The Bristol Railway Archive

jules wrote: I can only think of three things to do with an empty tunnel: fill it in with rubbish, use it as a shooting range, or as a pretty useless damp storage space. Or maybe start a mushroom farm?

They have been sold for all three uses

I don't mind you arguing with me, I've not been around much the last couple of years anyhoo (apart from constantly deleting the spammers...), so it's your forum more than it's mine!

I'm not sure where the people of Thornbury want their public transport to go. Apparently, it's a point of concern for them, but why isn't mentioned in the post article. It may not be Yate, that was just a suggestion on my part, made partly because I rarely go to Yate without also going to Thornbury or vice versa. But that's just me.

But people always seem to make similar points to yours. I remember a lot of people saying that reopening the Portishead branch would be a waste of time because most people who travel from Portishead want to go across the bridge into Clifton, and doing the same journey via Temple Meads would be too time consuming. I have no idea where this kind of information comes from, but all I know is, similar to when a new road opens it's suddenly full of traffic, I believe much the same will happen with the railway.

I think times have changed. There's a real move away from complete reliance on the car. People will use alternatives if they are provided, and provided the alternatives are decent quality.

A lot of people like to travel, earphones on, mobile on, surfing the web, sending texts, facebookiing and Twittering. It's impossible to do that when driving a car.

I am rambling. One of the reasons I don't update the website anymore is because I'm up at half four, in bed by nine and too tired to concentrate. I think this post is a particularly good example of that!

And of course, Severn Beach might not be the indicator for what might happen at Thornbury û that signpost could be at Pilning ...

Ahh. The station with one of the worst train services in the UK! Last time I looked, you could get one train on a Saturday ...

I think a lot of people who use Severn Beach probably come from S Glos catchment or even across the water over the first Severn Bridge - despite the high tolls and existence of Severn Tunnel Junction. I've never been down there of a morning to look at the inbound car traffic ... anybody know if there is a lot of rail related parking in The Beach?

So, I agree with Robin. I don't think a lot of Thornburyites (or anybody else for that matter Sorry Yate-ites!) would want to use the train to Yate, except perhaps for some small amount of employment or to visit the excellent Magistrates' Court ... (who let me off of a rather large fine from Bristol once, but that's another story!)

It is a long way round by rail from Tytherington to Bristol, either Parkway or TM, let alone Thornbury and the problems of the now privately owned trackbed. My bet for Thornbury would be simply to drive or bus to Parkway (or Cribbs Causeway for a bit of shopping).

So I also agree the re-opening to passenger is pie in the sky. But, if the nuclear development goes ahead at Oldbury, it might be the saviour of the track to Tytherington if the quarry stays on hold. I can see some of my friends in the freight industry already eyeing it up. Truck the materials to and from Oldbury to Tytherington and turn it into a railhead ... now that could work.

I think times have changed. There's a real move away from complete reliance on the car. People will use alternatives if they are provided, and provided the alternatives are decent quality.

I got rid of my car in 2008 (not unconnected with my experience at Yate Magistrates' Court!) I simply decided it was too much hassle, too expensive and life would probably be better without it. I am pleased to report it is.

I love the train and the bus. I walk a lot more and therefore I am much more healthy and when I really do need to use a car, I am a member of City Car Club. Whole thing seems to make more sense to me.

For the record: I retired my lovely old Vauxhall because of corroded fuel lines and a failed MOT. Not something I was willing to deal with. Booked it in for scrap and got the receipt, but it still didn't stop a certain Bristol scrap firm owner from deciding it was a "good runner". Imagine my horror when I started getting the speeding tickets and parking fines from my "scrapped" vehicle, that was ferrying his family and mates around, especially on a Friday night it seemed. After many letters and visits to and from me to Police Station, the Bristol Magistrates' court, the Weston Police Traffic Fines Unit etc., etc. after THREE YEARS I ended up in Yate, at the Magistrates' Court, facing over ú2,000 worth of fines for something I just hadn't done. My ex car and the friendly scrap dealer had done it all.

Nobody in Bristol would listen, nobody in Weston would listen ... the legal profession seemed intent on just getting their pound of flesh. I finally at Yate met a magistrate who had an ounce of sense and a spot of sensibility (and even authority) who said "Well, it was your car, how much do you reckon?" We settled on ú125 quits and the end of 3 years of worry after I had even been threatened with prison for non-payment of fines. And as far as I know, the scrap dealer got off scot-free.

Cars? No b****y thank you!!

so is the branch owned by the quarry firm or network rail now? The line would make quite a nice preservation line too if the trees were cut back thers a nice view of Ladden valley and the old Moor.

A lot of people have certainly had enough of trying to get around Bristol by car. The growth in cycling has been phenomenal in recent years. Because there is such limited capacity to carry bikes on trains, it is not surprising that many regular commuters actually keep a bike locked up at Temple Meads overnight to enable them to get to their final destination when they come off the train. If you ever go through there late at night, just look at how many bikes are still in the racks.

I am intrigued as to why opening the Portishead line for passenger use has been described as a 'pipe dream'. Does it imply that it would be a white elephant or that there is not the political will to see it through?