Bristol Temple Meads - station, facilities, incidents and events (merged posts)

[whole diary]

[TonyK]

Speaking of Bristol East Junction, the orange army is hard at work this weekend.

https://twitter.com/networkrailwest/status/1320315783629721600

(I'm not sure how to embed this, so just click.)

[Red Squirrel]

Just noted a planning application (Bristol City Council 20/03845/F) for a new storage building for Arriva TrainCare at Days Road. This scheme:

...would deliver a modern storage unit which would be used ancillary to the railway depot. The proposed building would replace the existing poor-quality stores that will be demolished as part of the remodelling of the running tracks, required by the upgrading of Temple Meads Station. The proposed store therefore has wider implications for the delivery of improvements to Bristol Temple Meads Station and sustainable transport in the area.

The buildings to go are the long thin structures between the carriage washer and Days Road; the new building will sit on the SIM-card-shaped rectangular bund at the top of this view: https://goo.gl/maps/mU1j1ABAXbRK2pej8

This work is presumably related to the Bristol East remodelling.

[Red Squirrel]

WORK STARTS ON REFURBISHMENT OF HISTORIC TEMPLE MEADS ROOF



Platforms two and three at Bristol Temple Meads are currently out of action as work begins to refurbish the roof of the main train shed.

Over Christmas, a team from Network Rail installed foundations and are starting to erect scaffolding towers, with the installation due to continue on Saturday nights during 2021.

Once complete, these towers will support a huge safety screen while refurbishment work on the historic roof is carried out overhead.

The roof renovations at Temple Meads are due to last until 2023.

...continues

Source: Bristol 24/7

[TonyK]

WORK STARTS ON REFURBISHMENT OF HISTORIC TEMPLE MEADS ROOF



Platforms two and three at Bristol Temple Meads are currently out of action as work begins to refurbish the roof of the main train shed.

When was platform 2 last used, other than for parking?

_{Fixed quotes - RS}

[Phantom]

With such little space for anything at Temple Meads I wonder if anyone ever thought of splitting the roof area into a new upper level that could have been used for retail / offices etc?

Massive initial cost, but would have brought so much needed additional space

[Red Squirrel]

With such little space for anything at Temple Meads I wonder if anyone ever thought of splitting the roof area into a new upper level that could have been used for retail / offices etc?

Massive initial cost, but would have brought so much needed additional space

I suspect the station's Grade 1 listed status pretty well rules out any significant changes to the building, though some kind of mezzanine might work.

When was platform 2 last used, other than for parking?

Platform 2 is the old Motorail bay at the Portishead end of the station. I think Bristol 24/7 have allowed themselves to get confused!

[eightonedee]

With such little space for anything at Temple Meads I wonder if anyone ever thought of splitting the roof area into a new upper level that could have been used for retail / offices etc?

Massive initial cost, but would have brought so much needed additional space

With the retail space market struggling with all the retail failures, and an oversupply of office space even in "thriving" centres, I imagine that the forecast rental returns from space with compromises forced on it by the need to respect features of an important historic listed building are unlikely to be attractive.

[TonyK]

Platform 2 is the old Motorail bay at the Portishead end of the station. I think Bristol 24/7 have allowed themselves to get confused!

Wot I thought too.

[DaveHarries]

Here's a heads-up for you all. And well in advance too.

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)'s website, in its engineering works section, states that work will be taking place from "Bristol Temple Meads to Lawrence Hill/Patchway" between Saturday 10th July and Friday 06th August. I gather from another forum that this closure will only be for part of the work though!

HTIOI,
Dave

[stuving]

Here's a heads-up for you all. And well in advance too.

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)'s website, in its engineering works section, states that work will be taking place from "Bristol Temple Meads to Lawrence Hill/Patchway" between Saturday 10th July and Friday 06th August. Presumably this will be the remodelling of Bristol East Junction along with all associated works (signalling, etc.)

HTIOI,
Dave

The EAS^» (Engineering Access Statement - about) confirms this is when Bristol East is scheduled, saying for week 15 (from 10th July):

BRISTOL EAST 8 WEEK CORE BLOCKADE. PART 1
OF 8.

POSSESSION CONTINUES AS P2021/2688025

MAJOR TIMETABLE AMENDMENTS REQUIRED.

THROUGH ROUTE AVAILABLE VIA RHUBARB
CURVES THROUGHOUT [APART FROM DURING
NBS PERIOD].

SERVICES BETWEEN FILTON BANK AND TEMPLE
MEADS TO REVERSE IN BRISTOL EAST DEPOT
AREA [APART FROM DURING NBS PERIOD].

NO ACCESS TO BARTON HILL DEPOT FOR
DURATION.

NBS is "no booked services".

Now, you'll have spotted that 8 weeks goes well past the 8th August. Part two starts with this comment for week 19:

BRISTOL EAST 8 WEEK CORE BLOCKADE. PART 5
OF 8.

THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF P2021/2688027.

POSSESSION CONTINUES AS P2021/2688177.

MAJOR TIMETABLE ALTERATIONS REQUIRED.

FROM 0100 SAT

NO ACCESS TO TEMPLE MEADS FROM THE EAST
/ FILTON BANK. THROUGH ROUTE AVAILIBLE VIA
RHUBARB CURVES. PLATFORMS 8, 10, 12 AND 15
AVAILABLE AS WEST FACING BAYS ONLY. NO
ROUTE EXISTS THROUGH TEMPLE MEADS.

0100 SUN TO 0400 MON

NO ACCESSS TO TEMPLE MEADS.

SERVICES TO WEST OF ENGLAND TO DIVERT VIA
WESTBURY.

SERVICES TO TERMINATE AT BATH SPA.

NO SERVICES ON FILTON BANK OR SEVERN
BEACH BRANCH.

RAIL REPLACEMENT SERVICES REQUIRED.

ACCESS TO BBHT, AVONMOUTH AND
SEVERNSIDE SITA VIA CHARLTON TUNNEL /
HALLEN MARSH JN ONLY.

ACCESS TO ST PHILLIPS MARSH DEPOT VIA
BRISTOL WEST ONLY, TO/FROM COUNTRY.

FROM 0400 MON

NO ACCESS TO TEMPLE MEADS FROM THE EAST
/ FILTON BANK. THROUGH ROUTE AVAILABLE VIA
RHUBARB CURVES. PLATFORMS 8, 10, 12 AND 15
AVAILABLE AS WEST FACING BAYS ONLY. NO
ROUTE EXISTS THROUGH TEMPLE MEADS.

NO ACCESS TO BARTON HILL DEPOT FOR
DURATION.

The final end date appears to be 9th September. The details vary week by week, with different platforms being out of use. You'd need to go through the whole lot carefully to find out exactly what's in use - or wait for the service information later.

[johnneyw]

If my recollections are correct, the construction of the new entrance on the former PO sorting office side of the station was supposed to be carried out to coincide with these closures. This might have changed off course.

[Phantom]

If my recollections are correct, the construction of the new entrance on the former PO sorting office side of the station was supposed to be carried out to coincide with these closures. This might have changed off course.

I'm intrigued what will happen to the shop that currently stands in place of the new entrance, closing down or being moved?

[Red Squirrel]

If my recollections are correct, the construction of the new entrance on the former PO sorting office side of the station was supposed to be carried out to coincide with these closures. This might have changed off course.

I'm intrigued what will happen to the shop that currently stands in place of the new entrance, closing down or being moved?

I don't think there's any operational reason to link these activities, is there? They'll need to knock down a couple of walls, but they won't be digging any new tunnels.

The shop will be slap bang in the way. Presumably it is on a short lease!

[johnneyw]

If my recollections are correct, the construction of the new entrance on the former PO sorting office side of the station was supposed to be carried out to coincide with these closures. This might have changed off course.

I'm intrigued what will happen to the shop that currently stands in place of the new entrance, closing down or being moved?

I don't think there's any operational reason to link these activities, is there? They'll need to knock down a couple of walls, but they won't be digging any new tunnels.

The shop will be slap bang in the way. Presumably it is on a short lease!

It was a while back now but I thought some of the necessary work was deliberately scheduled to coincide with some of the platform closures related to the upcoming works.  I think that it was mentioned on this forum some while back.....I think!

Edit:
There seems to have been mention of this issue on this thread circa June 2019.

[stuving]

If my recollections are correct, the construction of the new entrance on the former PO sorting office side of the station was supposed to be carried out to coincide with these closures. This might have changed off course.

I'm intrigued what will happen to the shop that currently stands in place of the new entrance, closing down or being moved?

Or was that works on the roof?

I don't think there's any operational reason to link these activities, is there? They'll need to knock down a couple of walls, but they won't be digging any new tunnels.

The shop will be slap bang in the way. Presumably it is on a short lease!

It was a while back now but I thought some of the necessary work was deliberately scheduled to coincide with some of the platform closures related to the upcoming works.  I think that it was mentioned on this forum some while back.....I think!

_{Edit: That was an interesting challenge! I think I have succeeded in fixing the quotes such that everything is assigned to the right people - RS}