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Portishead approved

Annetts key

Annetts key

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The junction in 2013
IMG_2171_Original.jpeg

Benjwri said:
Fair enough, to be honest this was from reading the documents, especially ther service level which was quoted as multiple trains a day, which does call into question the competency of whoever wrote them. Probably best to wait for February for the actual construction plan though before judging.
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What may be the case, is that the existing embankments and cuttings are not to current standards, and as this is being treated as a "new" line, a lot of work may be needed to bring the infrastructure up to current standards.

And if someone else is paying (as opposed to Network Rail self funding it), Network Rail do tend not to do any modernisation or improvement work ahead of the main scheme.

So, for example, when the signalling for TVSC was provided, the existing token system was retained, despite the problems that this system has experienced previously.
 
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JKF

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This is the bridge north-west of Pill station that requires doubling.


It’s just a pedestrian/cycle underpass, but as you can see access is quite difficult and not really anywhere you can stick a working compound without blocking the cycle track - likely a long and costly diversion will be needed across fields to the north if that is the case. I guess they may use the old station goods yard as a compound and would then use the trackbed for site access. It’s a short span so prefabricated sections could be moved in fairly easily. Or maybe just create a low-headroom tunnel for the cycle path and backfill above, like how some bridges are redone on railway cycle paths.
 
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Benjwri

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Annetts key said:
What may be the case, is that the existing embankments and cuttings are not to current standards, and as this is being treated as a "new" line, a lot of work may be needed to bring the infrastructure up to current standards.
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The DCO states that this is the case that embankments and cuttings are not to standards for a passenger line, especially with rockfall issues around the area under the Clifton Suspension Bridge.
JKF said:
It’s a short span so prefabricated sections could be moved in fairly easily. Or maybe just create a low-headroom tunnel for the cycle path and backfill above, like how some bridges are redone on railway cycle paths.
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Plan is just 2 precast abutments with a precast span lowered on top.

It’s also worth remembering that between Pill and Portishead it is effectively a new track, what remains is beyond any use, and various roads, cycle paths and paths have been built across the original trackbed.
 
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JKF

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Benjwri said:
The DCO states that this is the case that embankments and cuttings are not to standards for a passenger line, especially with rockfall issues around the area under the Clifton Suspension Bridge.

Plan is just 2 precast abutments with a precast span lowered on top.
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I suspect some work will be needed on the embankment, it is already quite tall so might need shoring up with piles to accommodate another track.

Benjwri said:
It’s also worth remembering that between Pill and Portishead it is effectively a new track, what remains is beyond any use, and various roads, cycle paths and paths have been built across the original trackbed.
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Not aware of any roads breaching the formation other than at the Portishead end - possibly a crossing to the car compound at Court House Farm? The cycle track runs alongside under the motorway bridge but doesn’t breach anything, and a fair chance this will be retained with a decent fence after the track is put back - think the bridge is suitable for double track and it’s quite a diversion if the route is cut off here.
 
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Benjwri

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JKF said:
Not aware of any roads breaching the formation other than at the Portishead end - possibly a crossing to the car compound at Court House Farm? The cycle track runs alongside under the motorway bridge but doesn’t breach anything, and a fair chance this will be retained with a decent fence after the track is put back - think the bridge is suitable for double track and it’s quite a diversion if the route is cut off here.
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Yes not roads, but my point was this will have caused what was left of the original trackbed to be lost, and they will effectively be building the railway from scratch.
 
Annetts key

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Snow1964 said:
Is that the point blades other side of new concrete trough. Must of been a reason for leaving them there on site when it was plain lined
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From what I understand, when the new branch to the docks was installed, the point had to be provided. But then the point was plain lined to (1) save on having to provide and maintain a point operating mechanism and (2) to reduce the track maintenance that would be required.

The parts of the point work that were removed are indeed in the cess. Presumably in case they had to be reinstated, and because it would have cost money to recover them.

Benjwri said:
The DCO states that this is the case that embankments and cuttings are not to standards for a passenger line, especially with rockfall issues around the area under the Clifton Suspension Bridge.
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In practice, it's not possible to completely solve the rockfall issues. But mitigation work can be carried out.

Benjwri said:
Yes not roads, but my point was this will have caused what was left of the original trackbed to be lost, and they will effectively be building the railway from scratch.
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The work on the three miles (approximately) of currently abandoned track bed won't take too long to do. Remember how long it took to lower the track through Box Tunnel for the OHL.

The other thing to remember is that a lot of this work could be done in parallel. I understand them being cautious, and trying to do it the way that costs the least amount of money, but it is rather frustrating.
 
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Tomos y Tanc

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Annetts key said:
The other thing to remember is that a lot of this work could be done in parallel. I understand them being cautious, and trying to do it the way that costs the least amount of money, but it is rather frustrating.
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No one doubts the genuine frustration local resdents must feel espcially when the cost of the project is peanuts compared to schemes like HS2 and the Elizabeth Line.

Things won't change until regional decisions are taken locally. You only have to look at how many reopenings have taken place in Scotland and Wales compared to England to see that the Treasury always favours the services its own civil servants use!
 
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Tomos y Tanc said:
No one doubts the genuine frustration local resdents must feel espcially when the cost of the project is peanuts compared to schemes like HS2 and the Elizabeth Line.

Things won't change until regional decisions are taken locally. You only have to look at how many reopenings have taken place in Scotland and Wales compared to England to see that the Treasury always favours the services its own civil servants use!
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In order to take decisions locally, the regions would need enough money to pay for it out of their own budgets (or find alternative sources).

I highly doubt any civil servants use or will use Okehampton or Northumberland line services habitually.
 
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Tomos y Tanc said:
No one doubts the genuine frustration local resdents must feel espcially when the cost of the project is peanuts compared to schemes like HS2 and the Elizabeth Line.

Things won't change until regional decisions are taken locally. You only have to look at how many reopenings have taken place in Scotland and Wales compared to England to see that the Treasury always favours the services its own civil servants use!
Click to expand...

It's worth listening to the Green Signals podcast where they interview Alex Haynes to understand a bit of the difference in thinking between North and South of the boarder:


open.spotify.com

Scotland: Are they showing us the way?

Listen to this episode from Green Signals on Spotify. This time, we’re heading north of the border with special guest Alex Hynes (Managing Director, Scotland’s Railway) to find out why they seem to keep getting it right on railways in Scotland when the rest of the UK struggles. We talk...
open.spotify.com open.spotify.com


Links are to the episode in question on Amazon Music, Spotify and YouTube.
 
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Benjwri

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Annetts key said:
In practice, it's not possible to completely solve the rockfall issues. But mitigation work can be carried ou
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Yeah that’s obviously true, I was meaning that mitigation work needed to be carried out to make the risk acceptable.
 
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Of some relevance is that over the 9day period, starting in 3 weeks time, (Sat 20 - Sun 28 Jan and subsequent weekend 3-4 Feb), trains are suspended Bristol Temple Meads to Weston super Mare, a section which includes the junctions from mainline serving the branch

Bristol | Great Western Railway

Find out about railway upgrades in the Bristol area.
www.gwr.com www.gwr.com

Appears both Parson Street and Bedminster stations will be closed with no rail replacement buses
 
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I came to this quite late so if this has been covered before then apologies!

Regarding the track, there was a passing loop just as the line turns away from the river. The up distant was close to Ham Green. On Sundays in 1960 the loop was always switched out.
 
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Snow1964 said:
Of some relevance is that over the 9day period, starting in 3 weeks time, (Sat 20 - Sun 28 Jan and subsequent weekend 3-4 Feb), trains are suspended Bristol Temple Meads to Weston super Mare, a section which includes the junctions from mainline serving the branch

Bristol | Great Western Railway

Find out about railway upgrades in the Bristol area.
www.gwr.com www.gwr.com

Appears both Parson Street and Bedminster stations will be closed with no rail replacement buses
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I don't believe there is any work being done as part of the Portishead project - it's around the time of year when there is usually a closure for routine track maintenance work (and maybe some tree felling too).
 
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Snow1964

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A long-awaited rail project that could reconnect 50,000 residents in North Somerset to the national network is nearing its final stage of approval. At January’s Full Council meeting (tonight, January 9) members will decide on proposals for the Full Business Case currently being developed for the Portishead to Bristol rail line.

It's part of the MetroWest programme. The proposals would give Councillor Mike Bell, Leader of the Council and Executive Member for Major Infrastructure Projects, authority to finalise a completed Full Business Case on behalf of North Somerset Council, ready for its submission to the Department for Transport (DfT). Submission of the Full Business Case is expected to take place at the end of February.
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www.bristolpost.co.uk

Work could soon start of Portishead to Bristol rail line

The Portishead to Bristol rail line is one step away from getting the go-ahead
www.bristolpost.co.uk www.bristolpost.co.uk
 
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Phil G

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The article said there was a council decision due on Jan 9th, anyone know if a decision was made and what it was?
 
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Pat31

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Phil G said:
The article said there was a council decision due on Jan 9th, anyone know if a decision was made and what it was?
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It was simply a council vote on whether to present the DFT with the final business case. Nothing much has changed. The big one is the final business case decision which should be this summer. May-August hopefully!
 
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Pat31

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There’s been a fair amount of people in orange on the line on the bristol end recently. When walking over the bridge by the old Ashton Gate station I noticed they’ve chopped trees away.
 

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Pinus contorta

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Looks like it could be tree crown removal using excavator based ( or similar ) tree shears on Ash. Can't tell precisely. But it's clear from the photo there's lots of ivy at the base of the trees. Often get rampant growth of that when Ash trees start to struggle up in the crown with die back. Don't want lots of decaying tree limbs crashing down all the time.
 
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Phil G said:
The article said there was a council decision due on Jan 9th, anyone know if a decision was made and what it was?
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Minutes record

Councillor Bell presented the report to members noting that the council expected to submit the full business case to the Department for Transport in February 2024. A further report would be brought back to Council in the summer of 2024 with a view to funding being finalised and allowing construction to begin in August 2024. He thanked all those involved with supporting the project.
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Cost still quoted at 152m which is surprising or perhaps they are following HS2 approach of keeping historic price levels but at least it hasn't gone up. So far 30m has been expended of which 13m was for detailed design the rest isn't clear. They are looking for 43m out of DfT although 10m of that is for NR the rest is coming from councils and agreed funding from the various slush funds the govt has running under the levelling up umbrella.

They haven't included the business case in any of supporting documents guess that has to be kept under wraps until DfT have seen it.
 
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tumbles

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Nicholas Lewis said:
Minutes record



Cost still quoted at 152m which is surprising or perhaps they are following HS2 approach of keeping historic price levels but at least it hasn't gone up. So far 30m has been expended of which 13m was for detailed design the rest isn't clear. They are looking for 43m out of DfT although 10m of that is for NR the rest is coming from councils and agreed funding from the various slush funds the govt has running under the levelling up umbrella.

They haven't included the business case in any of supporting documents guess that has to be kept under wraps until DfT have seen it.
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I believe the cost maybe +£20m more again, but as DfT are leading the project in theory now they are liable if it was approved. They may in turn ask WECA to make up some of the difference.
 
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Web4160

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Councillor Bell presented the report to members noting that the council expected to submit the full business case to the Department for Transport in February 2024. A further report would be brought back to Council in the summer of 2024 with a view to funding being finalised and allowing construction to begin in August 2024. He thanked all those involved with supporting the project.

Does anyone know if this happened?
 
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Brissle Girl

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Ashley Hill said:
Does the Portishead scheme include the reinstatement of the Down Relief from Bristol TM to Parson Street?
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If they did then it would make sense for it to become the main route for through traffic and aligned accordingly, so trains waiting to enter the branch don’t hold up main line services.
 
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