Question - Temple Meads - Clifton Down - Severn Beach line.

[Grayo59]

I've just read an article in Railway Magazine (March 2006) about the introduction of pay on the train services on British Rail just after the Beeching era.

The article states that it was introduced on the above line in Winter '63/64 and was one of the earliest examples.

Now my memory may be faulty, but from Sept '66 to July '70 inclusive I went to school by train (DMU) from Shirehampton to Sea Mills and back and I reckon that during my first year (Sept '66 to July '67) that small oblong card tickets at 8d return were purchased in the (up til then) normal way from the ticket office and that during the winter the waiting room was open, staffed and had a coal fire in it.

I think it was Sept 1967 that pay on the train was introduced from Montpelier to Severn Beach and a couple of years later to Stapleton Rd/Lawrence Hill.

Can anyone confirm either way?

[simon]

I can't categorically state you are correct but i think you are right.

I first "discovered" the severn Beach line in 1968 and the stations were at that time locked up but looked like it had only just happened.

It may be of course that certain stations were converted earlier than others.

[AndyK]

I am almost certain you are right. I remember a friend who introduced me to trainspotting in the summer of 1967 pointing to a man sitting on a platform bench at Clifton Down and telling me he was the stationmaster; doubtless the chap was contemplating his forthcoming redundancy.

I have an idea that Severn Beach station itself remained staffed for a few years longer.

[simon]

I have an idea that Severn Beach station itself remained staffed for a few years longer.

I believe it was staffed when this picture was taken in 1972:

http://simon71.fotopic.net/p21432331.html

[Mitch]

I can't supply an answer, just an anecdote. I worked the line in the mid-eighties when pay trains were firmly established. At first we used Omniprinter ticket machines, but we were later some of the first on BR to use the new-fangled Portis (Portable Ticket Issuing System) machines.
None of the fares on the branch were more than a pound at the time, and we only carried a five pound float. Some wise guy cottoned on to this and kept presenting a ú20 note for a 30p fare. After three days of this I cured his problem: I went to the bank and got ú20's worth of copper. The next day the ú20 note was duly presented and he got ú19.70p in change in 1p & 2p coins in a carrier bag. He didn't do it again....

[James]

hahahahaha! Genius!

[Andrew]

I've just read an article in Railway Magazine (March 2006) about the introduction of pay on the train services on British Rail just after the Beeching era.

The article states that it was introduced on the above line in Winter '63/64 and was one of the earliest examples.

Now my memory may be faulty, but from Sept '66 to July '70 inclusive I went to school by train (DMU) from Shirehampton to Sea Mills and back and I reckon that during my first year (Sept '66 to July '67) that small oblong card tickets at 8d return were purchased in the (up til then) normal way from the ticket office and that during the winter the waiting room was open, staffed and had a coal fire in it.

I think it was Sept 1967 that pay on the train was introduced from Montpelier to Severn Beach and a couple of years later to Stapleton Rd/Lawrence Hill.

Can anyone confirm either way?

I first travelled the line early in 1967 and Clifton Down was definitely manned then, so 1967 seems a likely cut-off point.

I went to Cotham Grammar School from 1967-1972 with the son (Richard Ball) of the last Stationmaster at Sea Mills, who still lived in the station house.

[Andrew]

I have an idea that Severn Beach station itself remained staffed for a few years longer.

I believe it was staffed when this picture was taken in 1972:

http://simon71.fotopic.net/p21432331.html

After a fashion - I think that the "last" stationmaster (who I seem to remember had an extremely fit daughter!! ) was still living in the house, and was often around, but there were no booking facilities and the signal box was closed by this time, along with the Pilning line so there were no level-crossing gate duties to perform.

[Andrew]

After all the stations (apart from Temple Meads) became unstaffed, at peak times there used to be a secondconductor-guard on certain trains, and in the evening "rush hour" at Avonmouth when the docks kicked-out, he would be left on ticket-issuing duty on the "down" platform at Avonmouth. His name was Wally - forgotten his surname

[Mitch]

As a conductor guard I did ticket-selling duties on Avonmouth platform back in the mid-eighties.
The turn involved assisting on an afternoon Severn Beach train to Avonmouth, spending an hour or two on the platform selling tickets, then assisting back to Temple Meads. At the time none of the branch fares were more than 99p and you were lucky to pay in more than ú20 per shift.
We were using manual Omniprinter ticket machines to start with, but the Severn Beach line was one of, if not the first, in the country to go over to the then new-fangled Portis (portable ticket issuing system) machines.
Were the turn still in place today it would be blacked by the union: standing on Avonmouth platform with a bag of cash would be an open invitation to get mugged....

[AndyK]

... and the signal box was closed by this time, along with the Pilning line so there were no level-crossing gate duties to perform.

After the Pilning line closed as a through route, there remained a stub extending over the level crossing that seemed to be used for storing wagons, as seen here in 1970 http://andy-kirkham.fotopic.net/p25711769.html .

Does anyone know when the line over the level crossing was finally closed?

[Andrew]

... and the signal box was closed by this time, along with the Pilning line so there were no level-crossing gate duties to perform.

After the Pilning line closed as a through route, there remained a stub extending over the level crossing that seemed to be used for storing wagons, as seen here in 1970 http://andy-kirkham.fotopic.net/p25711769.html .

Does anyone know when the line over the level crossing was finally closed?

Sorry - yes, you are right. I had forgotten about this - but I moved away from Bristol in 1973 and I don't know when the crossing closed. I think it was still there in 1972.

[Andrew]

As a conductor guard I did ticket-selling duties on Avonmouth platform back in the mid-eighties.
The turn involved assisting on an afternoon Severn Beach train to Avonmouth, spending an hour or two on the platform selling tickets, then assisting back to Temple Meads. At the time none of the branch fares were more than 99p and you were lucky to pay in more than ú20 per shift.
We were using manual Omniprinter ticket machines to start with, but the Severn Beach line was one of, if not the first, in the country to go over to the then new-fangled Portis (portable ticket issuing system) machines.
Were the turn still in place today it would be blacked by the union: standing on Avonmouth platform with a bag of cash would be an open invitation to get mugged....

I remember Wally Coles who used to do this turn, presumably before you - I imagine he retired.