Four track for Filton Bank - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[stuving]

I'm not aware of any new 4-lane highway at Parson St. The South Bristol Link (a road, funded by an alleged public transport scheme which I think may have been discussed elsewhere on this forum) passes under the 2-track main line at Colliter's Brook, a way to the south.

The said alleged public transport scheme have called this structure the "Parson Street Underbridge" in their plans. That's odd, in that it's an underbridge from the railway's standpoint, not their road's. But it's not named according to railway practice, in that Parson Street is innocent of all underbridging activity at this location. A. E. Yates Trenchless Solutions Ltd., the contractors who have begun building it inside the embankment - clever stuff though that may be - think it is called Parsons Street.

You'd expect it to be called the railway overbridge, wouldn't you? It is the only one on the route. It will presumably end up being called Brookgate, after the road called Brook Gate. It's also much more west of Parson Street station than south.

[Red Squirrel]

That's odd, in that it's an underbridge from the railway's standpoint

Maybe they are just reflecting the world-turned-upside-down mindset of people who build a ring-road and claim it's a public transport scheme.

It's also much more west of Parson Street station than south.

Isn't it, though!

In mitigation, my prejudice that the B&E^‡(resolve) runs south from Bristol over-rode the obvious fact that at that point it really is going kinda west (not to be confused with Kanye West, or even (and arguably more appositely) Knowle West)... if only those pesky Mendips hadn't got in the way.

[TonyK]

Having time on my hands, I remembered how the two disused platforms at Stapleton Road looked in September 2012:



and decided to go take a butcher's, to see if there was any sign of actual work. This is how they looked today:



If that is the new signalling, isn't it going to get in the way a bit?

This is, however, progress! That three span bridge beyond the fence has to be dismantled and rebuilt. Given the very urban nature of what is below it, I wondered if a temporary line would be laid to here, to allow for removal of the scrap by rail?

[stuving]

Had you noticed, F T, N!, that there is another of those kittens rampant in this post - and half the text refers to that picture, too.

[TonyK]

Had you noticed, F T, N!, that there is another of those kittens rampant in this post - and half the text refers to that picture, too.

Grrr! That one IS down to Photobucket. Hopefully fixed.

[stuving]

If that is the new signalling, isn't it going to get in the way a bit?

If you zoom right into Google Earth's captured view of this (dated 9/9/2014), then at the limit of its resolution there does appear to be such a box already at that position. (There's another in the bushes at the end of platform 2.) Quite why it would be there is not obvious, though it might have looked a suitable place to put a box at some time in the last 30 years - well out of the way, of course.
 

[TonyK]

Looking again, I am sure that is the old signalling route - it was covered by plants until recently. It should be redundant soon, if not already.

[Stroud Valleys]

travelled between parkway and temple meads for the first time in a couple of months, and what a difference. The vegetation has been cleared for most of the route, with old bits of station, platform, brickwork etc being exposed.

What are the plans for the new track now that space has been created for the track?

I've also noticed a large bridge get built between stapleton road and filton abbey road - is this an access road for vehicles to get to the railway?

[Red Squirrel]

I've also noticed a large bridge get built between stapleton road and filton abbey road - is this an access road for vehicles to get to the railway?

Hullo Stroud Valleys, and welcome!

I suspect the bridge you refer to is for the bus-only junction on the M32, which is part of the MetroBus scheme. This is not connected in any way with the improvements to Filton Bank.

[Bmblbzzz]

...except that both are considered to be part of the larger MetroWest scheme (I think), but that in itself is so vague as to be pretty meaningless. So the bridge is certainly not directly connected to the railway.

[TonyK]

I passed through Stapleton Road station the other day, and took a few pictures to show the preparatory work:

[Red Squirrel]

I've also noticed a large bridge get built between stapleton road and filton abbey road - is this an access road for vehicles to get to the railway?

Hullo Stroud Valleys, and welcome!

I suspect the bridge you refer to is for the bus-only junction on the M32, which is part of the MetroBus scheme. This is not connected in any way with the improvements to Filton Bank.

Goodness only knows what I was thinking when I posted that - you'd have to have astonishingly good eyesight, coupled with an uncanny ability to see over the horizon and round  corners, to see the new M32 junction from the railway. Could it be that you saw the works shewn in FT, N!'s pictures?

[JayMac]

There's a temporary scaffold bridge over the railway just to the south of the Easton Road overbridge. I say over the railway. It is actually only bridging the the part where there are no lines at present, but will be come four tracking. I think it might be there to give work access to the outside face of the parapet wall.

There are a couple of new vehicle access points between Filton Abbey Wood and Lawrence Hill. Can't say I've noticed what could be described as a new vehicular bridge though. But I've not really been staring out the window going up Filton Bank. My usual choice of service is the 0841 BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains)-BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains) and, as I join it from the 0832 arrival from Avonmouth (which is consistently 3+ minutes late), I never get a window seat. Usually dark whenever I coming down Filton Bank.

[TonyK]

My guess is that the area behind the white plastic markers will be used for vehicle and plant access during the replacement of the bridge (the last photo). It will then have tracks laid on it.

[Bmblbzzz]

I passed through Stapleton Road station the other day, and took a few pictures to show the preparatory work:

Is this bridge to be retained, do you know, or does it require replacement?