The Bristol Railway Archive

A relative of mine who lives in Hallen has just had a letter from Network Rail saying that in two week's time, they will be shutting Hallen Road for a period of "months" in order to completely replace the road overbridge.

Anyone know anything more about this project?

Specifically, there are bound to be some engineering possessions. Anybody know if the coal trains will be suspended or are there any plans to re-route them via Clifton Down?

As far as I know coal trains arent permitted currently to run via clifton either empty or loaded none of the heavy axle weight forms cover this route at all.
I will make enquires in work on fiday over this havent heard anything yet but we are always the last to know. I guess it may be an easter project over the easter weekend coal is fairly quiet at the moment.

I guess the bridge you refer to is the bridge by the fuel depot for DHL.
Quick google and up this pops via south glos council web site .

Hallen Road, from a point 120 metres north west of the Bristol/South Gloucestershire boundary to a point 45 metres south. (Almondsbury, Pilning) Road closure. To enable Blaise railway bridge reconstruction works to be completed. Alternative route foot passengers/Cyclists - Hallen Road part unaffected, Berwick Lane, Hollywood Lane, A4018, B4055 Station Road, Avonmouth Way, Hallen Road and vice versa.

Ward(s) affected: Almondsbury, Pilning and Severn Beach
Planned start date: 20 Apr 2009
Estimated completion date: 14 Aug 2009


Hallen Road, from a point 130 metres north west of the Bristol/South Gloucestershire boundary to a point 45 metres south. (Almondsbury, Pilning) Road closure. To enable Blaise railway bridge reconstruction work to be completed. The alternative route heavy vehicles - Hallen Road part unaffected, A403, A4, M5, A4018, B4057 Crow Lane, B4055 Henbury Road, B4055 Station Road, B4057 Avonmouth Way and Hallen Road part unaffected.

Ward(s) affected: Almondsbury, Pilning and Severn Beach
Planned start date: 30 Mar 2009
Estimated completion date: 30 Sep 2010


Hallen Road, from a point 130 metres north west of the Bristol/South Gloucestershire boundary, to a point 45 metres south of the boundary. (Almondsbury, Pilning) Road closure. To enable Blaise railway bridge reconstruction works to be completed. Alternative route light vehicles - Hallen Road part unaffected, Severn Road, A403, B4055, A4018, B4057 Crow Lane,B4055 Henbury Lane, B4055 Station Road, B4057 Avonmouth Way and Hallen Road part unaffected.

Ward(s) affected: Almondsbury, Pilning and Severn Beach
Planned start date: 30 Mar 2009
Estimated completion date: 30 Sep 2010

Alternative route foot passengers/Cyclists - Hallen Road part unaffected, Berwick Lane, Hollywood Lane, A4018, B4055 Station Road, Avonmouth Way, Hallen Road and vice versa.

If any foot passengers use this bridge regulary they are going to be very fit by the time the works has finished!! That suggested alternative route has got to be about an additional 5 miles each way.

That suggested alternative route has got to be about an additional 5 miles each way.

Network Rail are laying on a shuttle minibus when the footpath is closed.

As far as I can tell, it's a full four moth closure of the road, but I guess the railway will be less affected and only closed when necessary.

I guess The King Bily in hallen wil be rather quiet during this time. As wil the fuel depot there as further along severn road is a weight restriction of 7.5tons.

Has anyone any further news, Passed by today did not see any advance warning signs about closure. http:john-m-hobbs.fotopic.net

There are now yellow signs each end of the bridge about the closure, Will be closed on 20th April 2009 for about 16 weeks, http://john-m-hobbs.fotopic.net/

I see today Tuesday 12 May that the bridge is now closed http://john-m-hobbs.fotopic.net/

Anytime between now and september would be ideal to replace the bridge as coal from avonmouth has slowed to a trickle and is expected to remain like that untill the end of summer.

stopblock wrote:Anytime between now and september would be ideal to replace the bridge as coal from avonmouth has slowed to a trickle and is expected to remain like that untill the end of summer.

am I right that the coal at Avonmouth gets there from Portbury via a conveyor under the Avon.

now the line from Portbury is fully open , is the coal terminal at Avonmouth in reality reduntant anyway.

I live in Pill, and as I understand it ,the tunnel was built as a stopgap
untill the line was reinstated.

I bet somebody will have another reason, always willing ot learn.

am I right that the coal at Avonmouth gets there from Portbury via a conveyor under the Avon.

Yes you are perfectly right. My guess is they still use the conveyor as they don't have the same loading facilities at Portbury as they have at the Avonmouth rail terminal at the end of the conveyor.

But I've always thought: tunnel under the river? Conveyor and all that goes with it? Surely it would have been cheaper to have just re-opened the railway line to Portbury in the first place!

I dont know who paid for tunnel & conveyor.
but I know we paid for ú22,000,000 for the line reinstament .

The Bulk Handling Terminal will always be be in use for the foreseeable future as it can load a 21 set in around 35 mins. At portbury this takes around 90 mins by their big shovels.Less mess down the wagons in the BHT and more accurate loading and weight.

John Hobbs has sent me photos of the new bridge.

http://bristol-rail.co.uk/wiki/index.ph ... allen_Road

Very ugly, and very tall! Obviously an anti-vandal measure as much as a bridge upgrade. I hope it's not a taste of what may happen elsewhere.

madhattie wrote:John Hobbs has sent me photos of the new bridge.

http://bristol-rail.co.uk/wiki/index.ph ... allen_Road

Very ugly, and very tall! Obviously an anti-vandal measure as much as a bridge upgrade. I hope it's not a taste of what may happen elsewhere.

Bit of an anti photographer measure to. It also stops drivers slowing right down to have a sneaky-peak to see what's coming.