The Bristol Railway Archive

Can anyone provide information on these sidings, visible on Google Maps, under the M5, Shirehampton? They're not listed in any of my books, or on the Know Your Place website.

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=shireh ... ngdom&z=18

I thinks that's the site of some former PBA exchange sidings? I've seen a pic somewhere with a lot of banana vans next to the main line there and beyond them, hundreds of PBA internal user wagons.

As far as I know, there is nothing left there now.

It's a bit too close to Avonmouth to be Shirehampton - correct area name would be West Town, where there was a small community prior to the docks expansion.

I've seen photos (and maps) that show sidings to the north of the level crossing that's here (under the motorway on Google Maps), but I've got nothing that shows what was on the south side. It looks like the sidings took up quite a big area.

Have you got a copy of "Branch Lines around Avonmouth"? I think that's the book I am thinking of that has some good maps / pictures of the area.

I've got a copy, but it's not much use to me from 5,000 miles away ...

From what I recall, all these sidings were still there, though out of use, in the mid 70s.

i think the sidings naerer to avomouth were called dearth sdgs,the siding actualy at shire if i remember held some tank wagons fuel?of some sort long time ago now.

the siding actualy at shire if i remember held some tank wagons fuel?of some sort long time ago now.

That's right. Those sidings were actually to the back of Shirehampton station itself and there was an oil depot there, plus a few coal merchants I think. It was probably a base for Rudrums - who are still going strong and are still based in Shirehampton (See
http://www.rudrumholdings.co.uk), though they have obviously diversified a lot since those days! I'm going to contact them and ask if they might have any history or archive material for us

You can see the 1910 track plan on this very site under Shirehampton.

Wikipedia says the goods yard was added in 1903 when the line was doubled and the station re-modeled and the yard was subsequently extended in 1921 to assist with the building of The Portway.

From a 2008 post I also mentioned this:

We at the D&EPG have an original photograph of one of very own Hymeks D7017 derailed on the points at Shirehampton Yard in 1961.

It also appears as back a cover photo on the excellent book Branch Lines around Avonmouth ...

It's an odd photograph, as D7017 is derailed on the points into the yard and is sandwiched between two brake vans Who knows what they were trying to do, but it was obviously irregular! I'll have to scan the photo when I get back to UK and post it here.

I have the branch lines around Avonmouth book, but there's nowt in it about these sidings. Not any any of my maps, in any of my quails, not in Cooke's!

I'm stumped. The only thing I can think of is the possibility that they were put down for unloading materials during the construction of the motorway, and the bridge in particular. Just a guess though.

when i was appointed fireman in 1950 i was put in the workmans link that was the avonmouth services.i am sure that the sidings were between shire and the level x ing there were vans in there my driver told me that was the name was dearth sidings and i thought he said death sdgs.lol

jules wrote:Shirehampton station --- a few coal merchants I think. It was probably a base for Rudrums - who are still going strong and are still based in Shirehampton (See
http://www.rudrumholdings.co.uk), though they have obviously diversified a lot since those days! I'm going to contact them and ask if they might have any history or archive material for us .

I believe Rudrum's coal business was based at Henbury rather than Shirehampton. I can recall going there long ago as we had significant contacts with the owner, Clifford.

Have you read "Lines to Avonmouth" by Mike Vincent an OPC publication?

It does talk about the sidings between the main line and the river, the PBA lines down to the Sludge Berth (where a number of boats are currently kept) and the Earth Sidings of BR.

well thats sorted then not death sdgs,dearthsdgs but earth sidings must have been the noise on the 55xx that i mistook what my mate said n.

One of the coal merchants using Shire sidings was Lowell Baldwin who had the siding nearest the station and I believe the other might have been used by Silveys.

I have found my Ordnance Survey map of 1953 (revised with minor changes 1961) which shows the sidings on the south side of the line. For location purposes they are immediately below the electricity grid pylons and power lines (at the end of Victoria Road (Bristol A-Z). Hope this helps.