Wrington Vale Light Railway
Encyclopedia
The Wrington Vale Light Railway was a railway from Congresbury
on the Cheddar Valley line
to Blagdon
, and serving villages in the Yeo Valley, North Somerset
. Construction of the line started in 1897 and it opened in 1901.
, the junction for the main line between Bristol and Exeter, and traversed 1.8 miles of the Cheddar Valley line (the Yatton to Witham
route (via Cheddar
and Wells
) that had opened in 1869).
The junction for the light railway was at Congresbury
, where the station was given a second platform when the Wrington line opened. There were four other stations at Wrington
, Langford, Burrington
and the terminus at Blagdon
.
When the line first opened in 1901, there were four trips a day each way between Blagdon and Yatton; one trip each way was a mixed passenger and goods service. The first train out of Blagdon in the morning went only as far as Congresbury, and returned to Blagdon from there. Other trains ran through from or to Yatton. In 1910, there were five trains a day in each direction on weekdays only. Until 1915, there was a late trip on Saturdays from Blagdon to Yatton and return.
In 1919, the service was reduced to three trains a day each way, but the fourth trip was re-instated in 1921. In 1926, this was increased again to five trips a day, to compete with the Bristol Tramways and Carriage Company's buses. However, this was not successful, and the service returned to the original four trips a day in 1927 until closure to passenger traffic in 1931, and goods traffic in 1950.
reservoir. Construction of the line overran cost and time forecasts. It was constructed and owned by the Great Western Railway
. The GWR used it to trial various innovative schemes to reduce the cost of lightly used passenger services, such as the push-pull system, where driver's controls are provided in a trailer coach, enabling the locomotive to propel its train, eliminating the need for the engine to run round at the end of a run, and so cutting costs.
Milk traffic was a considerable source of business on the line.
In 1896, an application was made for a Light Railway Order under the Light Railways Act 1896
for railway from Congresbury to Blagdon, with a short branch to Blagdon Waterworks. The statutory enquiry was held on 20 May 1897. There were no objections, and the scheme was supported by the Bristol Waterworks Company, who were about to start constructing a reservoir and pumping station at Blagdon. The Great Western Railway
undertook to finance, construct and operate the line.
The Order was confirmed on 18 March 1898, and the line opened to traffic on 4 December 1901.
The railway carried passengers for 30 years until 1931. Passenger traffic was vulnerable to competition from buses and of the stations on the line, only Wrington was conveniently situated for the village it purported to serve.
Freight service continued along the length of the line until 1950, when the section between Wrington and Blagdon was closed fully. Freight services continued from Congresbury to Wrington until June 1963; Congresbury itself retained passenger services until later in 1963, when it closed with the rest of the Yatton to Witham line.
A scheme was considered in the 1970s to install a short section of narrow-gauge track near Congresbury as a tourist attraction, however this did not come to be. Apart from this no attempt has yet been made to rebuild all or part of the railway. There are several obstacles if the railway were to be rebuilt. There has been some development on the trackbed at Wrington, and Burrington cutting has been filled in, but otherwise the trackbed is still intact. The other obstacle is the current residential occupation of Blagdon Station.
The Strawberry Line Association and Sustrans
have aspirations for a cycle route on the trackbed. North Somerset council has marked the former railway as a future key cycle route in the local plan. The cycle route would connect with the Strawberry Line railway walk at Congresbury and a future route to Clevedon
at Yatton station
.
Congresbury
Congresbury is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England. It is situated in the Unitary authority of North Somerset, and in 2001 had a population of 3,400. It lies on the A370, roughly equidistant between Junction 21 of the M5 and Bristol Airport, approximately south of Bristol city centre,...
on the Cheddar Valley line
Cheddar Valley line
The Cheddar Valley line was a railway line in Somerset, England, opened in 1869 and closed in 1963. It became known as The Strawberry Line because of the volume of locally-grown strawberries that it carried....
to Blagdon
Blagdon
Blagdon is a village and civil parish in the ceremonial county of Somerset, within the unitary authority of North Somerset, in England. It is located in the Mendip Hills, a recognised Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. According to the 2001 census it has a population of 1,172...
, and serving villages in the Yeo Valley, North Somerset
North Somerset
North Somerset is a unitary authority in England. Its area covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset but it is administered independently of the non-metropolitan county. Its administrative headquarters is in the town hall in Weston-super-Mare....
. Construction of the line started in 1897 and it opened in 1901.
Passenger services
Initially trains generally ran from YattonYatton
Yatton is a village and civil parish within the unitary authority of North Somerset, which falls within the ceremonial county of Somerset, England. It is located south-west of Bristol. Its population in 2001 was 9,176...
, the junction for the main line between Bristol and Exeter, and traversed 1.8 miles of the Cheddar Valley line (the Yatton to Witham
Witham (Somerset) railway station
Witham railway station was a station serving the Somerset village of Witham Friary and was located on the Frome to Yeovil section of the Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth Railway that opened in 1856...
route (via Cheddar
Cheddar
Cheddar is a large village and civil parish in the Sedgemoor district of the English county of Somerset. It is situated on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills, north-west of Wells. The civil parish includes the hamlets of Nyland and Bradley Cross...
and Wells
Wells
Wells is a cathedral city and civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England, on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills. Although the population recorded in the 2001 census is 10,406, it has had city status since 1205...
) that had opened in 1869).
The junction for the light railway was at Congresbury
Congresbury
Congresbury is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England. It is situated in the Unitary authority of North Somerset, and in 2001 had a population of 3,400. It lies on the A370, roughly equidistant between Junction 21 of the M5 and Bristol Airport, approximately south of Bristol city centre,...
, where the station was given a second platform when the Wrington line opened. There were four other stations at Wrington
Wrington
Wrington is a village and civil parish in North Somerset, England. It lies in the valley of the Congresbury Yeo river about east of Weston-super-Mare and south-east of Yatton. It is both a civil parish, with a population of 2,896, and an ecclesiastical parish...
, Langford, Burrington
Burrington, Somerset
Burrington is a small village and civil parish in Somerset, England. It is situated in the Unitary authority of North Somerset, north east of Axbridge and about east of Weston-super-Mare...
and the terminus at Blagdon
Blagdon
Blagdon is a village and civil parish in the ceremonial county of Somerset, within the unitary authority of North Somerset, in England. It is located in the Mendip Hills, a recognised Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. According to the 2001 census it has a population of 1,172...
.
When the line first opened in 1901, there were four trips a day each way between Blagdon and Yatton; one trip each way was a mixed passenger and goods service. The first train out of Blagdon in the morning went only as far as Congresbury, and returned to Blagdon from there. Other trains ran through from or to Yatton. In 1910, there were five trains a day in each direction on weekdays only. Until 1915, there was a late trip on Saturdays from Blagdon to Yatton and return.
In 1919, the service was reduced to three trains a day each way, but the fourth trip was re-instated in 1921. In 1926, this was increased again to five trips a day, to compete with the Bristol Tramways and Carriage Company's buses. However, this was not successful, and the service returned to the original four trips a day in 1927 until closure to passenger traffic in 1931, and goods traffic in 1950.
Construction and traffic
The railway's primary purpose was to bring construction materials for the building of the Blagdon LakeBlagdon Lake
Blagdon Lake lies in the Chew Valley at the northern edge of the Mendip Hills, approximately 10 mi south of Bristol, England. The lake was created by Bristol Water , when it dammed the River Yeo, starting construction in 1891 and completing this in 1899...
reservoir. Construction of the line overran cost and time forecasts. It was constructed and owned 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...
. The GWR used it to trial various innovative schemes to reduce the cost of lightly used passenger services, such as the push-pull system, where driver's controls are provided in a trailer coach, enabling the locomotive to propel its train, eliminating the need for the engine to run round at the end of a run, and so cutting costs.
Milk traffic was a considerable source of business on the line.
History
The first attempt to build a railway line in this part of North Somerset took place in 1882, when an Act was obtained incorporating the Radstock, Wrington & Congresbury Junction Railway. However, sufficient capital could not be raised, and the company was dissolved in 1886.In 1896, an application was made for a Light Railway Order under the Light Railways Act 1896
Light Railways Act 1896
The Light Railways Act 1896 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . Before the Act each new railway line built in the country required a specific Act of Parliament to be obtained by the company that wished to construct it, which greatly added to the cost...
for railway from Congresbury to Blagdon, with a short branch to Blagdon Waterworks. The statutory enquiry was held on 20 May 1897. There were no objections, and the scheme was supported by the Bristol Waterworks Company, who were about to start constructing a reservoir and pumping station at Blagdon. 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...
undertook to finance, construct and operate the line.
The Order was confirmed on 18 March 1898, and the line opened to traffic on 4 December 1901.
The railway carried passengers for 30 years until 1931. Passenger traffic was vulnerable to competition from buses and of the stations on the line, only Wrington was conveniently situated for the village it purported to serve.
Freight service continued along the length of the line until 1950, when the section between Wrington and Blagdon was closed fully. Freight services continued from Congresbury to Wrington until June 1963; Congresbury itself retained passenger services until later in 1963, when it closed with the rest of the Yatton to Witham line.
Since closure
After trains were withdrawn the track was lifted and station buildings either demolished or left for derelict. The only buildings on the line to have survived until the present day are Blagdon station, which is now part of a private residence, and the stationmaster's house at Burrington, although it has been much extended.A scheme was considered in the 1970s to install a short section of narrow-gauge track near Congresbury as a tourist attraction, however this did not come to be. Apart from this no attempt has yet been made to rebuild all or part of the railway. There are several obstacles if the railway were to be rebuilt. There has been some development on the trackbed at Wrington, and Burrington cutting has been filled in, but otherwise the trackbed is still intact. The other obstacle is the current residential occupation of Blagdon Station.
The Strawberry Line Association and 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"...
have aspirations for a cycle route on the trackbed. North Somerset council has marked the former railway as a future key cycle route in the local plan. The cycle route would connect with the Strawberry Line railway walk at Congresbury and a future route to Clevedon
Clevedon
Clevedon is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority of North Somerset, which covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset, England...
at Yatton station
Yatton railway station
Yatton railway station serves the village of Yatton in North Somerset, England. It is west of Bristol Temple Meads railway station on the Bristol to Taunton Line.-History:...
.
Sources
- 1910 Bradshaw's Railway Guide
- Somerset Railway Stations by Mike Oakley, Dovecote Press, 2002