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.
Well I presume when it was rail served it wasnt a paper recycler, but I dont know what it was then
ANYHOW, whatever it was, was clearly rail served once, you can see the lines still in the tarmac, and can see where the single track wouldve dropped away from the mainline just after Keynsham station and in to the place.
So, what was it, when did the lift the tracks to it, and most of all, has anyone got any pics of trains using it?
I believe that Stav is refering to the current paper mill site, to the east of Keynsham station which was originally a brass mill, becoming a paper mill in 1927.
No Lowjack, thanks to this site I know about that one , but just after that on the Bath side, the paper mill.
You can clearly see railways tracks still in the tarmac at the mill, and it doesnt take much of a keen eye to see how the embankment has been made to slope down there for a single track to once come off the main line and go down to the track thats still embedded in the tarmac.
No idea when that was last connected/used though, but the ones of the trains using the Frys branch are some of my favourites, so it would be good to see this one in use too
I have a very vague memory of a siding running alongside the main line in that location but at a lower level on the end of which was parked one (possibly two) very small industrial locos . One may have had some sort of centre cab arrangement . This would have been mid 1950's.
Interesting And yeah, the remaining bit of track curves 90deg in a short space so would have to be short wheelbase locos to use most of it I reckon.
There a book available about railways in Keynsham, not seen it yet but mentions 4 different branches/sidings.
That would be the Frys branch, this one I mention here, and 2 more I dont know of.
Might have to see if I can find a copy anywhere and take a look.
I have had a look at some of my records from the 1960's/70's for Keynsham and the following may be of interest.
The siding was originally installed in 1929 for a firm called Paper Sacks Ltd .
The site was aquired by E S & A Robinson in around 1932 and a new paper mill was built . Initially the wagons of coal from the Forest of Dean were shunted by a 4wPM Avonside No 2013 which was built in 1930 and this was later joined by a Ruston Hornsby 48 DS No 235519 built in 1945.
One of the engines (the Avonside I think )was scrapped sometime in the 1960's while the other went to the AVR - if there are any AVR members on here maybe they can confirm.
The other sidings at Keynsham were for Tate & Lyle and the Square Grip Reinforcement Company . I dont ever remember seeing the Tate & Lyle siding in use but Square Grip had steel delivered on bogie bolster wagons.
Frys were of course the biggest rail user in the town - their own system being well over two miles of trackage . The system opened for business around 1925 and from 1928 was operated by Frys own engine a Sentinel 0-4-0 with vertical boiler No 7492. It was eventually replaced by a Hudswell Clark 0-4-0 DM named Somerdale . I think the Sentinel is preserved (possibly in Suffolk).
The Sentinel is in a village near Colchester on a private site.I will ask the possible owner of the Ruston if it was the one at Keynsham and what its present state is.
So where did the Tate & Lyle and the Square Grip Reinforcement Company sidings branch off?
Just after the Paper Mill site (on the Bath side) you can see a flat expanse of land where I guess some sidings were, but aside from that, ive no idea.
Im not from the area, and even my mid80s memories of going to Bath (33s and corridor coaches!) are vague, all of my knowlege is just from staring out the window as my train passes each day on my way to work.
Well all I could remember was that both firms sidings were about a hundred yards apart on the downside.
However I have been looking at Colin Maggs "The GWR Bristol to Bath Line " book today and he says the Tate & Lyle siding was about 90 yards further east of the Square Grip one which was opposite the point where the two up loops joined the main line .
There are some interesting pictures in the book showing all the three sets of private sidings as well as the paper mill locos . Quite a number of pictures on the Frys system include one of a railway wagon being drawn by a horse and a rather spectacular accident involving the Sentinel in which a goods van ended up on the roof of the engine.
Bringing this back to the top, as I was just having dinner and noticed a Bristol+Bath A-Z map book on the side, from 1999 it seems, and had a browse through it.
Bizzarely, the paper mill sidings are still on the map, even though surely they was lifted way sooner?
A few things that im sure were long gone even in '99 are on there, but the paper mill sidings are most to note...
It shows it as a single track coming of the mainline and then in quite a tight 180degree curve round to the back of the mill, including a passing/reversing loop.
And also a straight siding just before it curves 180.
, but just after that on the Bath side, the paper mill.