Ashley Down station construction updates

[Sean Emmett]

Footbridge and stairs duly installed.

Pics from mate now attached.

RTT now showing unadvertised stops for the Filton shuttles in the May timetable, so they can start calling as soon as soon as the station is ready.

 

[WelshBluebird]

Great to see!

What remains in terms of work to be done?
From the photos, I'm assuming getting the actual lifts in the shafts, the landscaping required around the entrance from Station Road / Concorde Way, presumably electrics and lighting (and the departure boards and TVM). Anything else?

RTT now showing unadvertised stops for the Filton shuttles in the May timetable, so they can start calling as soon as soon as the station is ready.

Any news on what extra peak services will be stopping at the station to make up the half hour peak frequency?

 

[Sean Emmett]

RTT for Mon 13 May 2024 just showing the hourly Filtons.

If Portway P&R is anything to go by the finishing works can take ages.

Have already complained that hourly service and lack of direct trains to Bristol Parkway will not achieve the modal shift needed.

Hopefully they will come. In the distant future there is the possibility of half hourly direct trains to Cardiff if TfW's plans come to fruition.

 

[louis97]

RTT for Mon 13 May 2024 just showing the hourly Filtons.

If Portway P&R is anything to go by the finishing works can take ages.

Have already complained that hourly service and lack of direct trains to Bristol Parkway will not achieve the modal shift needed.

Hopefully they will come. In the distant future there is the possibility of half hourly direct trains to Cardiff if TfW's plans come to fruition.

Not sure you'll get direct trains to Bristol Parkway there, the hourly service is down to be the Henbury service, which will be half-hourly in the peak hours. Its a shame it only has platforms on the relief lines as you could potentially stop one of the Gloucester services there.

 

[BrianB]

New stations are always a positive thing to be welcomed, but I would be interested to know what is the target market? As far as I can see it is located in a low density housing area and has no obvious destination appeal other than the college. As a point of origin, to where will people travel? Temple Meads is so poorly located to the Broadmead Centre that no one will use the train to go shopping in Bristol? I am not trying to be confrontational, but I just don't see what the flows will be and how the passenger numbers will stack up.

 

[WelshBluebird]

New stations are always a positive thing to be welcomed, but I would be interested to know what is the target market? As far as I can see it is located in a low density housing area

If you actually look at the local area there is plenty of housing within a walking distance to the station. Largely low density yes (though not solely), but an awful lot of housing nonetheless.

has no obvious destination appeal other than the college.

And the Memorial Ground for Bristol Rovers, the County Ground for Gloucestershire cricket club and the general Gloucester Road area (which itself is very much both a destination and an origin).

As a point of origin, to where will people travel? Temple Meads is so poorly located to the Broadmead Centre that no one will use the train to go shopping in Bristol?

For one it should become a decent railhead for people making longer journeys (at the moment the area is very car dependant). And secondly the area around Temple Meads isnt exactly no mans land, there's plenty of offices etc around there, with that area only becoming more and more developed as time goes on.

I am not trying to be confrontational, but I just don't see what the flows will be and how the passenger numbers will stack up.

It isnt just about serving one particular area, but instead the start of expanding rail based public transport within the Bristol city area. On the same line there's due to be Filton North and Hanbury over the next few years too.

Not sure you'll get direct trains to Bristol Parkway there, the hourly service is down to be the Henbury service, which will be half-hourly in the peak hours. Its a shame it only has platforms on the relief lines as you could potentially stop one of the Gloucester services there.

I don't think it's been confirmed if the extra peak services will be extra Henbury (initially Filton I assume) services or if it will be additional stops on other services has it?

 

[lachlan]

New stations are always a positive thing to be welcomed, but I would be interested to know what is the target market? As far as I can see it is located in a low density housing area and has no obvious destination appeal other than the college. As a point of origin, to where will people travel? Temple Meads is so poorly located to the Broadmead Centre that no one will use the train to go shopping in Bristol? I am not trying to be confrontational, but I just don't see what the flows will be and how the passenger numbers will stack up.

There's a new uni campus under construction at Temple Meads and a bunch of new offices have gone up (BT, Morgan Sindall, etc) so I can see it being popular for commuting.

 

[cce]

There's a new uni campus under construction at Temple Meads and a bunch of new offices have gone up (BT, Morgan Sindall, etc) so I can see it being popular for commuting.

There's also the opposite direction flow from Ashley down to Filton abbey wood for UWE and the MOD. The bus service is dreadfully slow at peak times.

 

[The exile]

New stations are always a positive thing to be welcomed, but I would be interested to know what is the target market? As far as I can see it is located in a low density housing area and has no obvious destination appeal other than the college. As a point of origin, to where will people travel?

Similar questions could be raised for Stapleton Road. Ok - so it has a more frequent service and is on two routes, but usage is pretty good for an inner suburban station.

 

[lachlan]

Similar questions could be raised for Stapleton Road. Ok - so it has a more frequent service and is on two routes, but usage is pretty good for an inner suburban station.

The area surrounding these stations is actually fairly dense - lots of terraced housing at least some of which is split into flats

 

[Brissle Girl]

There's a new uni campus under construction at Temple Meads and a bunch of new offices have gone up (BT, Morgan Sindall, etc) so I can see it being popular for commuting.

Indeed, the majority of the white collar industry in Bristol is within 5 mins walk of Temple Meads now after massive growth over the last 25 years. So whilst it’s not great for shopping, it’s very convenient for office workers.

 

[contrex]

As far as I can see it is located in a low density housing area and has no obvious destination appeal other than the college. As a point of origin, to where will people travel?

No more 'low density' really than Redland or Lawrence Hill to pick two at random. Ashley Down, Sefton Park, Horfield, Lockleaze and St Werburghs are a short walk away. Street after street of Edwardian and inter-war terraces, and very near to Fairfield school.

If I lived at the other end of Mina Road from where I do, I'd use it to get to/from Cardiff for a start, plus anywhere that I could connect to via Temple Meads. As it is, Stapleton Road is closer for me.

 

[Ashley Hill]

A shot from yesterday showing the footbridge. Not much other progress seems to being made,no lamp standards etc. At least it has a bike shelter on the upside!

 

[jazzy]

The main lines at Ashley Down were blocked yesterday with wood decking on the track, presumably to give vehicle access from the Station Lane access point. Does anyone know what this related to?

 

[Snow1964]

Network Rail has issued article on Ashley Downs

Work to build the first station in Ashley Down in 60 years has hit a “critical milestone”, according to regional Mayor Dan Norris. Funded by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, ‘Ashley Down Station’ is being built on the site of the previous Ashley Hill station which closed in 1964 due to the Beeching Cuts.

Mr Norris was track-side along with Cllr Don Alexander and other project partners to see for himself the brand-new footbridge installed over Christmas by Network Rail engineers.

It is scheduled to open later this year. Installation of the station footbridge completes the structural elements of the station.

First reveal – Mayor sees new station footbridge, hails “critical milestone”

Work to build the first station in Ashley Down in 60 years has hit a “critical milestone”, according to regional Mayor Dan Norris. Funded by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, ‘Ashley Down Station’ is being built on the site of the previous Ashley Hill station which closed in 1964...

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

 

[Sean Emmett]

Metal cladding now being added to the lift towers. Pic from Friday.

 

[jazzy]

Now the ‘bricks’ are apparently being clipped onto the metal slats. This isn’t a technology I’m familiar with, are they some kind of brick tiles?

Also, have the actual lifts been fitted? There can’t be many other large jobs left to do now…

 

[civ-eng-jim]

Now the ‘bricks’ are apparently being clipped onto the metal slats. This isn’t a technology I’m familiar with, are they some kind of brick tiles?

Also, have the actual lifts been fitted? There can’t be many other large jobs left to do now…

Possibly this system is being used:

 

[jazzy]

Possibly this system is being used:

It certainly looks like that from a distance. They were applying ‘mortar’ with a gun yesterday…

 

[Hellzapoppin]

The riser walls on Bath Spa station are the same.

 

[swt_passenger]

I wonder if they leave a certain amount of gaps for buddleia, as it’s on the railway?
Seriously though, I think it will look fine when completed.

 

[Annetts key]

Plenty of Buddleja all round Bath Spa, on both viaducts either side of the station and elsewhere...

 

[D869]

It certainly looks like that from a distance. They were applying ‘mortar’ with a gun yesterday…

View attachment 154513

English Bond.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Passed through today,it’s coming on well! From the photo the platforms appear complete and just await signage and fittings. Work still goes on around the footbridge though.

 

[Annetts key]

I don’t think work to relocate the signal that they (Network Rail) want moved has taken place yet.

 

[jazzy]

I don’t think work to relocate the signal that they (Network Rail) want moved has taken place yet.

2025 opening then?

 

[Sean Emmett]

The Concorde Way cycle/footpath from the station down to Muller Road was closed in March 2024 'for 4 months' to allow for the regrading of the path at the station frontage and other works. This is in addition to the much longer closure of the Concorde Way path alongside the station site itself.

Hopefully this indicates a July opening, but Portway Park & Ride looked ready for a long time before it actually opened...

 

[Snow1964]

The Concorde Way cycle/footpath from the station down to Muller Road was closed in March 2024 'for 4 months' to allow for the regrading of the path at the station frontage and other works. This is in addition to the much longer closure of the Concorde Way path alongside the station site itself.

Hopefully this indicates a July opening, but Portway Park & Ride looked ready for a long time before it actually opened...

Passed through it this morning, at least 6 people in orange overalls working on the platforms. So construction taking place.

 

[geoffk]

Do I take it that Ashley Down will be an unstaffed station with lifts? How many others does GWR operate as I can't think of any. I've seen glass-sided lifts on unstaffed stations in Denmark and this seems a sensible idea from the point of view of personal safety - but we don't seem to do this in Britain (although Huddersfield has one).

 

[zwk500]

Do I take it that Ashley Down will be an unstaffed station with lifts? How many others does GWR operate as I can't think of any.

Patchway, not very far away, has lifts, is a GWR station and I'm fairly sure it's unstaffed.

I've seen glass-sided lifts on unstaffed stations in Denmark and this seems a sensible idea from the point of view of personal safety - but we don't seem to do this in Britain (although Huddersfield has one).

Is it purely penny pinching the UK doesn't go for more glass lifts, or are there concerns about the machinery being exposed?

Given the proximity of Ashley Down to Bristol Temple Meads, should the lift not be available a passenger could relatively easily be carried on to BTM (or even Stapleton Road) to circulate back to the Up platform or get a taxi. If a lift breaks down unexpectedly there are presumably engineers based in Bristol that can be called out relatively quickly.