dissertation

[BaggieBird]

Hey guys you may remember some months ago i mentioned i was planning on doing my dissertation on something railway related. In the end my proposal got rejected so had to look at other areas of interest. In the end i decided to write it on Bristol during the Blitz. One of my sections looks at how services such as transport were affected by the blitz. Thus, does anyone know anything about the damage done to Bristol TM etc or even better did anyone live through the blitz?

cheers

Greg

[DAVE]

Greg
BTM was the subject of an air raid on the 3/1/41.
Platforms 9 and 12 were damaged, the Booking office, telegraph office, refreshment room and clock tower were hit.

Dave Nailsea

[jules]

Look into how the tram system finally came to an end in Bristol. A bomb hit the bridge from the generating station near Temple Meads and that was the end for the tram system.

The very last tram apparently "rolled" into Kingswood depot without power.

[mjt]

Greg,

There was a series of articles on Bristol railways in the blitz in BackTrack a year or so ago. It was called 'Railway damage & destruction around Bristol in WWII' and ran to 3 parts in the May, July, & September 2004 editions. If you don't already have them I think you'll find it worthwhile tracking them down. Try a heritage railway bookstall or a specialist dealer such as Nigel Bird (www.nigelbirdbooks.co.uk).

I got these details from a very useful BackTrack index at: http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/bobbacktrack/

Regards

[James]

There's a seller in the shed at Williton WSR on gala days with a large selection of BackTrack magazines. Also recommended are Minehead "Readers' Halt", Williton shop, and Crowcombe Heathfield waiting room.

It'll give you an excuse to go to the gala if nothing else

[Splodge]

You must mention the tram line embedded in the grounds of St Mary Redcliffe church. The result of a bomb exploding on Redcliffe hill that sent this huge piece of steel soaring over the houses & embedding in the grass, still there now exactly where it landed.

[James]

The Bristol Group of the West Somerset Railway Association is having a talk on "Railways in World War II" on April 24th at the BAWA, Southmead Road, Filton, Bristol starting at 7.30pm for 7.45pm.

I believe that non members are welcome, although they have to pay a small fee.