The Bristol Railway Archive

Posted: **Wed Nov 30, 2005 11:03 pm**

i was looking at the pic of the down slow at bedminster. the down slow is severed by the site of the former washing plant and i wonder why this disconnected half mile hasnt been lifted for scrap or offered to preservationists.

Posted: **Thu Dec 01, 2005 12:06 am**

It's still connected at the Temple Meads end isn't it? I know they sometimes use it to reverse/stable HSTs or tour stock.

Posted: **Thu Dec 01, 2005 1:07 am**

well, i know that somewhere along bedminsters bay platform, theres a panel taken out, severing the rest, which used to run all the way to nearly south liberty footbridge

Posted: **Thu Dec 01, 2005 4:18 pm**

It's severed at the west end of Bedminster as James said. FGW drivers don't like walking on the ballast so they have to go to Bedminster so they can walk along the platform.

The track was severed so they wouldn't have to maintain it and there is no need to remove it as that would cost money for no return. I'm sure it will go eventually though...

Alex
Bristol PSB

Posted: **Fri Dec 02, 2005 11:15 am**

stumpytrain wrote:The track was severed so they wouldn't have to maintain it and there is no need to remove it as that would cost money for no return. I'm sure it will go eventually though...

Someone will probably nick it for scrap

Posted: **Sat Dec 03, 2005 4:39 am**

madhattie wrote:
stumpytrain wrote:The track was severed so they wouldn't have to maintain it and there is no need to remove it as that would cost money for no return. I'm sure it will go eventually though...
Someone will probably nick it for scrap

If the world was a perfect place we'd have it back as a "down relief" as far as Parson Street Junction. You never know that might happen if Portishead becomes rail served again.... However I think they'd just make the Up Relief bi direction and make platform 2 into a passenger line.

Alex
Bristol PSB