Author: Tim Weekes
FoSBR AGM 2023: Report
Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways (FoSBR) held its Annual General Meeting at Alma Church Hall, near Clifton Down station, on 24th March 2023. This is a brief report. The formal minutes of the AGM will be made available shortly. Chair’s welcome Chair Rob Dixon welcomed members, speakers and visitors to the meeting. There were around…
Would you use a Boxing Day train service?
Would you use the train if some services operated on Boxing Day? Many people return home after visiting friends and family on 27th December. Others travel to shops and for entertainment. Services can be very busy. Would it be better if trains also ran on Boxing Day? Network Rail often use the closure of the…
WESTlink Demand Responsive Transport services
WESTlink is a new service which has replaced around forty scheduled rural bus services in the West of England. It is a demand responsive transport (DRT) service, which is booked by telephone, online, or using a smartphone app. The background to WESTlink is discussed in detail in this article on Roger French’s ‘Bus and Train…
Ashley Down station reopening work starts!
Network Rail contractors BAM Nuttall started work on the site of the new Ashley Down train station at the end of February 2023. WECA hope that the new station will be completed in summer 2024. Valuable extra transport link West of England Mayor Dan Norris and Bristol City Council Cabinet Member for Transport Don Alexander…
Does Bristol need a gadgetbahn?
A gadgetbahn is a public transport system based on alternative, unusual or untried technology. Gadgetbahns are usually promoted on the basis that they will be cheaper or better than traditional trains, trams or buses. The word gadgetbahn was coined in the early 2000’s. It combines the English word ‘gadget’ with the German word ‘bahn’, meaning…
FoSBR AGM 2023
Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways (FoSBR) will be holding our Annual General Meeting on Friday, 24th March 2023. This year we will be holding the AGM ‘in person’ for the first time since 2020. The venue for this year’s AGM is the Alma Church Hall, 29 Alma Road, BS8 2ES, near Clifton Down station. The…
Bus Branch Lines
Bus Branch Lines are bus routes which link with rail services. GWR is promoting this method of feeding passengers into the rail network.
Portishead DCO Granted
On the 14th November 2022, the Secretary of State for Transport granted development consent to North Somerset Council’s application to restore passenger rail services to Portishead and Pill. As the explanatory note to the full Development Consent Order (DCO) explains: This Order authorises North Somerset District Council to construct a new railway on the formation…
Bristol Parkway Masterplan
South Gloucestershire Council and partners are preparing a masterplan to transform Bristol Parkway from a park and ride into a modern transport hub.
Portishead Railway: Just do it!
Councillors, residents and campaigners came to a FoSBR event to push home the message: Portishead Railway – Just do it!