Rail services in the West of England

Rail services in the West of England refer to passenger rail journeys made in the Bristol commuter area. 17 million passenger rail journeys were made in 2019-20 within the Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Bristol/Bath region.

Services in the West of England CrossCountry (XC) Bristol Temple Meads - Manchester Piccadilly (Extensions to Paignton) Plymouth - Edinburgh Waverley (Extensions to Glasgow and Aberdeen)

Great Western Railway (GWR) South West/Bristol Temple Meads - London Paddington (via Bath Spa) Swansea/Cardiff - London Paddington (via Bristol Parkway) Bristol Parkway - Weston-super-Mare Great Malvern/Gloucester - Westbury/Weymouth Cardiff Central - Portsmouth Harbour Cardiff Central - Taunton Bristol Temple Meads - Avonmouth/Severn Beach

South Western Railway (SWR) Yeovil Junction/Frome - Salisbury/London Waterloo

Main destinations There is usually a direct weekday service from Bristol Parkway & Bristol Temple Meads to these destinations:

DestinationTime fromBristolTemple Meads Time fromBristolParkwayOperator(s)Avonmouth23 – 35 minutesN/AGWRBath Spa11 – 19 minutes28 – 47 minutesGWRBristol Parkway8 – 21 minutesN/ACrossCountry / GWRBristol Temple MeadsN/A9 – 20 minutesCrossCountry / GWRBirmingham New Street83 – 122 minutes 71 – 93 minutesCrossCountryCardiff Central47 – 63 minutes35 – 66 minutesCrossCountry / GWR38 – 68 minutes29 – 57 minutesCrossCountry / GWREdinburgh Waverley 393 – 399 minutes CrossCountry56 – 112 minutes69–109 minutesCrossCountry / GWR461 – 471 minutes456–464 minutesCrossCountryGloucester38 – 57 minutes26–44 minutesCrossCountry / GWRLeeds210 – 217 minutes202–215 minutesCrossCountryLondon Paddington97 – 152 minutes83–106 minutesGWRManchester Piccadilly179 – 180 minutes 168–169 minutesCrossCountryNewcastle299 – 303 minutes 289 - 293 minutesCrossCountryNewport30 – 47 minutes21–23 minutesGWR97 – 145 minutes118 minutesCrossCountry / GWR236 – 292 minutesCrossCountry / GWRPlymouth114 – 167 minutes CrossCountry / GWR146 – 164 minutesN/AGWR68 – 123 minutes59 minutesGWR68 – 86 minutesGWRSevern Beach33 – 38 minutesN/AGWR 167 – 172 minutes159 minutesCrossCountry99 – 116 minutesGWRSwansea80 - 85 minutesGWRSwindon35 – 50 minutes28 minutesGWRTaunton30 – 75 minutes42–49 minutesCrossCountry / GWR37 – 50 minutes68–75 minutesGWR17 – 39 minutes47 minutesCrossCountry / GWR141 – 148 minutes167–170 minutesGWRWorcester Shrub Hill90 – 102 minutes82–84 minutesGWR240 – 243 minutes CrossCountry

Stations Current stations

StationLine(s)PlatformsUsage 08/09 Usage 09/10 Usage 10/11 Usage 11/12 Usage 12/13 Usage 13/14 Usage 14/15 Usage 15/16 Usage 16/17 Usage 17/18 ImageAvonmouthSevern Beach2 61,948 68,448 83,674 88,642 97,880 111,440 119,924 129,860BedminsterBristol to Exeter3 58,690 69,898 70,006 76,420 80,262 83,242 87,542 92,868Bristol ParkwayCross CountrySouth Wales4 2,084,200 2,041,548 2,114,876 2,262,000 2,255,298 2,215,810 2,340,506 2,511,016Bristol Temple MeadsBristol to ExeterCross CountryGreat WesternHeart of WessexSevern BeachWessex13 7,829,628 7,875,686 8,409,340 8,884,626 9,099,368 9,522,840 10,099,526 10,711,464Clifton DownSevern Beach2 281,876 361,828 433,088 470,980 522,010 573,770 619,766 672,386Filton Abbey WoodCross Country4 536,958 598,032 679,270 771,344 852,250 988,734 1,007,780 1,021,550KeynshamGreat WesternHeart of WessexWessex2249,842 278,850 306,276 329,274 358,186 412,602 424,032Lawrence HillCross CountrySevern Beach2 67,338 74,876 93,600 102,964 124,878 136,316 150,774 157,912MontpelierSevern Beach Line1 84,834 96,114 122,212 126,316 121,294 130,560 122,146Nailsea & BackwellBristol to Exeter2450,510 476,618Parson StreetBristol to Exeter2 46,670 57,374 68,840 77,720 87,932 102,654 114,458 126,636PatchwaySouth Wales Main Line2 45,280 49,812 59,474 67,422 82,198 90,404 92,540 98,296PilningSouth Wales Main Line1 130 166 178 146 130 88 68 46Portway Park & RideSevern Beach Line1RedlandSevern Beach Line1 86,234 86,426 92,966 96,904 94,984 93,176 105,610 99,732Sea MillsSevern Beach Line1 36,358 41,680 49,082 51,998 58,310 58,106 64,512 61,696Severn BeachSevern Beach Line1 74,712 88,504 141,712 167,078 195,824 225,658 260,784ShirehamptonSevern Beach Line1 34,292 35,758 42,566 43,480 50,564 51,542 52,480 56,756St Andrews RoadSevern Beach Line1 3,582 3,942 4,328 6,072 9,910 13,376 11,184 7,374Stapleton RoadCross Country Route Severn Beach Line2 103,576 111,532129,344 140,390 157,294 178,114 179,872YateCross Country Route2294,934 307,148 328,832 354,004 368,910

Heritage stations This is a list of stations currently open on heritage lines.

StationLinePlatformsYear closedYear Reopened ImageAvon RiversideAvon Valley Railway1N/A2004BittonAvon Valley Railway219661972Oldland CommonAvon Valley Railway119661991

Proposed stations This is a list of proposed railway stations in the West of England. (This list includes some former stations)

StationLinePlatformsYear closedCurrent statusImageAshley DownCross Country Route21964 (as Ashley Hill)Opened on the 28th September 2024Ashton GatePortishead Railway11964/1984Proposed to reopenCharfieldCross Country21965Proposed to reopenChittening PlatformHenbury Loop11964Proposed to reopenLong AshtonBristol to Exeter21941Proposed to reopenHenburyHenbury Loop21965Proposed to reopenHorfieldCross Country Route21964Proposed to reopenNorth FiltonHenbury Loop11986Planning applicationPillPortishead Railway21964Proposed to reopenPortisheadPortishead Railway21964Proposed to reopenGreat Western Main Line21970Proposed to reopenGreat Western Main Line21970Proposed to reopen

Former stations This is a list of former stations in the West of England area.

StationLinePlatformsYear closedImageSevern Beach LineSevern Beach LineSevern Beach LineBristol and North Somerset Railway11963Charlton HaltHenbury Loop21915Portishead Branch21965South Wales Main LineCross Country Route21961Severn Beach Line11964Cross Country Route1903Cross Country Route1996Bristol and Gloucester Railway21966HallenHenbury Loop21918Ham GreenPortishead Branch11964HorfieldCross Country Route21964Bristol Port Railway and Pier21921Bristol Port Railway and Pier11922Mangotsfield Branch Line21949Mangotsfield and Bath Branch LineBristol and Gloucester Railway61966Severn Beach Line11964Severn Beach Line1886Portishead Railway11932PortburyPortishead Branch11962St Philip'sBristol and Gloucester Railway11967Staple HillBristol and Gloucester Railway21966ThornburyThornbury Branch11944Mangotsfield and Bath Branch Line21966WickwarCross Country21965WinterbourneCross CountrySouth Wales21963Bristol and North Somerset Railway11959

Railway lines There are six railway lines running through Bristol.

Bristol to Exeter line

The Bristol to Exeter line runs between Bristol and Exeter via the Nailsea, Weston-super-Mare, Bridgwater and Taunton. It is served by local First Great Western services, and used by Cross-Country and Intercity trains headed towards Plymouth.

Cross-Country Route

The North-East/South-West route (sometimes simply The Cross-Country Route) is the major British rail route running from South West England or Cardiff via Bristol, Birmingham, Derby and Sheffield to North-East England and Scotland. It includes some of the longest inter-city rail journeys in the UK, e.g. Penzance to Aberdeen. It remains a major freight route, although now largely usurped by the M5, M6 and M1 motorways.

The route shares parts of the Great Western Main Line, Midland Main Line, Sheffield to Hull Line, the East Coast Main Line and the core Cardiff-Bristol-Birmingham-Derby route.

In November 2018 tracks were doubled from Bristol Temple Meads through Lawrence Hill to Filton Abbey Wood stations to increase capacity, back to the original four tracks.

Great Western Main Line

The Great Western Main Line is a main line railway in England that runs westwards from London Paddington station to Temple Meads station in Bristol.

Severn Beach Line

The route runs from Bristol Temple Meads to Severn Beach via Lawrence Hill, Stapleton Road, Montpelier, Redland, Clifton Down, Sea Mills, Shirehampton, Avonmouth, St Andrews Road before reaching terminus at Severn Beach. The journey takes approximately 45 minutes.

Following a successful campaign by FOSBR (Friends of Suburban Bristol Railway), the Severn Beach Line is going to have an increased frequency from December 2007 to March 2010. Friends of Suburban Bristol Railway It is hoped this will pave the way for better services across the conurbation. An additional train will operate on the line meaning services should be at the least every 40 mins.

South Wales Main Line

The South Wales Main Line is a branch of the Great Western Main Line. It diverges from the main line at Wootton Bassett near Swindon, first calling at Bristol Parkway, after which the line continues through the Severn Tunnel into South Wales.

Wessex Main Line

The Wessex Main Line is the railway line from Bristol Temple Meads to Southampton. Diverging from this route is the Heart of Wessex Line from Westbury to Weymouth.

Proposed light rail or rapid transit

In November 2016, the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership began a consultation process on their Transport Vision Summary Document, outlining potential light rail/tram routes from the city centre to Bristol Airport, the eastern and north west fringes of the city, and a route along the A4 road to Bath. By 2017, this proposal had changed to a mass transit network with potential for underground sections, linking the city centre with the northern and eastern fringes of the city and the airport.

Train operators Current train operators OperatorYearsImageMajor servicesCrossCountry2007–2019Bristol to and the south west to and ScotlandGreat Western Railway (GWR)1996–2020 London Paddington to London Paddington to and via to to to to and to

Former train operators OperatorYearsImageServicesPost-nationalisationBritish Rail1948–1986All servicesPost-sectorisationInterCity1986–1996London Paddington to London Paddington to and via and the south west to the north and ScotlandRegional Railways1986–1996All non-InterCity servicesPost-privatisationSouth West Trains2004–2017 to London Waterloo via from 2004South Western Railway (SWR)2017-2021 to London Waterloo via Virgin CrossCountry1997–2007Bristol to and the south west to and ScotlandWales & Borders2001–2003Wales & West1997–2001Wessex Trains2001–2006 All local and non-express inter-city services.

There have also been a number of other companies pre-nationalisation, including: Great Western Railway Midland Railway Bristol and Gloucester Railway Birmingham and Bristol Railway Bristol Port Railway and Pier Bristol and North Somerset Railway Portishead Railway

MetroWest

MetroWest is a current initiative in the West of England area to improve local rail services by reopening disused rail lines and stations and improving existing services. Phase One includes reopening the Portishead railway line to passenger traffic and improving services to the Severn Beach Line and Bath Spa. Phase Two will see the Henbury railway line reopen, along with half-hourly services between Weston-super-Mare and Yate. The phases are due to open in 2019 and 2021 respectively.

The West of England Local Enterprise Partnership also produced a Key Principles Report in November 2015 discussing future potential transport projects for the West of England region, including new rail transit based options referred to as MetroWest++. The options outlined include reopening the Thornbury Branch Line, a Yate to Bath route, the use of tram train technology, a link to the city centre and a connection to Bristol Airport.

See also MetroWest (Bristol) Public transport in Bristol Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways

References

External links