This is the original forum of the Bristol Railway Archive that existed between 2003 and 2013. I finally rescued it after it seemed unrecoverable after a large crash. I have made it available for viewing. It is locked, all posts to the new version please!
Use this forum to talk about the railways in and around Bristol, or for any off-topic stuff you want to share. Also request photos and information that you are missing.
Thanks for all your comments on the Filton Railway Chords.
I used to go to Thornbury Grammar School between 1951-57. I well remember watching trains on the Thornbury/Yatesbury branch line doing their afternoon shunt about once a week. It proved an interesting diversion from boring lessons if the 6th form girls were not playing hockey. Does anyone know much about this line apart from that already given in meagre sources? Does the railway still run to Tytherington Quarry? I thought a proposal had been made by FOSBR to reconnect Thornbury to the main rail system again through Tytherington. However I can see expensive problems trying to negotiate the M5 between the quarry and Thornbury.
It is very unlikely that thornbury would be reconected to the branch at the quarry, as thosands of tons of gravel in fill were used to fill in the cutting before grovesend tunnel when the line was re-laid, this was done to make a more level formation for the quarry headshunt. The tunnel is now also in private hands so could not be used as for the M5 being in the way tytherington tunnel goes below the M5 so this is not a problem.
As for re-opening to passenger use,very unlikely I think, as short of putting a platform in the cutting at grovesend and some sort of park and ride system being used, the line's track would need major upgrading as at best it is in poor condition. The Biggest hurdle I feel would be the pathing of more trains into the already busy Bristol-Birminham line, let alone the lack of rolling stock to run it.
There is a book about the branch ; The Yate to Thornbury Branch by Colin Maggs, ISBN 0-85361-585-3 by Oakwood press.
The line closed to passenger traffic on 19th June 1944, but freight carried on until 1966, worked until November 1965 by Barrow Road men and usually with a 4F 0-6-0.
There was also a short branch from Iron Acton to Frampton Cotterell serving a colliery - I have no idea how long ago that closed but it was one hell of a job to walk it when I tried it c.1974!
The track was lifted shortly after closure, but the line was resurrected in 1972 when the track was relaid to serve Tytherington Quarry. Unfortunately, by then the Iron Acton bypass had been built so a new level crossing appeared on the new road.
The line has been used from time to time by enthusiasts specials - it seemed rather incongruous a few years ago to see Nunney Castle with 9 on waiting for clearance to use the crossing adjacent to Iron Acton station!
Your comments tend to confirm my suspicions that the proposal is not a serious GOER. However I wonder why FOSBR has pencilled it on their WISH LIST. Furthermore, the line would need to finish as close as possible to the edge of Thornbury so that it is within walking distance for many townsfolk - lessening the need for a large PARK & RIDE area. But this would make the proposal even less likely to succeed.
Even so, the idea seems to have a lot in its favour, as I suspect many local residents work, school, and shop in the Filton/Aztec/Cribbs Causeway area, and beyond and trains were run from Parkway through to Avonmouth (another PIPE DREAM?).
A much less practical and far more expensive proposal would be a completely new line running the other way to link up with the South Wales Line. This would probably provide a quicker and more direct route to Filton/Bristol. Again the volume of existing traffic on the main line would probably rule out that idea. And going under/over the motorways. But if feasible maybe it could link up with the existing Severn Beach line, thus improving the viability of this line. Extra stations could be added at Alveston/Olveston.
Hi ron I think the climb up from the south wales line to Thornbury would be quite a slog!, the climb from tytherington village to the Quarry peaks at 1:55/59!, and yes the the sight of a castle at the crossings was good just not so good when it stalled just the other side of the tunnel, and had to be rescued by a "shed" GM66!
Besides there is is more hope of the line being used for passenger use, than a "New" branch being built, look how long it taken for the CTRL to be finished!
Robin, quote"There was also a short branch from Iron Acton to Frampton Cotterell serving a colliery - I have no idea how long ago that closed but it was one hell of a job to walk it when I tried it c.1974!
There was a Iron Ore mine not a colliery, and the short branch was finished in 1868, but was probably not used until 1872 when the rest of the "main" branch was finished, and closed finally in 1877, when the mines became flooded.
Indeed at framton, now you can still see earth works at the bristol water works depot?, where they pump water from the mines.
Your comments are noted. Howeversteep gradients would probablty be avoided by starting the new line at the bottom of Alveston Hill alongside Thornbury Golf Club. From memory it would be relatively flat land skirting around the plateau on which Alveston/Olveston sits though I do not have access to an Ordinance survey map to check out. I believe the olf Midland rail had plans to link Thornbury with the South Wales line, so a Survey may ahev already been carried out. It would be nice if could link up to the old Tytherington line to complete a circular route for trains running in both directions, improving access and services.
But as said before its just another unaffordable PIPE DREAM. Apart from global warming and road congestion, Bristol/England, like New Zealand needs to wake up now to the fact peak oil production cannot be too far away. The UK, like NZ, is a net oil importer and will not be able to compete in 10 years time with USA, China, India etc for increasingly dwindling supplies. Hence the discredited policies of building more and more roads/motorways will be wasted on decreasing numbers of expensive-to-run vehicles will be less and less relevant. I suspect building a new rail spur like the one suggested, and upgrading existing lines, will be a far cheaper option than more roading. Fortunately I wonÆt be around when doomsday approaches, and watching the apocalypse deniers wandering around wailing and gnashing their teeth. But unfortunately my children and grandchildren will.
