] On Sundays, there was no Midland service, but seven Great Western trains.[19] The fare to Temple Meads was 6d first-class and 3d third-class.[17]
The
There was not initially a station at
In 1910, Clifton Down saw 17 Great Western services from Avonmouth to Temple Meads and 15 the other way, a further 20 trains each day operating between Clifton and Temple Meads, and 13 Midland trains each way between Clifton and Fishponds or Mangotsfield. Midland services were suspended from 1 January 1917 to 15 May 1919 due to the
In 1923,
British Rail
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Lawrence_Hill_5_Station_geograph-2206885.jpg/220px-Lawrence_Hill_5_Station_geograph-2206885.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a8/121135_at_Lawrence_Hill.jpg/220px-121135_at_Lawrence_Hill.jpg)
When the railways were
In 1971 the weekday service was 20 trains in each direction, 19 calling at all stations between Bristol Temple Meads and Severn Beach and 1 train that terminated at St Andrews Road.[21]
On 20 October 1981, the Severn Beach line saw one of the first uses of a
... the line the railway wished was not there. It was the line that got bus substitution whenever they were short of trains or queues, when a rugby match in Cardiff needed a special. It has a problem in that the route is slow and not very direct; for years it was invisible, short of marketing and lacking a regular interval timetable.[12]
Post-privatisation
When the railway was privatised in 1997, local services were franchised to Wales & West,[25] which was succeeded by Wessex Trains in 2001.[26]
21st century
Following action by
Before we put real effort into the Severn Beach line it was really the sacrificial lamb for other services. So if we needed a spare train, we would pull one off the line and cancel it, which was why punctuality and reliability was so poor. After the public campaign in 2006 we decided that we didn't want to take that to carry on any more.[29]
Protesters would chant "The Severn Beach is a mighty fine line; Clean and friendly and sometimes on time."[5]
The Wessex franchise was amalgamated with the Great Western franchise into the
The council subsidy was halved in 2011 at the end of the three-year deal, with the council stating that with the large increase in passenger numbers, such a large subsidy was no longer necessary.[40] Local groups, including FOSBR and the Green Party claimed that services became less reliable following the cut, but First Great Western and the council stated that reliability problems were not due to the cut in subsidy, but instead due to breakdowns and track maintenance.[41] The council subsidies, for both increased services and Sunday services, were due to be replaced by national funding in 2015.[38] An additional evening service was agreed in February 2012, to start in September 2012, after protests about a 100-minute gap in the timetable.[42][43]
With the coming upgrade to the Great Western Main Line, the main line from London to Bristol was due to be electrified by 2016;
Improved services along the line are called for as part of the
The metro plan also calls for the reopening of the
The
Passenger volume
Below are the passenger usage statistics from years starting April 2002 to April 2022. Comparing 2002 with later years has shown a general increase on the line in usage. The most recent figures have been attributed to an improved service.[69] The high usage at Clifton Down is due in part to its proximity to Bristol Zoo (though that closed in September 2022) and a major shopping area.
Comparing over a full decade from April 2012 to April 2002, on the main line, Lawrence Hill and Stapleton Road have increased 130% and 82% respectively. On the branch line, the stations with the biggest changes were Severn Beach, St Andrews Road and Clifton Down with 363%, 228% and 178% respectively. The lowest increase was at Shirehampton with only 35%. Montpelier, Redland, Sea Mills and Avonmouth have increased by 103%, 89%, 68% and 144% respectively.
The annual change from the year starting April 2011 to the year starting April 2012 varies from an increase of 63% at St Andrews Road through to a decrease of 2% at Redland. During this year, Redland was the only station to see a decrease, with the average change for all stations on the line being an increase of 11%.[69]
Station usage | ||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Station name | 2002–03 | 2004–05 | 2005–06 | 2006–07 | 2007–08 | 2008–09 | 2009–10 | 2010–11 | 2011–12 | 2012–13 | 2013–14 | 2014–15 | 2015–16 | 2016–17 | 2017–18 | 2018–19 | 2019–20 | 2020–21 | 2021–22 | 2022–23 |
Lawrence Hill | 54,180 | 46,508 | 55,865 | 68,371 | 55,730 | 67,338 | 74,876 | 93,600 | 102,960 | 124,878 | 136,316 | 150,774 | 157,912 | 170,084 | 151,625 | 148,606 | 190,118 | 66,852 | 152,906 | 209,022 |
Stapleton Road | 77,201 | 73,202 | 86,997 | 98,446 | 72,182 | 103,576 | 111,532 | 123,084 | 129,356 | 140,390 | 157,294 | 178,114 | 179,872 | 183,780 | 179,780 | 168,674 | 205,224 | 65,722 | 147,770 | 211,718 |
Montpelier | 62,005 | 65,108 | 73,573 | 76,969 | 60,629 | 84,834 | 96,114 | 111,628 | 122,222 | 126,316 | 121,294 | 130,560 | 122,146 | 111,540 | 102,004 | 94,684 | 129,556 | 42,438 | 91,758 | 169,540 |
Redland | 50,293 | 50,063 | 55,529 | 66,852 | 61,394 | 86,234 | 86,426 | 92,966 | 96,904 | 94,984 | 93,176 | 105,610 | 99,732 | 94,454 | 88,876 | 88,338 | 120,642 | 33,332 | 83,576 | 158,136 |
Clifton Down | 187,558 | 141,838 | 153,027 | 180,656 | 204,397 | 281,876 | 361,828 | 433,088 | 471,010 | 522,010 | 573,770 | 619,766 | 672,386 | 764,192 | 692,122 | 628,888 | 727,774 | 168,394 | 400,730 | 608,640 |
Sea Mills | 34,649 | 34,113 | 36,411 | 40,786 | 33,222 | 36,358 | 41,680 | 49,082 | 51,998 | 58,310 | 58,106 | 64,512 | 61,696 | 62,162 | 54,484 | 52,630 | 58,204 | 13,108 | 36,408 | 62,422 |
Shirehampton | 37,563 | 29,645 | 31,539 | 38,493 | 30,893 | 34,292 | 35,758 | 42,566 | 43,482 | 50,654 | 51,542 | 52,480 | 56,756 | 55,762 | 48,700 | 47,234 | 55,518 | 17,454 | 42,264 | 67,124 |
Portway Park and Ride
|
not opened | not opened | not opened | not opened | not opened | not opened | not opened | not opened | not opened | not opened | not opened | not opened | not opened | not opened | not opened | not opened | not opened | not opened | not opened | not opened |
Avonmouth | 40,089 | 33,815 | 43,365 | 47,834 | 44,468 | 61,948 | 68,448 | 83,674 | 88,642 | 97,880 | 111,440 | 119,924 | 129,860 | 144,110 | 123,932 | 107,752 | 127,142 | 46,076 | 88,332 | 109,936 |
St Andrews Road | 3,021 | 4,969 | 8,008 | 5,518 | 3,183 | 3,582 | 3,942 | 4,328 | 6,072 | 9,910 | 13,376 | 11,184 | 7,374 | 6,522 | 5,516 | 4,724 | 5,728 | 4,910 | 7,164 | 17,322 |
Severn Beach | 36,074 | 29,295 | 37,088 | 38,202 | 54,034 | 74,712 | 88,504 | 113,480 | 141,714 | 167,078 | 195,824 | 224,658 | 260,784 | 310,818 | 292,044 | 251,994 | 301,154 | 98,726 | 180,444 | 228,566 |
The annual passenger usage is based on sales of tickets in stated financial years from Office of Rail and Road estimates of station usage. The statistics are for passengers arriving and departing from each station and cover twelve-month periods that start in April. Methodology may vary year on year. Usage from the periods 2019-20 and especially 2020-21 onwards have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic |
Whilst not based on the same methodology, the Severnside Community Rail Partnership carry out a passenger count on a particular day every June and the 2014 count had an increase in passenger usage of 16% over the 2013 count, indicating that the high growth on this line seen in previous years continues.[70]
See also
- Rail transport in Bristol
References
- ^ FOSBR. "FOSBR - Our case 2017". fosbr.org.uk. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
- ^ "The New Adlestrop Railway Atlas - historical UK railway map". systemed.net. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
- ^ "Track and route mileage, permissible line speeds". Network Rail. Network Rail. n.d. Archived from the original on 18 January 2016.
- ^ "Severn Beach Line - News". Archived from the original on 25 August 2013. Retrieved 7 September 2012.
- ^ a b c "BBC Inside Out – Bristol's Severn Beach Railway Line". BBC. 20 September 2004. Retrieved 28 July 2012.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-86093-632-9.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-319-22914-9.
- ^ a b Deaves, Phil. "Engineers' Line References: CNX Clifton Extension Line". Retrieved 13 March 2024.
- ^ a b Deaves, Phil. "Engineers' Line References: AMB Avonmouth Branch". Retrieved 13 March 2024.
- ^ "Massive increase in Bristol train seats begins today" (Press release). FirstGroup. 3 July 2017. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
- ^ "First Great Western will add to service on successful Severn Bridge rail line". This is Bristol. 25 January 2011. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g Salveson, Paul (June 2012). "Severn Beach: Not your typical branch line!". Today's Railways UK. No. 126. pp. 42–47.
- ^ a b Miles, Tony (December 2010). "LOROL Class 150s all with FGW". Modern Railways. p. 90.[full citation needed]
- ^ "Train times: Bristol Temple Meads and Weston-super-Mare to Avonmouth and Severn Beach" (PDF). Great Western Railway. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
- First Great Western. May 2012. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
- ^ "Freedom Travelpass – Bus & Rail Passes". Travelwest. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Maggs, Colin (1975). The Bristol Port Railway and Pier. The Oakwood Press.
- ^ ISBN 1-904537-54-5.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-901945-30-0.
- OL 11956311M.
- ^ Western Region Passenger Services. London: British Railways Board. 1971.
- ^ Booth, Chris (2009). "The BRE-Leyland Railbus concept". Today's Railways UK (December 2009): 35.
- ^ "THE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES – OFFICIAL REPORT IN THE THIRD SESSION OF THE FIFTIETH PARLIAMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND, SIXTH SERIES VOLUME 178 SEVENTEENTH VOLUME OF SESSION 1989–90". Parliament of the United Kingdom. 22 October 1990. Retrieved 28 July 2012.
- ^ a b c d "Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways making rail difference". This is Bristol. 25 September 2010. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Lobby to save Severn Beach line". BBC News. BBC. 27 February 2006. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
- ^ "Suburban rail cash boost". BBC News. BBC. 3 December 2003. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
- ^ "On board Bristol's subsidised train service". This is Bristol. 3 January 2009. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
- ^ "Wessex Trains". The Iron Road: Railway Photography by Scott Borthwick. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
- ^ "FirstGroup wins rail franchises". BBC News. BBC. 13 December 2005. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
- ^ a b "First Great Western bids for longer rail franchise deal". BBC News. BBC. 11 May 2011. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
- ^ "The Great Western Railway is back in business". Railnews. 21 September 2015. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
- ^ "Beach rail service to be revamped". BBC News. BBC. 12 September 2007. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
- ^ "Campaigners' picnic marks rail launch". This is Bristol. 17 July 2010. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
- ^ "Campaigners call for quick railway action". This is Bristol. 15 September 2010. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
- ^ "Sunday service puts smiles on faces of rail enthusiasts". This is Bristol. 24 May 2010. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
- ^ a b c "New Great Western franchise to deliver new express trains" (Press release). Department for Transport. 27 July 2012. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
- ^ "Community engagement in rail line". BBC News. BBC. 2 April 2009. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
- ^ "Bristol's Severn Beach rail line subsidy is halved". BBC News. BBC. 19 March 2011. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
- ^ "Bristol's Severn Beach rail line 'less reliable'". BBC News. BBC. 25 October 2011. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
- First Great Western. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
- ^ "Popular Severn Beach line gets new late service". Bristol Post. 18 September 2012. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- Rail Magazine. No. 694. pp. 8–9.
- ^ "Great Western franchise to be extended". Railnews. 19 July 2012. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
- ^ "Great Western London to south Wales rail contest scrapped". BBC News. BBC. 31 January 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
- ^ "First celebrates last-minute Great Western deal". Railnews. 3 October 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
- ^ "First Great Western retains Wales and west rail franchise". BBC News. BBC. 3 October 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
- ^ "First Great Western offered new franchise deal". BBC News. BBC. 10 October 2014. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
- ^ "FirstGroup wins Great Western contract extension". The Guardian. 10 October 2014. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
- ^ "Updated franchise schedule signals GW extension". Railnews. 10 October 2014. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
- ^ "Modernising the Great Western" (PDF). Network Rail. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 April 2013. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
- ^ "Great Western electrification: Intercity line work 'deferred'". BBC News. 8 November 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
- ^ "Bristol to London line to be electrified". This is Bristol. 23 July 2009. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
- ^ "Benefits of Bristol to London high-speed rail link 'must go beyond just mainline'". This is Bristol. 3 March 2011. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
- Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways. Autumn 2011. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
- ^ 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. 17 January 2012. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
- ^ "Transport Minister hears calls for better Bristol train service". This is Bristol. 17 October 2009. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
- Bristol Evening Post. 17 July 2012. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
- Rail Magazine. No. 702. p. 9.
- Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
- The Post, Bristol. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
- ^ "Great Western Rail franchise concerns raised". BBC News. BBC. 16 August 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
- ^ "Bristol Henbury Loop train runs again after 50 years". BBC News. 27 July 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
- ^ "Bristol's new train station at Portway Park and Ride confirms opening date". Bristol Post. Local World. 26 July 2023.
- Bristol Evening Post (13 January 2009). "Railway station could be built at Portway park and ride". Evening Post. Archived from the originalon 9 January 2010. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
- ^ "Council leader's claim is a distortion of the facts". This is Bristol. 29 July 2011. Archived from the original on 9 December 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
- ^ a b "Station Usage". Rail Statistics. Office of Rail Regulation. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
- ^ "Success on the Severn Beach Line" (PDF). Media Release. Severnside Community Rail Partnership. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- http://www.severnbeachline.org – Severnside Community Rail Partnership's website for the line
- http://www.fosbr.org.uk/ – Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways.