Category: Capacity
Westerleigh Junction – a major bottleneck
Westerleigh Junction is where the Cross Country route from York to Bristol Temple Meads meets the electrified South Wales Main Line from London Paddington to Swansea, near Yate. The junction is a major bottleneck because North-South trains have to cross over East-West trains and then share the two-track line between Westerleigh and Bristol Parkway. This…
Mass Transit for Bristol and Bath: Will we fail again?
Bristol Rail Campaign is concerned that the West of England’s aspiration for a mass transit system for Bristol and Bath is once again in danger of being thwarted by local politics. We have been here before. Will we fail again? A successful mass transit system must make extensive use of segregated routes if it is…
How could Severn Beach Line capacity be improved?
FoSBR support a higher frequency passenger service on the Severn Beach Line. How could capacity be improved?
Celebrating the new Severn Beach Line timetable
FoSBR celebrated the new timetable at Severn Beach on 12th December. On weekdays there are now two trains per hour to Avonmouth, cross-city services and hourly trains to Severn Beach.
Covid-19 impact on local rail usage
The latest data from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) shows that passenger rail usage in 2020-21 (1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021) was significantly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Nationally, rail passenger journeys decreased 78% on the previous year. Media coverage focused on the fact that this was the lowest level of…
Four tracks from Bristol Parkway to Yate?
Network Rail say four tracks are needed between Bristol Parkway and Westerleigh Junction, Yate, to allow for planned service improvements.
New stations between Bristol and Cardiff?
Six new train stations may open in South-East Wales One new station is planned on the English side. Is this a good balance?
Electrification through Bath
Electrification of the Great Western Main Line stopped short of Bath. Was this down to the Bath Preservation Trust, or Chris Grayling?
WECA Strategic Rail Investment Plan
WECA approved their 10 year delivery plan for Strategic Rail Investment at a meeting on 4th December 2020.
Ashley Down Station
Bristol City Council would like to hear people’s views about the proposed access arrangements for Ashley Down train station. This station is due to be reopened as part of MetroWest Phase 2 in 2023. The new station is located on the site of the previous Ashley Hill Station. The station will be used by the…