Rail services in the West of England
Services in Greater Bristol
- Bristol - Manchester
- Plymouth - Edinburgh
- Bristol Parkway - Weston-super-Mare
- Cardiff - Portsmouth
- Gloucester - Westbury/South Coast
- Cardiff Central - Taunton
- Bristol Temple Meads - Severn Beach
- Bristol - London Waterloo
- Bristol - London Paddington (via Bath Spa)
- Swansea - London Paddington (via Bristol Parkway)
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 | 43,365 | 47,834 | 44,468 | 61,948 | 68,448 | 83,674 | 88,642 | 97,880 | 111,440 | 119,924 | |
Bedminster | Bristol to Exeter | 3 | 40,917 | 43,379 | 43,145 | 58,690 | 69,898 | 70,006 | 76,420 | 80,262 | 83,242 | 87,542 | |
Bristol Parkway | Cross Country South Wales |
3 | 1,633,280 | 1,789,848 | 1,897,941 | 2,084,200 | 2,041,548 | 2,114,876 | 2,262,000 | 2,255,298 | 2,215,810 | 2,340,506 | |
Bristol Temple Meads | Bristol to Exeter Cross Country Great Western Heart of Wessex Severn Beach Wessex |
13 | 6,066,239 | 6,548,859 | 7,082,098 | 7,829,628 | 7,875,686 | 8,409,340 | 8,884,626 | 9,099,368 | 9,522,840 | 10,099,526 | |
Clifton Down | Severn Beach | 2 | 153,027 | 180,656 | 204,397 | 281,876 | 361,828 | 433,088 | 470,980 | 522,010 | 573,770 | 619,766 | |
Filton Abbey Wood | Cross Country | 3 | 401,325 | 410,630 | 457,611 | 536,958 | 598,032 | 679,270 | 771,344 | 852,250 | 988,734 | 1,007,780 | |
Keynsham | Great Western Heart of Wessex Wessex |
2 | 249,842 | 278,850 | 306,276 | 329,274 | 358,186 | 412,602 | |||||
Lawrence Hill | Cross Country Severn Beach |
2 | 55,865 | 68,371 | 55,730 | 67,338 | 74,876 | 93,600 | 102,964 | 124,878 | 136,316 | 150,774 | |
Montpelier | Severn Beach Line | 1 | 73,573 | 76,969 | 60,629 | 84,834 | 96,114 | 122,212 | 126,316 | 121,294 | 130,560 | ||
Parson Street | Bristol to Exeter | 2 | 14,293 | 19,172 | 32,511 | 46,670 | 57,374 | 68,840 | 77,720 | 87,932 | 102,654 | 114,458 | |
Patchway | South Wales Main Line | 2 | 33,957 | 42,463 | 44,929 | 45,280 | 49,812 | 59,474 | 67,422 | 82,198 | 90,404 | 92,540 | |
Pilning | South Wales Main Line | 2 | 117 | 159 | 125 | 130 | 166 | 178 | 146 | 130 | 88 | 68 | |
Redland | Severn Beach Line | 1 | 55,529 | 66,852 | 61,394 | 86,234 | 86,426 | 92,966 | 96,904 | 94,984 | 93,176 | 105,610 | |
Sea Mills | Severn Beach Line | 1 | 36,411 | 40,786 | 33,222 | 36,358 | 41,680 | 49,082 | 51,998 | 58,310 | 58,106 | 64,512 | |
Severn Beach | Severn Beach Line | 1 | 37,088 | 38,202 | 54,034 | 74,712 | 88,504 | 141,712 | 167,078 | 195,824 | 225,658 | ||
Shirehampton | Severn Beach Line | 1 | 31,539 | 38,493 | 30,893 | 34,292 | 35,758 | 42,566 | 43,480 | 50,564 | 51,542 | 52,480 | |
St Andrews Road | Severn Beach Line | 1 | 8,008 | 5,518 | 3,183 | 3,582 | 3,942 | 4,328 | 6,072 | 9,910 | 13,376 | 11,184 | |
Stapleton Road | Cross Country Route Severn Beach Line |
2 | 86,997 | 98,446 | 72,182 | 103,576 | 111,532 | 129,344 | 140,390 | 157,294 | 178,114 | ||
Yate | Cross Country Route | 2 | 294,934 | 307,148 | 328,832 | 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
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
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
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
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:
- Great Western Railway
- Midland Railway
- Bristol and Gloucester Railway
- Birmingham and Bristol Railway
- Bristol Port Railway and Pier
- Bristol and North Somerset Railway
- Portishead Railway
MetroWest
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
- ↑ http://orr.gov.uk/statistics/published-stats/station-usage-estimates
- ↑ http://orr.gov.uk/statistics/published-stats/station-usage-estimates
- ↑ http://orr.gov.uk/statistics/published-stats/station-usage-estimates
- ↑ http://orr.gov.uk/statistics/published-stats/station-usage-estimates
- ↑ http://orr.gov.uk/statistics/published-stats/station-usage-estimates
- ↑ http://orr.gov.uk/statistics/published-stats/station-usage-estimates
- ↑ http://orr.gov.uk/statistics/published-stats/station-usage-estimates
- ↑ http://orr.gov.uk/statistics/published-stats/station-usage-estimates
- ↑ http://orr.gov.uk/statistics/published-stats/station-usage-estimates
- ↑ http://orr.gov.uk/statistics/published-stats/station-usage-estimates
- ↑ "Portway park and ride rail stop". Evening Post. Bristol News and Media Ltd. 13 January 2009. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
- ↑ http://www.fosbr.org.uk/Victory.htm Friends of Suburban Bristol Railway
- ↑ "West of England Joint Transport Study - Transport Vision Summary Document" (PDF). Retrieved 16 November 2016.
- ↑ "MetroWest: Phase 1".
- ↑ "MetroWest: Phase 2".
- ↑ "Issues and Options for Consultation. Key Principles Report" (PDF). West of England Joint Transport Study. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
External links
- Media related to Rail transport in Bristol at Wikimedia Commons