Mangotsfield and Bath Branch Line
Encyclopedia
The Mangotsfield and Bath Branch Line opened in 1869 to connect Bath to the Midland Railway
network at Mangotsfield
, on the former Bristol and Gloucester Railway
.
The line was used by through trains from the Midlands and the North of England, such as the Pines Express
, which reversed at Bath Green Park railway station
and then proceeded southwards over the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway
to Bournemouth
. The main passenger traffic was local, with trains to Bath from Bristol Temple Meads
, the St Philips Midland Railway station in Bristol, and from Clifton Down
on the Clifton Extension Railway
.
In its latter years, train service cuts reduced and then eliminated the number of passenger trains using the line from the north, and, though serving different communities on route, the line was in direct competition for the traffic between Bath and Bristol with the more direct and faster Great Western Railway
route. As a feeder to the S&DJR, the line's fortunes were inextricably linked with those of the Somerset and Dorset line, and it closed on the same day, 7 March 1966, as part of the Beeching Axe
, though freight services to Bath's gas works continued to 1971.
_station_in_september_2007.jpg)
, although both station sites still exist. The remainder of the line was passed from the British Railways Board
to Sustrans
, which in co-operation with the local councils developed the Bristol & Bath Railway Path.
The Avon Valley Railway
based at Bitton came to an agreeent to run a single track alongside the bicycle path, from Oldland Common
to Avon Riverside
. Further development of the preservation railway is wholly dependent on a usage agreement with Sustrans.
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....
network at Mangotsfield
Mangotsfield railway station
Mangotsfield railway station was a station on the Midland Railway Bristol and Gloucester main line and was situated about five miles to the north east of Bristol in what is now the suburb of Mangotsfield....
, on the former Bristol and Gloucester Railway
Bristol and Gloucester Railway
The Bristol and Gloucester Railway opened in 1844 between Bristol and Gloucester, meeting the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway. It is now part of the main line from the North-East of England through Derby and Birmingham to the South-West.-History:...
.
The line was used by through trains from the Midlands and the North of England, such as the Pines Express
Pines Express
The Pines Express was a named passenger train that ran daily between Manchester and Bournemouth in England between 1910 and 1967.It ran for the first time under the name "Pines Express" on 26 September 1927; and is believed to have been named after the pine trees growing in the Chines in the...
, which reversed at Bath Green Park railway station
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:...
and then proceeded southwards over the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway
Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway
The Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway – almost always referred to as "the S&D" – was an English railway line connecting Bath in north east Somerset and Bournemouth now in south east Dorset but then in Hampshire...
to Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
. The main passenger traffic was local, with trains to Bath from Bristol Temple Meads
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...
, the St Philips Midland Railway station in Bristol, and from Clifton Down
Clifton Down railway station
Clifton Down railway station is located on Whiteladies Road in Clifton, Bristol, England. The station is west of Bristol Temple Meads on the Severn Beach Line...
on 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:...
.
In its latter years, train service cuts reduced and then eliminated the number of passenger trains using the line from the north, and, though serving different communities on route, the line was in direct competition for the traffic between Bath and Bristol with the more direct and faster Great Western Railway
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...
route. As a feeder to the S&DJR, the line's fortunes were inextricably linked with those of the Somerset and Dorset line, and it closed on the same day, 7 March 1966, as part of the Beeching Axe
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...
, though freight services to Bath's gas works continued to 1971.
Present
The northern section from Mangotsfield to Warmley been greatly used by the dual-carriageway development of the A4174 roadA4174 road
The A4174 is a major road in England which runs around the northern and eastern edge of Bristol, mainly in South Gloucestershire, and through the southern suburbs of Bristol...
, although both station sites still exist. The remainder of the line was passed from the British Railways Board
British Railways Board
The British Railways Board was a nationalised industry in the United Kingdom that existed from 1962 to 2001. From its foundation until 1997, it was responsible for most railway services in Great Britain, trading under the brand names British Railways and, from 1965, British Rail...
to Sustrans
Sustrans
Sustrans is a British charity to promote sustainable transport. The charity is currently working on a number of practical projects to encourage people to walk, cycle and use public transport, to give people the choice of "travelling in ways that benefit their health and the environment"...
, which in co-operation with the local councils developed the Bristol & Bath Railway Path.
The Avon Valley Railway
Avon Valley Railway
The Avon Valley Railway is a three-mile-long heritage railway based at Bitton station in South Gloucestershire, England, not far from Bristol and is run by a local group: The Avon Valley Railway Company Ltd. The railway follows the Avon Valley south-east from Oldland Common, through Bitton and...
based at Bitton came to an agreeent to run a single track alongside the bicycle path, from Oldland Common
Oldland Common
Oldland Common is a village in South Gloucestershire, England, on the outskirts of Bristol. It is in the civil parish of Bitton, approximately 8 miles between the centres of cities Bristol and Bath...
to Avon Riverside
Avon Riverside railway station
Avon Riverside is the newest station of the Avon Valley Railway. It opened on May 1, 2004.Unlike the other two stations on the railway, there was no original mainline station here. The first station was built in 2004 by the AVR....
. Further development of the preservation railway is wholly dependent on a usage agreement with Sustrans.