Day 469: Saturday 26/04/2025 - Freedom of Severn & Solent 3 in 7 - £0.00 - Valid all day at weekends - Day 3. CP Abbey Filton Woods - free.
Total time today 491 mins - time on trains 174 mins and time waiting 317 mins. Stations completed today 8. Total completed 2292. Platforms completed at completed stations 5211.
"Finally - The Pilning day"
I wasn't quite sure a few days ago if i would actually go for this as the promise of rain back then was in the late 50 percentile. Gradually this came down as we got nearer and the night before it was down to a single figure chance of rain. As it turned out not a hint of rain at any time today, and my coat was certainly not required (though i did have it with me just in case!). In retrospect i started on the journey down far earlier than i needed so no pressing on and a few stops helped me to get there without too much of a wait.
My favoured free CP at Filton won the start point again and i was off to Newport once more. P3 in and then P3 out on the Penzance train which may have one of the longest array of stopping points on any service - about 30 i think, and one of those would be Pilning. I think the 5 car just about fit the platform although i was at the front and it wasn't clear from 5 cars away. As most will know this is a Eastbound only station used twice on a Saturday only but on both occasions i used it there were 2 other people boarding/alighting.
How did the walk go? Quite well actually. Google said 58 mins but i shaved a minute of so off that. Largely flat apart from getting over the dual carriageways and i stocked up on supplies at the Morrisons at Severn Beach. I also had time to go look at the err beach there but it was quite hazy and could barely see the "big" bridge and so not the best view it could be. Off to the station then and on to the unit sat there. Normally a turnaround of over 30 minutes and the doors are kept open in that time. I'm not sure i expected to find but there was a decent contingent on board by the time we departed. Severn Beach appears to be a pricy area to live although i have no direct comparisons to back that up. No matter - it was off to St Andrews Road which is just a few minutes away down the line.
What can i say about St Andrews Road? To reiterate what someone else said very recently in the Shack Attack thread - essentially there is no desire to ever come here again. Surrounded on all sides by what can only be described as BIG industrial concerns that have seen better days. It all looks old or at least well lived in. The only redeeming feature are extra lines of track beyond the single employed in passenger service. No sight of anything occupying those lines and apart from the line nearest the single, it was rusty rail time. perhaps saturday wasn't the best day of the week to see something here though.
Back to Severn Beach to complete the station under my rules (no counting first/last stations - even walking in/out) and a chance to properly cool down with the half hour wait. I find walking to order a harder task than most folk i woud say and i always seem to end all of these railway walks with a good forehead sheen. Additionally on the walk back this afternnon i developed an uncalled for blister as i was just in normal shoes walking on pavement and tarmac at a faster than normal (for me) pace. The things i do for the cause....
My longest trip of the day followed as i would be turning at Lawrence Hill (not Lauryn Hill as it sounded like on the announcement) and a very quick trip to Lidl for a cold drink. The train back was almost full although it progressively emptied as i made my back to Avonmouth where the ommission of a P2 sign there irked me more than it normally does. An out of place large canopy enveloped most of P2 although like most other stations on the line there was much to look at in terms of pictures/info which helped pass the time. Perhaps i should have wandered off the station here as i had a decent layover but the thought of the hours trek later on stayed my hand.
Sea Mills i found to be more interesting than most with a great view of the very tidal River Avon just off the single platform - i found it impressive especially as the tide was at a low point when i visited. Also a blue eyed Ragdoll cat parading up and down in the window of the (most likely) station building which was privately owned. Portway Park & Ride was next. A new station but not many cars in it considering it is free at the time of writing this. One of the identikit new stations and no real footflow on my visit. As much personality as a slug i would venture and perhaps one of the less successful new builds seen on the GWR network in the last 10 years. Pity....
My last new station of the day would be Clifton Down which was very lively and cosmopolitan after venturing off station here. I had a few supermarkety things i was tasked with returning with today so the Sainsburys next door solved that riddle.My own car needs a new radiator so i was in my partners which comes with aircon which i was glad to have operating on the way back.
It didn't take long before i was returning to Severn Beach and admiring the views that were offered one last time. A line of contrasts for sure and St Andrews Road is a mad little thing and no wonder it is Bristols least used. Now for the walk back in the sun. It took a few minutes less than this morning and i was passed like i was stood still by another train enthusiast not long into the walk. Someone i had seen at three other stations today at various times but not so much as an acknowledgement of each other. That all changed on gaining Pilning platform again and we swapped stories for a while. A different approach being taken in that walks between any stations are fair game. No issue with that. I know i am an awkward so and so haha with my "if its not difficult its not worth doing" approach.
Another 8 stations in the bag and apart from some random London days, a Sussex day or two and four days in Devon i only have a few more one dayers to do here and there with the main platform gig. Platform ends, rare Relief line stuff and a host of crossovers excepting of course. At least another 10 days in Scotland too. If i can stitch a bunch of rare stuff together i will probably prioritise those days for now until we hit school holidays when i will probably not want to venture too far away in the height of summer. I thought this was it until my main holiday starting Tuesday, but i may have time to look at the Ordsall Chord wrong way thing first thing tomorrow that Gensheet has been chatting about of late. Lets see.
| Filton Abbey Wood | Depart | 7.29 | ***** | GW | | | stations | platforms |
| Newport (South Wales) | Arrive | 7.54 | P3 | GW | wait 18m | | completed | completed |
| Newport (South Wales) | Depart | 8.12 | P3 | GW | | | | |
| Pilning | Arrive | 8.31 | Single | GW | walk + | | | |
| Walk to | ***** | ***** | ***** | ***** | wait 89m | | | |
| Severn Beach | Depart | 10.00 | Single | GW | | | | |
| St Andrews Road | Arrive | 10.06 | Single | GW | wait 12m | | | |
| St Andrews Road | Depart | 10.18 | Single | GW | | | 1 | 1 |
| Severn Beach | Arrive | 10.24 | Single | GW | wait 36m | | | |
| Severn Beach | Depart | 11.00 | Single | GW | | | 1 | 1 |
| Lawrence Hill | Arrive | 11.38 | P2 | GW | wait 14m | | | |
| Lawrence Hill | Depart | 11.52 | P1 | GW | | | 1 | 2 |
| Avonmouth | Arrive | 12.17 | P1 | GW | wait 28m | | | |
| Avonmouth | Depart | 12.45 | | GW | | | 1 | 2 |
| Sea Mills | Arrive | 12.53 | Single | GW | wait 12m | | | |
| Sea Mills | Depart | 13.05 | Single | GW | | | 1 | 1 |
| Portway Park & Ride | Arrive | 13.10 | Single | GW | wait 4m | | | |
| Portway Park & Ride | Depart | 13.14 | Single | GW | | | 1 | 1 |
| Clifton Down | Arrive | 13.24 | P2 | GW | wait 38m | | | |
| Clifton Down | Depart | 14.02 | | GW | | | 1 | 2 |
| Severn Beach | Arrive | 14.25 | Single | GW | walk + | | | |
| Walk to | ***** | ***** | ***** | ***** | wait 66m | | | |
| Pilning | Depart | 15.31 | Single | GW | | | 1 | 1 |
| Filton Abbey Wood | Arrive | 15.40 | ***** | GW | | | | |
