Bath Spa railway station
Encyclopedia
Bath Spa railway station is the principal railway station in the city of Bath, in South West England
.
by Brunel
and is a grade II* listed building. It is in an asymmetrical Tudor style with curving gables, and lies on the north bank of the Avon
, with the line swerving elegantly across from the southern bank to the station and then back again.
A convenient characteristic for passengers is that ramps lead up to both platforms, permitting the disabled or those with luggage to have ready access from the platforms to cars or taxis. There is also a footbridge, formerly tolled, leading directly from the station across the Avon and allowing direct access to the area of Widcombe. The station has wide spacing between the platforms as it was originally built when the GWR used broad gauge
track. This large gap between the up and down-lines used to accommodate a through bi-directional line but is now empty.
station at Green Park
after the Beeching report
, all of Bath's rail services run through Bath Spa. The station is also conveniently situated for connection with bus services.
The station has regular (approximately half-hourly each way) inter-city services to London Paddington via Swindon
& Reading
and to Bristol Temple Meads (with some extensions to Weston-super-Mare
, Taunton and beyond).
It is also served hourly (two-hourly on Sundays) by the Cardiff Central
to Portsmouth Harbour
and & Bristol to and Weymouth
regional trains, plus a limited service to London Waterloo via Salisbury
and Basingstoke
(four per day Monday-Saturday, two on Sunday).
Since the May 2010 timetable started, an early morning CrossCountry
service to Glasgow Central via Bristol
, Birmingham, Sheffield, Leeds, Newcastle
and Edinburgh
starts at Bath. It departs at 0609 on Mondays to Fridays, but does not run on weekends. It arrives into Glasgow at 14:12. There is no southbound return.
has managed Bath Spa. In 2005 they obtained listed building consent for a number of alterations to the building, including the installation of lifts to the platforms. This is expected to enable them to remove the convenient direct access between the platforms and the car parks. Ticket Barriers have also been installed.
The proposed removal of the Northern ramp, scheduled for early September 2011, has not been without controversy. Cyclists and passengers with disabilities have expressed concern that when the new lifts break down, they will find it difficult to get to and from the London-bound platform. Campaigners asked for a delay to the ramp removal in order to test the reliability of the lifts. This request was acknowledged and the trial period for the lift was extended by a week.
, a small commuter station in a western suburb, with limited services to Bristol or Bath Spa, and onward stations.
Other now closed stations in Bath were Green Park
(the Midland terminus, of which the over-all roof and primary buildings survive, and which for most of its life was named "Bath Queen Square"), Bathampton and Weston
(a suburban station on the Midland line which closed in 1953). Westmoreland Street
, later a goods station, was the original GWR passenger station, and is now demolished). Twerton-on-Avon
, and Hampton Row Halt
, both on the GWR route, closed after World War I
.
development project, a major new shopping centre completed in 2010. It is accessible from Manvers Street, which leads north into central Bath, or Widcombe in the opposite direction. The station is adjacent to the new bus station
, completed in 2009. There are good views of the city centre on the approach to the station by train.
South West England
South West England is one of the regions of England defined by the Government of the United Kingdom for statistical and other purposes. It is the largest such region in area, covering and comprising Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ...
.
Architecture
Bath Spa station was built in 1840 for the Great Western RailwayGreat 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...
by Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel, FRS , was a British civil engineer who built bridges and dockyards including the construction of the first major British railway, the Great Western Railway; a series of steamships, including the first propeller-driven transatlantic steamship; and numerous important bridges...
and is a grade II* listed building. It is in an asymmetrical Tudor style with curving gables, and lies on the north bank of the Avon
River Avon, Bristol
The River Avon is an English river in the south west of the country. To distinguish it from a number of other River Avons in Britain, this river is often also known as the Lower Avon or Bristol Avon...
, with the line swerving elegantly across from the southern bank to the station and then back again.
A convenient characteristic for passengers is that ramps lead up to both platforms, permitting the disabled or those with luggage to have ready access from the platforms to cars or taxis. There is also a footbridge, formerly tolled, leading directly from the station across the Avon and allowing direct access to the area of Widcombe. The station has wide spacing between the platforms as it was originally built when the GWR used broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
track. This large gap between the up and down-lines used to accommodate a through bi-directional line but is now empty.
Services
Since the closure of the Midland RegionMidland 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....
station at Green Park
Bath Green Park railway station
Green Park railway station is a former railway station in Bath, Somerset, England. For some of its life, it was known as Bath Queen Square.-Architecture and opening:...
after the Beeching report
Beeching 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...
, all of Bath's rail services run through Bath Spa. The station is also conveniently situated for connection with bus services.
The station has regular (approximately half-hourly each way) inter-city services to London Paddington via Swindon
Swindon railway station
Swindon railway station is in the town of Swindon, Wiltshire, England. The station entrance is on Station Road, to the south of the line.It is approximately from the central bus station and the town centre...
& Reading
Reading railway station
Reading railway station is a major rail transport hub in the English town of Reading. It is situated on the northern edge of the town centre, close to the main retail and commercial areas, and also the River Thames...
and to Bristol Temple Meads (with some extensions to Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare railway station
Weston-super-Mare railway station serves the town of Weston-super-Mare in North Somerset, England. It is situated on a loop off the main Bristol to Taunton Line....
, Taunton and beyond).
It is also served hourly (two-hourly on Sundays) by the Cardiff Central
Cardiff Central railway station
Cardiff Central railway station is a major railway station on the South Wales Main Line in Cardiff, Wales.It is the largest and busiest station in Wales and one of the major stations of the British rail network, the tenth busiest station in the United Kingdom outside of London , based on 2007/08...
to Portsmouth Harbour
Portsmouth Harbour railway station
Portsmouth Harbour railway station is a railway station in Portsmouth, England. It is situated beside Gunwharf Quays in the city's harbour, and is an important transport terminal, with a bus interchange and ferry services to Gosport and the Isle of Wight. The station currently has four platforms:...
and & Bristol to and Weymouth
Weymouth railway station
Weymouth railway station is a railway station serving the town of Weymouth, Dorset, England. The station is the terminus of both the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo and the Heart of Wessex Line from and .-History:...
regional trains, plus a limited service to London Waterloo via Salisbury
Salisbury railway station
Salisbury is a railway station serving the city of Salisbury, Wiltshire. Located southwest of London Waterloo, the station is the crossing point of the West of England Main Line and the Wessex Main Line...
and Basingstoke
Basingstoke railway station
Basingstoke railway station, in the town of Basingstoke in the county of Hampshire in England, is on the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo, with local and fast services operated by South West Trains. It is also the terminus of First Great Western local services on the Reading to...
(four per day Monday-Saturday, two on Sunday).
Since the May 2010 timetable started, an early morning CrossCountry
CrossCountry
CrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva...
service to Glasgow Central via Bristol
Bristol Temple Meads railway station
Bristol Temple Meads railway station is the oldest and largest railway station in Bristol, England. It is an important transport hub for public transport in Bristol, with bus services to various parts of the city and surrounding districts, and a ferry service to the city centre in addition to the...
, Birmingham, Sheffield, Leeds, Newcastle
Newcastle railway station
Newcastle railway station , is the mainline station of the city of Newcastle upon Tyne, England and is a principal stop on the East Coast Main Line. It opened in 1850 and is a Grade I listed building...
and Edinburgh
Edinburgh railway station
-Minor stations:*Brunstane railway station*Curriehill railway station*Dalmeny railway station*Edinburgh Park railway station*Kingsknowe railway station*Newcraighall railway station*Shawfair railway station*Slateford railway station*South Gyle railway station...
starts at Bath. It departs at 0609 on Mondays to Fridays, but does not run on weekends. It arrives into Glasgow at 14:12. There is no southbound return.
Management and Redevelopment
Since railway privatisation First Great WesternFirst 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....
has managed Bath Spa. In 2005 they obtained listed building consent for a number of alterations to the building, including the installation of lifts to the platforms. This is expected to enable them to remove the convenient direct access between the platforms and the car parks. Ticket Barriers have also been installed.
The proposed removal of the Northern ramp, scheduled for early September 2011, has not been without controversy. Cyclists and passengers with disabilities have expressed concern that when the new lifts break down, they will find it difficult to get to and from the London-bound platform. Campaigners asked for a delay to the ramp removal in order to test the reliability of the lifts. This request was acknowledged and the trial period for the lift was extended by a week.
Other stations in Bath
The only other open station in Bath is Oldfield ParkOldfield Park railway station
Oldfield Park railway station is a suburban railway station in the city of Bath in Bath and North East Somerset, England. Situated at the junction of Brook Road and Moorland Road, it serves the mainly residential areas in southern Bath...
, a small commuter station in a western suburb, with limited services to Bristol or Bath Spa, and onward stations.
Other now closed stations in Bath were Green Park
Bath Green Park railway station
Green Park railway station is a former railway station in Bath, Somerset, England. For some of its life, it was known as Bath Queen Square.-Architecture and opening:...
(the Midland terminus, of which the over-all roof and primary buildings survive, and which for most of its life was named "Bath Queen Square"), Bathampton and Weston
Weston (Bath) railway station
Weston was a small railway station in Bath, England, about a mile west of Bath Green Park railway station on the Midland Railway line.It was opened in 1869 when the Midland Railway's Bath branch was opened...
(a suburban station on the Midland line which closed in 1953). Westmoreland Street
Westmoreland Street railway station
Westmoreland Street railway station is a former goods station in Bath, Somerset, England.It opened in 1877. It was damaged by bombing during World War II.The engine shed closed in 1961.-References:...
, later a goods station, was the original GWR passenger station, and is now demolished). Twerton-on-Avon
Twerton-on-Avon railway station
Twerton on Avon railway station is a former railway station in Bath, Somerset.-Architecture and Opening:Twerton was named after village that it served though at the time it was also called Twiverton. The station was built in Gothic style variously called Tudor or Jacobethan...
, and Hampton Row Halt
Hampton Row Halt railway station
Hampton Row Halt railway station is a former railway station in Bath, Somerset, England.-Architecture and opening:Hampton Row was named after the street that leads eastwards from Sydney Gardens. The station was built as a halt for the eastern suburbs of Bath...
, both on the GWR route, closed after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Location
The station is located immediately on the south side of the SouthGateSouthGate, Bath
SouthGate is a shopping centre in Bath, Somerset, England. It replaced the original shopping centre which was demolished in 2007. The new centre developed by Multi Corporation UK is more than double the size of the previous space and provides 37,000 sq metres of retail space, 3,500 sq metres of...
development project, a major new shopping centre completed in 2010. It is accessible from Manvers Street, which leads north into central Bath, or Widcombe in the opposite direction. The station is adjacent to the new bus station
Bath Bus Station
Bath bus station serves as part of an integrated transport interchange for the city of Bath, Somerset, England.The Manvers Street bus station opened in 1958 and operated until 2009 when it was replaced by the new bus station in Dorchester Street as part of the Southgate regeneration...
, completed in 2009. There are good views of the city centre on the approach to the station by train.