I am looking for photographs/ drawings of the station buildings for the "new station" at Portishead for a forthcoming modelling project .
I particularly need information on the buildings that were under the canopy on the platform.
I believe several articles appeared in the press at the time of opening of the station as it was the first new station to be built on Western Region after World War 2 . The March 1954 issue of the "Architect Magazine" apparrently has an in depth article and the British Transport Commission in house magazine also has details of construction . If anyone knows where copies of these publications may be seen it would be very helpfull.
Portishead Station 1954 to 1964
I am surprised no-one has been able to come up with any replies.
However if it is of interest to anyone I have found an article in a back issue of the Railway Modeller with some drawings and a number of photographs of the station.
Some other interesting facts have also come to light .
The Central Electricity Generating Board paid ú250000 towards the cost of the construction of the station which was about half the actual cost.
The site was on a marsh - hence the platform subsidence problems in later years.
The station was not only the first new station to be built on Western Region after World War 2 it was the first to be built anywhere in the country.
The station was fitted with the then new fangled fluorescent lights as opposed to gas which was normal on most stations , probably due to CEGB involvement. When BR received the first electricity bill they found the cost of having the station lit up like Blackpool illuminations was astronomic and orders were quickly made that every other light be removed to cut down costs.
I would be interested in any facts about the station . I wonder why for example the platforms were built so long (780 feet) . Was an upsurge in excursion traffic expected to a newly rejuvenated Portishead-on-Sea ?
However if it is of interest to anyone I have found an article in a back issue of the Railway Modeller with some drawings and a number of photographs of the station.
Some other interesting facts have also come to light .
The Central Electricity Generating Board paid ú250000 towards the cost of the construction of the station which was about half the actual cost.
The site was on a marsh - hence the platform subsidence problems in later years.
The station was not only the first new station to be built on Western Region after World War 2 it was the first to be built anywhere in the country.
The station was fitted with the then new fangled fluorescent lights as opposed to gas which was normal on most stations , probably due to CEGB involvement. When BR received the first electricity bill they found the cost of having the station lit up like Blackpool illuminations was astronomic and orders were quickly made that every other light be removed to cut down costs.
I would be interested in any facts about the station . I wonder why for example the platforms were built so long (780 feet) . Was an upsurge in excursion traffic expected to a newly rejuvenated Portishead-on-Sea ?
A couple of anomalies have turned up during research into the station .
From different photographs it seems that although the station only had a very short life sometime during that period the buildings on the platform were moved .
It also seems that there is some difference in the intended length of the platform and what actually existed . Information from several different sources says the platform was either 760 or 780 feet long and the canopy was 580 feet long . However the distance between the end of the canopy and platform ramp as seen on photographs is considerably less than the 200 feet it should be if the measurements are correct . There is an area beyond the end of the platform on the photos which seems to suggest it was either prepared for platform construction which was never completed or that section was removed .
Does anyone happen to remember any major building work taking place on the station after it was opened ?
From different photographs it seems that although the station only had a very short life sometime during that period the buildings on the platform were moved .
It also seems that there is some difference in the intended length of the platform and what actually existed . Information from several different sources says the platform was either 760 or 780 feet long and the canopy was 580 feet long . However the distance between the end of the canopy and platform ramp as seen on photographs is considerably less than the 200 feet it should be if the measurements are correct . There is an area beyond the end of the platform on the photos which seems to suggest it was either prepared for platform construction which was never completed or that section was removed .
Does anyone happen to remember any major building work taking place on the station after it was opened ?
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Ian Bennett
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Portishead station
I have somecopies of the original BR photos of the buildings and station at Portishead. I intend to model this in N gge as it would be seriously long in any other scale, well, maybe not z gge!
Ian Bennett
Ian Bennett
Benny
I remember reading that there were a lot of problems with the buildings shortly after the station first opened. Possibly subsidence? Doors that wouldn't open or close etc, so there were quite possibly remedial works.
I also read that there were so many "modern" fluorescent lights, after the first month or two BR removed half of the tubes because of the cost of the electricity!
Maybe the nearby power station had a vested interest
I also read that there were so many "modern" fluorescent lights, after the first month or two BR removed half of the tubes because of the cost of the electricity!
Maybe the nearby power station had a vested interest
Work has now started on the construction of a 4mm scale model of Portishead New Station as it was built in 1954. We have done a great deal of research but information is very hard to come by and two things we are missing are:
1 A descent photograph of the booking office building from the platform side as some of the information/drawings for that side that have come to light have produced a number of anomalies that need to be resolved for an accurate model to be made.
2 Paint colour scheme - we had assumed that in 1954 the scheme would have been the standard BRWR brown/cream . The photos we have of the booking office are all black & white so its difficult to tell but we think there is a possibility other colours may have been used .
Can anyone help with these two problems ?
1 A descent photograph of the booking office building from the platform side as some of the information/drawings for that side that have come to light have produced a number of anomalies that need to be resolved for an accurate model to be made.
2 Paint colour scheme - we had assumed that in 1954 the scheme would have been the standard BRWR brown/cream . The photos we have of the booking office are all black & white so its difficult to tell but we think there is a possibility other colours may have been used .
Can anyone help with these two problems ?