Pilning railway station
Encyclopedia
Pilning railway station is a small railway station at Pilning
, South Gloucestershire
, England
. It is the last station on the English side before the Severn Tunnel
through to Wales
.
In the Strategic Rail Authority
's 2005/06 financial year, Pilning was ranked as the 13th least-used station in the UK. This is thought to be down to a limited service at the station.
Although in the Strategic Rail Authority's 2006/07 financial year, there was a rise in passengers at the station giving some hope that the station may fight to live another year, though Pilning was still ranked as the 18th least-used station in the UK.
, absorbed by the Great Western Railway
in 1868. When the Severn Tunnel was opened in 1886, the new line diverged from the original B&SWUR line to New Passage just south of Pilning station. The line to New Passage, including the original station, was closed, and a new station was opened on the new line nearby.
In 1900 the GWR reopened the old line to goods traffic, connecting with a new line through Severn Beach
to Avonmouth
. In 1928 passenger services were started on the line to Avonmouth, and a new station, Pilning Low Level, was opened on the site of the original Pilning station. The station on the Severn Tunnel line was renamed Pilning High Level.
Pilning continued to have two stations from 1928 to 1964, when the line from Pilning to Severn Beach was closed. Pilning High Level station was then renamed Pilning.
From 1924 to 1966 Pilning High Level was the terminus of a car transport service through the tunnel to Severn Tunnel Junction.
decided to cut the service to just one train a week in each direction on Saturdays only (westbound to Cardiff Central
and eastbound to Taunton
- a so-called parliamentary
minimum service).
after the Severnside Stadium housing development stalled. This had been an extensive new housing project near the station and would have provided much commuter traffic from the area.
Pilning
Pilning is a village in South Gloucestershire, England, close to Redwick and Severn Beach. Pilning is close to the busy M4, M49 and A403 as well as a railway line running through it, with a minor station...
, South Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire is a unitary district in the ceremonial county of Gloucestershire, in South West England.-History:The district was created in 1996, when the county of Avon was abolished, by the merger of former area of the districts of Kingswood and Northavon...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is the last station on the English side before the Severn Tunnel
Severn Tunnel
The Severn Tunnel is a railway tunnel in the United Kingdom, linking South Gloucestershire in the west of England to Monmouthshire in south Wales under the estuary of the River Severn....
through to Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
.
In the Strategic Rail Authority
Strategic Rail Authority
In existence from 2001 to 2006, the Strategic Rail Authority was a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom set up under the Transport Act 2000 to provide strategic direction for the railway industry....
's 2005/06 financial year, Pilning was ranked as the 13th least-used station in the UK. This is thought to be down to a limited service at the station.
Although in the Strategic Rail Authority's 2006/07 financial year, there was a rise in passengers at the station giving some hope that the station may fight to live another year, though Pilning was still ranked as the 18th least-used station in the UK.
History
The first Pilning station was opened on 8 September 1863 by the Bristol and South Wales Union RailwayBristol and South Wales Union Railway
The Bristol and South Wales Union Railway was built to connect Bristol, England, with south Wales. The route involved a ferry crossing of the River Severn but was considerably shorter than the alternative route through Gloucester...
, absorbed by the 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...
in 1868. When the Severn Tunnel was opened in 1886, the new line diverged from the original B&SWUR line to New Passage just south of Pilning station. The line to New Passage, including the original station, was closed, and a new station was opened on the new line nearby.
In 1900 the GWR reopened the old line to goods traffic, connecting with a new line through Severn Beach
Severn Beach railway station
Severn Beach railway station serves the village of Severn Beach, England. This is the terminus of the Severn Beach Line.This station is north west from Bristol Temple Meads on the Severn Beach Line...
to Avonmouth
Avonmouth railway station
Avonmouth railway station is a railway station serving the suburb of Avonmouth in Bristol, 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...
. In 1928 passenger services were started on the line to Avonmouth, and a new station, Pilning Low Level, was opened on the site of the original Pilning station. The station on the Severn Tunnel line was renamed Pilning High Level.
Pilning continued to have two stations from 1928 to 1964, when the line from Pilning to Severn Beach was closed. Pilning High Level station was then renamed Pilning.
From 1924 to 1966 Pilning High Level was the terminus of a car transport service through the tunnel to Severn Tunnel Junction.
Service
Prior to the timetable change in December 2006, Pilning was served by one train each way on weekdays. From December 2006 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....
decided to cut the service to just one train a week in each direction on Saturdays only (westbound to 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...
and eastbound to Taunton
Taunton railway station
Taunton railway station is a junction station on the route from London to Penzance, from London Paddington station. It is situated in Taunton, Somerset, England and is operated by First Great Western...
- a so-called parliamentary
Parliamentary train
A Parliamentary train or Parly is, nowadays, a British English term for a train that operates a Parliamentary service - that is to say a token service to a given station, thus maintaining a legal fiction that either the station or, in some cases, the whole line is open, although in reality the...
minimum service).
Future
It has been speculated that a decision was taken to close the station by stealthClosure by stealth
Closure by stealth is a term most frequently used in the UK and Ireland to refer to the deliberate downgrading of a service by the management or owners with the intention of driving away users or customers. The aim is to make the service uneconomical, and thereby justify its closure or withdrawal...
after the Severnside Stadium housing development stalled. This had been an extensive new housing project near the station and would have provided much commuter traffic from the area.