Avonmouth railway station
Encyclopedia
Avonmouth railway station is a railway station serving the suburb of Avonmouth
in Bristol
, 9 miles (14 km) north-west from Bristol Temple Meads on the Severn Beach Line
. All trains serving it are operated and the station is managed by First Great Western
. The station is managed by First Great Western
.
Five stations have served the suburb of Avonmouth at one point or another. They were Avonmouth, Avonmouth Dock (this station's original name), , and .
line from . The station was rebuilt and expanded in 1885 as part of the Clifton Extension Railway
project by the Great Western
and Midland Railway
s, the opening coinciding with the first services from via . The station, now named Avonmouth Dock Joint, had an island platform, one side for through services, the other a terminal line, with a run-around loop added in 1904. A canopy was built in 1900, with facilities further improved throughout the early years of the twentieth century, although it was built mainly of corrugated iron and wood. An engine shed (closed 1924), turntable
(disused by mid-30s) and signal box
(Avonmouth Dock Passenger, with 36 levers when it closed in 1969) were also built.
During the First World War the station handled 35,000 animals en-route to a depot at Shirehampton
. Platform ticket
s were introduced due to demand from people wanting to see people off, and the island platform was lengthened to 330 feet (100.6 m) and a new "up" (to London
) platform opened on 15 July 1918, connected to the island by a footbridge and level crossing
.
During the grouping
of 1923, the station remained jointly owned, although the partners were now the Great Western Railway and the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
, who in 1926 rebuilt the station with a large brick station house on the island platform, and separate parcel facilities. The up platform was also rebuilt with a wooden canopy - both canopy and parcels office are still standing today, although the office is now rented out by the station operator as a hair dresser.
The station passed from the Great Western to the Western Region of British Railways
during the nationalisation of 1948. On 20 June 1966, the station closed to goods traffic, with the signal box closing three years later in 1969. The sidings and terminal platform are now covered by an industrial complex. In common with most Bristol stations, a large part of the platform length has been cordoned off as it is no longer necessary for the 30 metres (98.4 ft)-long trains which operate the line.
, while BPRP services from ceased in 1921, leaving the only services terminating ones from .
When sectorisation
was introduced in the 1980s, the station was served by Regional Railways
until the privatisation of British Rail
ways, after which it was served by Wales and West
from 1997–2001, then Wessex Trains
from 2001–2006, before being absorbed into First Great Western
as part of the "Greater Western" franchise.
Services at Avonmouth are all operated by First Great Western
, using mainly Pacer units. Monday to Friday, three trains every two hours run from to Avonmouth, with one extended to and . On Saturdays there is a similar level of service, but more trains continue to Severn Beach. Sunday sees a roughly hourly service to and from Bristol, with only two services extending to Severn Beach, except from the May timetable change until September, when all services are extended.
Avonmouth
Avonmouth is a port and suburb of Bristol, England, located on the Severn Estuary, at the mouth of the River Avon.The council ward of Avonmouth also includes Shirehampton and the western end of Lawrence Weston.- Geography :...
in Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, 9 miles (14 km) north-west from Bristol Temple Meads on the Severn Beach Line
Severn Beach Line
The Severn Beach Line is a local railway in Bristol, UK. It runs from Narroways Hill Junction to Severn Beach, and is the successor to the Bristol Port Railway and Pier, which ran from a Bristol terminus in the Avon Gorge to a station and pier on the Severn Estuary.Passenger trains run from Bristol...
. All trains serving it are operated and the station is managed by First Great Western
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
. The station is managed by First Great Western
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
.
Five stations have served the suburb of Avonmouth at one point or another. They were Avonmouth, Avonmouth Dock (this station's original name), , and .
History
Avonmouth station was opened in early 1877 as Avonmouth Dock station, built for a cost of £275 near the site of an 1868 workers' platform on the south west of the single-track Bristol Port Railway and PierBristol Port Railway and Pier
The Bristol Port Railway and Pier was a railway in Bristol, England.-Route:...
line from . The station was rebuilt and expanded in 1885 as part of the Clifton Extension Railway
Clifton Extension Railway
The Clifton Extension Railway was a joint railway in Bristol, owned by the Great Western Railway and the Midland Railway companies.-Description of line:...
project by the Great Western
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
and Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
s, the opening coinciding with the first services from via . The station, now named Avonmouth Dock Joint, had an island platform, one side for through services, the other a terminal line, with a run-around loop added in 1904. A canopy was built in 1900, with facilities further improved throughout the early years of the twentieth century, although it was built mainly of corrugated iron and wood. An engine shed (closed 1924), turntable
Turntable
A turntable is generally a rotating platform, and may refer to:-Music:* Turntable, a motor-driven platform that normally rotates a gramophone record at a constant rotational velocity as part of a phonograph....
(disused by mid-30s) and signal box
Signal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
(Avonmouth Dock Passenger, with 36 levers when it closed in 1969) were also built.
During the First World War the station handled 35,000 animals en-route to a depot at Shirehampton
Shirehampton
Shirehampton, near Avonmouth, at the north-western edge of the city of Bristol, England, is a district of Bristol which originated as a separate village. It retains something of its village feel, having a short identifiable High Street with the parish church situated among shops, and is still...
. Platform ticket
Platform ticket
A platform ticket is a type of rail ticket issued by some railway systems, permitting the bearer to access the platforms of a railway station, but not to board and use any train services. It allows people to walk with their friends and loved ones all the way to the passenger car at stations where...
s were introduced due to demand from people wanting to see people off, and the island platform was lengthened to 330 feet (100.6 m) and a new "up" (to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
) platform opened on 15 July 1918, connected to the island by a footbridge and level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
.
During the grouping
Railways Act 1921
The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...
of 1923, the station remained jointly owned, although the partners were now the Great Western Railway and the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
, who in 1926 rebuilt the station with a large brick station house on the island platform, and separate parcel facilities. The up platform was also rebuilt with a wooden canopy - both canopy and parcels office are still standing today, although the office is now rented out by the station operator as a hair dresser.
The station passed from the Great Western to the Western Region of British Railways
Western Region of British Railways
The Western Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992...
during the nationalisation of 1948. On 20 June 1966, the station closed to goods traffic, with the signal box closing three years later in 1969. The sidings and terminal platform are now covered by an industrial complex. In common with most Bristol stations, a large part of the platform length has been cordoned off as it is no longer necessary for the 30 metres (98.4 ft)-long trains which operate the line.
Services
Originally services at Avonmouth included circular services around the Bristol-Filton-Henbury-Avonmouth and Bristol-Filton-Pilning-Avonmouth loops. Both of these were closed to passengers in the Beeching AxeBeeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
, while BPRP services from ceased in 1921, leaving the only services terminating ones from .
When sectorisation
British Rail brand names
British Rail was the brand image of the nationalised railway owner and operator in Great Britain, the British Railways Board, used from 1965 until its breakup and sell-off from 1993 onwards....
was introduced in the 1980s, the station was served by Regional Railways
Regional Railways
Regional Railways was one of the three passenger sectors of British Rail created in 1982 that existed until 1996, 3 years after privatisation. The sector was originally called Provincial....
until the privatisation of British Rail
Privatisation of British Rail
The privatisation of British Rail was set in motion when the Conservative government enacted, on 19 January 1993, the British Coal and British Rail Act 1993 . This enabled the relevant Secretary of State to issue directions to the relevant Board...
ways, after which it was served by Wales and West
Wales and West
Wales & West was a British Train Operating Company that ran services from 1997 to 2001, and was one of the original 25 Train Operating Companies that were set up after the UK Rail Industry was privatised...
from 1997–2001, then Wessex Trains
Wessex Trains
Wessex Trains was the primary passenger rail operator in the South West of England. The company operated trains in the region bounded by Penzance, Cardiff, Gloucester, Worcester and Brighton...
from 2001–2006, before being absorbed into First Great Western
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
as part of the "Greater Western" franchise.
Services at Avonmouth are all operated by First Great Western
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
, using mainly Pacer units. Monday to Friday, three trains every two hours run from to Avonmouth, with one extended to and . On Saturdays there is a similar level of service, but more trains continue to Severn Beach. Sunday sees a roughly hourly service to and from Bristol, with only two services extending to Severn Beach, except from the May timetable change until September, when all services are extended.
See also
- Public transport in BristolPublic transport in BristolThe majority of public transport users in the Bristol Urban Area are transported by bus, although rail has experienced growth and does play an important part, particularly in peak hours...
- Commuter rail in the United KingdomCommuter rail in the United KingdomUrban rail, commuter rail, regional rail, or suburban rail, plays a key role in the public transport system of many of the United Kingdom's major cities. Urban rail is defined as a rail service between a central business district and suburbs or other locations that draw large numbers of people on a...