Author: Carol Durrant
Lockleaze – development and transport
On Wednesday 16th March Bristol Civic Society arranged a study tour with the Lockleaze Neighbourhood Trust to look at the significant new housing development taking place in Lockleaze. FoSBR joined to be better informed of the impact on transport. We met at The Hub, where Suzanne (CEO) and Maria (Community Activator) gave us a talk…
Window Seater audio travel guides
Start-up tech company Window Seater launched a new series of immersive audio travel guides on 17th February 2022 to connect rail passengers with the world outside their train window. These travel guides are the result of a collaboration between Window Seater, the Community Rail Network and GWR. The project was backed by the Department for…
FoSBR AGM 2022: Report
The Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways (FoSBR) Annual General Meeting was held via Zoom on 28th Jan 2022. This is a brief report.
Progress at Portway Park and Ride station
Construction work by Bristol City Council and Network Rail at the Portway Park and Ride station site is finally underway. The £4.2 million station, part of the West of England Combined Authority’s wider MetroWest plans, is billed as the first new railway station within the City of Bristol since Parson Street was built in 1927.…
SevernNet Transport Charter
SevernNet is a not-for-profit enterprise that represents businesses and the community across the Royal Portbury Dock, Avonmouth, Severnside and Western Approach area (PAS). The PAS area is covered by 3 local authorities, Bristol City Council, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. The local authorities acknowledge that the area is significant in terms of employment and regeneration…
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…
Severn Beach Line – December 2021 timetable
The December 2021 timetable for the Severn Beach Line is a significant improvement on the current timetable, with a more frequent weekday service to Avonmouth and Severn Beach. The new timetable starts on Sunday 12th December. We are now within 12 weeks of this date, so service information should be correct on journey planners such…
A trip down the Westerleigh Branch
On Saturday 11th September, UK Railtours ran a charter train to some freight lines of interest to FoSBR. Tina, Brendan, Carol & David of FoSBR went along for the ride, joining at Reading. Excursion route The tour “Only Freight Track and Horses” traversed Wiltshire, Bath, Bristol, Gloucestershire then back to London. It was planned to take in…
Visit to Henbury station site
FoSBR met Cllr Mark Weston at the site of the new Henbury train station in August, to discuss the new station and other opportunities for the Henbury line.
Trip to Severn Beach
FoSBR members rode the train to Severn Beach on Saturday 3rd July. This seemed a good date for a trip as the Bristol Rail Regeneration project goes into full swing from Saturday 10th July with impact on both inter-city and local timetables – do check your journey before you travel. At Severn Beach we were…