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

[whole diary]

[TonyK]

In respect of roueting Portishead workings into those platforms this would involve many more conflicting movements and reduce capacity, particularly if the services are linked with the Avonmouth line which would then involve crossing all lines through Bristol East Jn to get back into the right side for the branch. At a busy station like Temple Meads it's impossible to provide convenient cross platform opportunities for all passenger flows, and whose to say that Portishead to Bath and beyond will be a more significant flow than say to Filton Abbey Wood. (London and Reading passengers are just as likely to use the new fast services via Parkway anyway.)

The favourite plan is to have trains from Portishead to Severn Beach and Portishead to Bath or possibly Westbury. P3 would be favourite for the first, maybe P4 for the return trip, maybe P9 for the Bath service.

I think the idea of reconnecting the down side of P13 is sensible. Even if it isn't used a great deal, it still gives an option if the need arises.

[Red Squirrel]

Happened upon these computer visualisations which show how the Old Station might look in some imagined future where the whole project doesn't get canned and Temple Meads isn't allowed to gently settle into the swamp on which it stands... we can dream!

[Rhydgaled]

Happened upon these computer visualisations which show how the Old Station might look in some imagined future where the whole project doesn't get canned and Temple Meads isn't allowed to gently settle into the swamp on which it stands... we can dream!

My first impression: YUCK. Save our money for keeping the place from sinking (if indeed it's at risk of that) and putting in the extra platforms (in the old train shed) rather than spending on modern architecture for a station that looks very nice as it is thank you.

On closer inspection, the old train shed roof remains but is that in full or only in part? Is the modern roof section (in the foreground of the first pic) replacing anything or is there nothing there right now? If there's no demolition involved for that new roof, it isn't too bad I suppose but that weird blunt-triangular-prisim structure inside the old train shed looks very out of place.

[ellendune]

On closer inspection, the old train shed roof remains but is that in full or only in part? Is the modern roof section (in the foreground of the first pic) replacing anything or is there nothing there right now? If there's no demolition involved for that new roof, it isn't too bad I suppose but that weird blunt-triangular-prisim structure inside the old train shed looks very out of place.

The new bit is to cover the bit where there is nothing now. 

"That weird blunt-triangular-prisim structure inside the old train shed"

I think it is supposed to be clear that it is not old and not to touch the listed historic structure.  Probably insisted on by Historic England. 

[Red Squirrel]

The new bit is to cover the bit where there is nothing now. 
 

To expand on this, eight bays (if I've counted correctly) of the roof of the Digby-Wyatt extension to Brunel's train shed were demolished in the 1970's to accommodate the current signal box. Personally I think it would be appropriate to restore these bays as they were, because the original roof complemented the main 'express curve' train shed; this image shows how it was.

gently settle into the swamp on which it stands...

I don't think there is any particular problem with subsidence; I was alluding to the fact that Temple Meads is in a pretty shocking state at the moment and that if current levels of investment continue then it will eventually fall down.

[Noggin]

At a guess those visualisations were done early on in the electrification project when it was planned that London trains would go into the old station (avoiding electrification of the curvy bit). Of course that required that resignalling would be complete so that the signal box could be removed and, ahem.

NR^» (Network Rail - home page) *are* currently doing quite a lot of work behind the scenes on the station, but you are right that there's certainly no sign of the comprehensive overhaul it requires if it's going to be fit for purpose for the next 100 years. A charitable explanation would be that NR are working on a plan behind the scenes with the University (who are redeveloping the old Royal Mail building) and Bristol City Council. I wouldn't hold my breath though. 

[grahame]

At a guess those visualisations were done early on in the electrification project when it was planned that London trains would go into the old station (avoiding electrification of the curvy bit). Of course that required that resignalling would be complete so that the signal box could be removed and, ahem.

Platforms at Bristol always seem a bit mysterious to me ... at times it feels there's plenty of capacity with "next train"s being hours away, the all of a sudden you get two at the same time:



What are the platform allocation plans for the future?  Will the station cope with four tracks worth of services flooding in from the north? Where will the London trains coming down Filton Bank terminate with a signal box in the way?  Brief call at Temple Meads followed by a reversal at the extra platform at Bedminster?

[Adelante_CCT]

Brief call at Temple Meads followed by a reversal at the extra platform at Bedminster?

That's a practice that will occur when the class 800s start
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/P05043/2017/11/13/advanced

[grahame]

Brief call at Temple Meads followed by a reversal at the extra platform at Bedminster?

That's a practice that will occur when the class 800s start
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/P05043/2017/11/13/advanced

Good grief ... many a true word spoken in jest!

[Red Squirrel]

A charitable explanation would be that NR^» (Network Rail - home page) are working on a plan behind the scenes with the University (who are redeveloping the old Royal Mail building) and Bristol City Council...

University of Bristol are being either vague or tight-lipped about access from their new campus into Temple Meads via the underpass. The initial round of consultation for the Cattle Market site suggested that such access was possible, but showed the buildings orientated in a way that pretty much ignored it...

[Bmblbzzz]

I don't like the "prism with rounded corners" much either. The roof's alright but I wonder about ventilation, especially now we're going to have diesel trains until the end of time, as it looks rather lower than the old roof.

[Chris from Nailsea]

A charitable explanation would be that NR^» (Network Rail - home page) are working on a plan behind the scenes with the University (who are redeveloping the old Royal Mail building) and Bristol City Council. I wouldn't hold my breath though. 

No.  Neither will I.   

[johnneyw]

The uni have released what they want to replace the old sorting office with.

https://www.bristol247.com/news-and-features/news/first-glimpse-bristol-universitys-new-300m-campus/

Admittedly this isn't strictly the redevelopment of Temple Meads Station itself but this old eyesore is so associated with Temple Meads that I thought to include it here.

[TonyK]

What are the platform allocation plans for the future?  Will the station cope with four tracks worth of services flooding in from the north? Where will the London trains coming down Filton Bank terminate with a signal box in the way? 

The plan is, although it has gone a bit quiet of late, to remove said signal box as soon as all of its functions have been transferred elsewhere, then extend the line from Platform 1 into the 1870 Digby Wyatt shed. This will obviously be done as part of the wider improvements as an underpass from the Friary entrance will be required. A new line into a further Platform 0 may also happen, and hopefully that lovely little wooden office perched high on the wall will see a man in a top hat looking down at the scene.

Brief call at Temple Meads followed by a reversal at the extra platform at Bedminster?

I used to spend hours watching the HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) reversing at Bedminster when I was based in an office overlooking the site. We had the Orient Express on Fridays too, to use the washer by Victoria Park.

[martyjon]

Well I suppose if the UOB development goes ahead Marvin can be handed a hammer, a nail and he can drive the nail into the coffin of the arenal, something he has wanted to do since the day he was elected.