A real gem locally is the very under publicised Bristol Harbour Railway, which runs from the SS Great Britain on Bristol's harbourside to the Create Centre. In 2011 it should re-extend to the newly refurbished Industrial Museum. This line has previously hosted a Parry People Mover. It's not open every weekend but the 2010 timetable is here.
This line could also become a very valuable transport link in the future. It could re-extend southwards to join the Portishead line - it's less than half a mile to rejoin the network over a bridge that saw trains (and heavy, steam-hauled ones at that!) as recently as 1996. It could also extend into the centre of Bristol tramway style, connecting with the new Bristol tramway system. This would then give a surely soon-to-be-reopened Portishead branch TWO traffic flows, one to Bristol Temple Meads for longer-distance travellers and freight and one to the city centre via the new developments on the Harbourside south, serving commuter flows. Tram-trains, Parry People Movers, conventional electric multiple units and, of course, steam hauled heritage trains could all operate the routes from Portishead to Bristol, complementing the current heavy freight use of this very important route.
4 comments:
Whilst I have to say running from Portishead to the docklands would be extremely advantageous, I'm afraid the bridge you mention over the Avon (technically the New Cut) is not in very good condition at all, and would probably require significant repairs if not replacing. Also to link up with that line on the existing alignment would require a tight curve under Brunel Way.
A better idea would be a new bridge and a new alignment.
Whatever it takes! I did notice that the current bridge became unsuitable for heavy trains in 1996, another 14 years in the Bristol air probably hasn't done it a lot of good either!
A new bridge and alignment is fine by me!
how about an slight alternative on the portishead line, involving using most of the current formation until a point in the ashton area, befre tunnelling, creating an underground station in the centre, and an underground station at temple meads, and then continuing underground to a point to pick up the bristol-radstock-frome line, creating a cross bristol link to two areas of population and a valuable commuter link, a mainline connection for stock movements could be maintained at ashton with allowences for the portbury coal/car trains
Guys, please remember you are dealing with Bristol and it's wonderful Council. They'd rather throw millions of ratepayers money at a private monopoly bus operator, Firstgroup, to operate a 'Bendybus' network which will be expensive and under used because people prefer to use rail!!
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