Rail services in the West of England

"Bristol Metro" redirects here. For pressure group, see MetroWest (Bristol).

Services in Greater Bristol

Main destinations

There is usually a direct service from Bristol to these destinations:

Destination Time from
Bristol
Temple Meads
Time from
Bristol
Parkway
Operator(s)
Avonmouth 23 – 38 minutes N/A GWR
Bath Spa 11 – 19 minutes 28 – 49 minutes GWR / South West Trains
Bristol Parkway 8 – 20 minutes N/A CrossCountry / GWR
Bristol Temple Meads N/A 9–20 minutes CrossCountry / GWR
Birmingham New Street 81–103 minutes 72–93 minutes CrossCountry
Cardiff Central 46–65 minutes 38–48 minutes CrossCountry / GWR
Cheltenham Spa 38–87 minutes 30–55 minutes CrossCountry / GWR
Edinburgh Waverley 396–404 minutes CrossCountry
Exeter St Davids 56–106 minutes 69–109 minutes CrossCountry / GWR
Glasgow Central 461–474 minutes 456–464 minutes CrossCountry
Gloucester 35–58 minutes 26–44 minutes CrossCountry / GWR
Leeds 211–225 minutes 202–215 minutes CrossCountry
London Paddington 97–148 minutes 83–106 minutes GWR
London Waterloo 178–180 minutes N/A South West Trains
Manchester Piccadilly 178–180 minutes 168–169 minutes CrossCountry
Newcastle 298–303 minutes CrossCountry
Newport 30–47 minutes 21–23 minutes GWR
Paignton 97–145 minutes 118 minutes CrossCountry / GWR
Penzance 237–292 minutes CrossCountry / GWR
Plymouth 117–167 minutes CrossCountry / GWR
Portsmouth Harbour 150–166 minutes N/A GWR
Reading 69–119 minutes 59 minutes GWR
Salisbury 67–86 minutes GWR / South West Trains
Severn Beach 37 minutes N/A GWR
Sheffield 168 minutes 159 minutes CrossCountry
Southampton Central 100–116 minutes GWR
Swindon 35–51 minutes 28 minutes GWR
Taunton 31–72 minutes 42–49 minutes CrossCountry / GWR
Westbury 38–49 minutes 68–75 minutes GWR / South West Trains
Weston-super-Mare 18–33 minutes 47 minutes CrossCountry / GWR
Weymouth 140–144 minutes 167–170 minutes GWR
Worcester Shrub Hill 93–95 minutes 82–84 minutes GWR
York 240–241 minutes CrossCountry

Stations in Bristol

Some of these stations are in South Gloucestershire and North Somerset.

Stations in the Bristol area:

Current stations

Station Line(s) Platforms Usage 05/06 [1] Usage 06/07 [2] Usage 07/08 [3] Usage 08/09 [4] Usage 09/10 [5] Usage 10/11 [6] Usage 11/12 [7] Usage 12/13 [8] Usage 13/14 [9] Usage 14/15 [10] Image
Avonmouth Severn Beach 2 Increase 43,365 Increase 47,834 Decrease 44,468 Increase 61,948 Increase 68,448 Increase 83,674 Increase 88,642 Increase 97,880 Increase 111,440 Increase 119,924
Bedminster Bristol to Exeter 3 Increase 40,917 Increase 43,379 Decrease 43,145 Increase 58,690 Increase 69,898 Increase 70,006 Increase 76,420 Increase 80,262 Increase 83,242 Increase 87,542
Bristol Parkway Cross Country
South Wales
3 Increase 1,633,280 Increase 1,789,848 Increase 1,897,941 Increase 2,084,200 Decrease 2,041,548 Increase 2,114,876 Increase 2,262,000 Decrease 2,255,298 Decrease 2,215,810 Increase 2,340,506
Bristol Temple Meads Bristol to Exeter
Cross Country
Great Western
Heart of Wessex
Severn Beach
Wessex
13 Increase 6,066,239 Increase 6,548,859 Increase 7,082,098 Increase 7,829,628 Increase 7,875,686 Increase 8,409,340 Increase 8,884,626 Increase 9,099,368 Increase 9,522,840 Increase 10,099,526
Clifton Down Severn Beach 2 Increase 153,027 Increase 180,656 Increase 204,397 Increase 281,876 Increase 361,828 Increase 433,088 Increase 470,980 Increase 522,010 Increase 573,770 Increase 619,766
Filton Abbey Wood Cross Country 3 Increase 401,325 Increase 410,630 Increase 457,611 Increase 536,958 Increase 598,032 Increase 679,270 Increase 771,344 Increase 852,250 Increase 988,734 Increase 1,007,780
Keynsham Great Western
Heart of Wessex
Wessex
2 249,842 Increase 278,850 Increase 306,276 Increase 329,274 Increase 358,186 Increase 412,602
Lawrence Hill Cross Country
Severn Beach
2 Increase 55,865 Increase 68,371 Decrease 55,730 Increase 67,338 Increase 74,876 Increase 93,600 Increase 102,964 Increase 124,878 Increase 136,316 Increase 150,774
Montpelier Severn Beach Line 1 Increase 73,573 Increase 76,969 Decrease 60,629 Increase 84,834 Increase 96,114 Increase Increase 122,212 Increase 126,316 Decrease 121,294 Increase 130,560
Parson Street Bristol to Exeter 2 Increase 14,293 Increase 19,172 Increase 32,511 Increase 46,670 Increase 57,374 Increase 68,840 Increase 77,720 Increase 87,932 Increase 102,654 Increase 114,458
Patchway South Wales Main Line 2 Increase 33,957 Increase 42,463 Increase 44,929 Increase 45,280 Increase 49,812 Increase 59,474 Increase 67,422 Increase 82,198 Increase 90,404 Increase 92,540
Pilning South Wales Main Line 2 Decrease 117 Increase 159 Decrease 125 Increase 130 Increase 166 Increase 178 Decrease 146 Decrease 130 Decrease 88 Decrease 68
Redland Severn Beach Line 1 Increase 55,529 Increase 66,852 Decrease 61,394 Increase 86,234 Increase 86,426 Increase 92,966 Increase 96,904 Decrease 94,984 Decrease 93,176 Increase 105,610
Sea Mills Severn Beach Line 1 Increase 36,411 Increase 40,786 Decrease 33,222 Increase 36,358 Increase 41,680 Increase 49,082 Increase 51,998 Increase 58,310 Decrease 58,106 Increase 64,512
Severn Beach Severn Beach Line 1 Increase 37,088 Increase 38,202 Increase 54,034 Increase 74,712 Increase 88,504 Increase Increase 141,712 Increase 167,078 Increase 195,824 Increase 225,658
Shirehampton Severn Beach Line 1 Increase 31,539 Increase 38,493 Decrease 30,893 Increase 34,292 Increase 35,758 Increase 42,566 Increase 43,480 Increase 50,564 Increase 51,542 Increase 52,480
St Andrews Road Severn Beach Line 1 Increase 8,008 Decrease 5,518 Decrease 3,183 Increase 3,582 Increase 3,942 Increase 4,328 Increase 6,072 Increase 9,910 Increase 13,376 Decrease 11,184
Stapleton Road Cross Country Route
Severn Beach Line
2 86,997 Increase 98,446 Decrease 72,182 Increase 103,576 Increase 111,532 129,344 Increase 140,390 Increase 157,294 Increase 178,114
Yate Cross Country Route 2 294,934 Increase 307,148 Increase 328,832 Increase 354,004

Former & Proposed stations

This is a list of former & proposed stations in the West of England area and their current status.

Station Line Platforms Year Closed Current Status Image
Ashley Hill Cross Country 2 1964 Proposed to reopen
Ashton Gate Portishead 1 1964/1984 Proposed to reopen
Hallen Henbury Loop 2 1918 Proposed to reopen
Long Ashton Bristol to Exeter 2 1941 Proposed to reopen
Winterbourne Cross Country
South Wales
2 1963 Proposed to reopen
Henbury Henbury loop line 1 or 2
Horfield Cross Country Route 2
St Annes Park/Thornbury
North Filton Henbury loop line 1 or 2
Pill Portishead Branch 1
Portbury Portishead Branch 1
Portishead Portishead Branch 1
A4 Portway Park & Ride[11] Severn Beach Line 1
Avonmouth (BPRP) Severn Beach Line
Avonmouth Docks Severn Beach Line
Avonmouth (Royal Edward) Severn Beach Line
Brislington Bristol and North Somerset Railway
Bristol St Philips Bristol and Gloucester Railway 1 1967
Charlton Halt Henbury Loop 2 1915
Chittening Platform Henbury Loop 1964
Clifton Bridge Portishead Railway 2 1965
Coalpit Heath South Wales Main Line
Cross Country Route
Cross Hands Halt Severn Beach Line
Filton Cross Country Route
Filton Junction Cross Country Route
Fishponds Bristol and Gloucester Railway 2 1966
Ham Green Halt Portishead Railway 1 1964
Henbury Henbury Loop 2 1965
Horfield Cross Country Route 2 1964
Hotwells Bristol Port Railway and Pier 2 1921
Hotwells Halt Bristol Port Railway and Pier 1 1922
Kelston Mangotsfield Branch Line 2 1949
Mangotsfield Mangotsfield and Bath Branch Line
Bristol and Gloucester Railway
6 1966
New Passage Halt Severn Beach Line
New Passage Pier Severn Beach Line
Nightingale Valley Halt Portishead Railway 1 1932
North Filton Platform Henbury Loop
Pill Portishead Railway 2 1964
Portbury Portishead Railway 1 1962
Portishead Portishead Railway 2 1964
Saltford Great Western Main Line 2 1970
St Anne's Park Great Western Main Line 2 1970
St Philip's Bristol and Gloucester Railway 1 1953
Staple Hill Bristol and Gloucester Railway 2 1966
Warmley Mangotsfield and Bath Branch Line 2 1966
Whitchurch Halt Bristol and North Somerset Railway

Railway lines

There are six railway lines running through Bristol.

Bristol to Exeter Line

The Bristol to Exeter Line runs between Bristol and Exeter via the Nailsea, Weston-super-Mare, Bridgwater and Taunton. It is served by local First Great Western services, and used by Cross-Country and Intercity trains headed towards Plymouth.

Cross-Country Route

Main article: Cross-Country route

The North-East/South-West route (sometimes simply The Cross-Country Route) is the major British rail route running from South West England or Cardiff via Bristol, Birmingham, Derby and Sheffield to North-East England and Scotland. It includes some of the longest inter-city rail journeys in the UK, e.g. Penzance to Aberdeen) It remains a major freight route, although now largely usurped by the M5, M6 and M1 motorways.

The route shares parts of the Great Western Main Line, Midland Main Line, Sheffield to Hull Line, the East Coast Main Line and the core Cardiff-Bristol-Birmingham-Derby route,

Great Western Main Line

The Great Western Main Line is a main line railway in England that runs westwards from London Paddington station to Temple Meads station in Bristol.

Severn Beach Line

Main article: Severn Beach Line

The route runs from Temple Meads to Severn Beach via Lawrence Hill, Stapleton Road, Montpelier, Redland, Clifton Down, Sea Mills, Shirehampton, Avonmouth, St Andrews Road before reaching terminus at Severn Beach. The journey takes approximately 45 minutes.

Following a successful campaign by FOSBR (Friends of Suburban Bristol Railway), the Severn Beach Line is going to have an increased frequency from December 2007 to March 2010.[12] It is hoped this will pave the way for better services across the conurbation. An additional train will operate on the line meaning services should be at the least every 40 mins.

South Wales Main Line

Main article: South Wales Main Line

The South Wales Main Line is a branch of the Great Western Main Line in the UK. It diverges from the main line at Wootton Bassett near Swindon, first calling at Bristol Parkway, after which the line continues through the Severn Tunnel into South Wales.

Wessex Main Line

Main article: Wessex Main Line

The Wessex Main Line is the railway line from Bristol Temple Meads to Southampton. Diverging from this route is the Heart of Wessex Line from Westbury to Weymouth.

Light rail plans

In November 2016, the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership began a consultation process on their Transport Vision Summary Document, outlining potential light rail/tram routes from the city centre to Bristol Airport, the eastern and north west fringes of the city, and a route along the A4 road to Bath.[13]

Train operators

Current train operators

Operator Years Image Major services
CrossCountry 2007–2019
Great Western Railway (GWR) 1996–2006
2006–2019
South West Trains 1996–2003
2003–2007
2007–2017

Former train operators

Operator Years Image Services
Post-nationalisation
British Rail 1948–1986 All services
Post-sectorisation
InterCity 1986–1996
Regional Railways 1986–1996 All non-InterCity services
Post-privatisation
Great Western Trains 1996–1998
Virgin CrossCountry 1997–2007
Wales & Borders 2001–2003
Wales & West 1997–2001
Wessex Trains 2001–2006 All local and non-express inter-city services.

There have also been a number of other companies pre-nationalisation, including:

MetroWest

Main article: MetroWest (Bristol)

MetroWest is a current initiative in the West of England area to improve local rail services by reopening disused rail lines and stations and improving existing services. Phase One includes reopening the Portishead railway line to passenger traffic and improving services to the Severn Beach Line and Bath Spa. Phase Two will see the Henbury railway line reopen, along with half-hourly services between Weston-super-Mare and Yate. The phases are due to open in 2019[14] and 2021[15] respectively.

The West of England Local Enterprise Partnership also produced a Key Principles Report in November 2015 discussing future potential transport projects for the West of England region, including new rail transit based options referred to as MetroWest++. The options outlined include reopening the Thornbury Branch Line, a Yate to Bath route, the use of tram train technology, a link to the city centre and a connection to Bristol Airport.[16]

See also

References

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