Four track for Filton Bank - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[Dispatch Box]

On one of four track nows pictures it shows on the right two really old tracks and a siding that looks disconnected, I assume they will be relaying that as well.

[SandTEngineer]

On one of four track nows pictures it shows on the right two really old tracks and a siding that looks disconnected, I assume they will be relaying that as well.

Doubt it.  Thats the connection to Barrow Road Sidings that hasn't been active for a number of years.  Its not part of the project to relay the connection (nor it seems, clear the vegetation that has engulfed the siding).

[Dispatch Box]

Love the pictures, what is that thing we can see the back of, is it a new style banner repeater?.

Yes. Its BL1812BR.

I hope they are leaving the banners for signal BL1580 as I loved seeing them off from a train, I assume signal BL1580 will be left as it is needed to route trains into filton by now having the pos 1 junction indicator for the turnout just beyond the station and the position 4 indicator for the route towards Bristol parkways platform 1. Sandt plans did not show signal positions on.

[johnneyw]

I know there have been photos a plenty in the last few days but seeing the works are rapidly coming to a conclusion I thought I'd get a couple of snaps of Filton as things are moving quite quickly now.
The new platform in the first picture is pretty much corbelled but the edging slabs are yet to go on and the platform surface is a work in progress too.
The re-profiled adjacent platform in the second photo does now have most of the edging slabs laid but again, work is needed on the platform surface.

I take it these are both looking south?

Yes, although I forgot to take one looking north which last week was the site of a great deal of spent ballast removal. Now there are new tracks with fresh ballast looking rather good.

[SandTEngineer]

Love the pictures, what is that thing we can see the back of, is it a new style banner repeater?.

Yes. Its BL1812BR.

I hope they are leaving the banners for signal BL1580 as I loved seeing them off from a train, I assume signal BL1580 will be left as it is needed to route trains into filton by now having the pos 1 junction indicator for the turnout just beyond the station and the position 4 indicator for the route towards Bristol parkways platform 1. Sandt plans did not show signal positions on.

Affraid not.  They are abolished.  BL1850 remains as before (but without its POSITION 4 JUNCTION INDICATOR), but is renewed due to the track slew.

[johnneyw]

The modern railway doesn't do 'looks'...

I dunno; I think Filton Bank looks bloody brilliant - with the exception of the access to P4 at Filton Abbey Wood station, which is an utter dog's breakfast

It's not going to win any architectural prizes for sure but I'll give it until it's finished to see how it comes together. The rest of the station is no St Pancras anyway.

[Red Squirrel]

It's not going to win any architectural prizes for sure but I'll give it until it's finished to see how it comes together. The rest of the station is no St Pancras anyway.

No indeed, but it can be functional without looking like a Minecraft world after the endermen have paid a visit...

[metalrail]

Love the pictures, what is that thing we can see the back of, is it a new style banner repeater?.

Yes. Its BL1812BR.

I hope they are leaving the banners for signal BL1580 as I loved seeing them off from a train, I assume signal BL1580 will be left as it is needed to route trains into filton by now having the pos 1 junction indicator for the turnout just beyond the station and the position 4 indicator for the route towards Bristol parkways platform 1. Sandt plans did not show signal positions on.

Affraid not.  They are abolished.  BL1850 remains as before (but without its POSITION 4 JUNCTION INDICATOR), but is renewed due to the track slew.

Yeah when I saw them last week I guessed they'd be coming out soon.  The left repeater was no longer needed as it was for Filton South junction which has now gone so there's no way / no need to transfer from the Up Main to Down Relief into FIT P3 like before

[metalrail]

Finding myself in Bristol overnight, unexpectedly good weather, and the battery in the camera that I had forgotten to take out of the car still with a spark left in it, I went to see for myself. I concur with Red Squirel - it looks just like a modern railway should, electrics excepted.

Cheers for those great pics FT,N!...  looks like you had a real good jaunt around Brizzle today taking in all those!

[TonyK]

On one of four track nows pictures it shows on the right two really old tracks and a siding that looks disconnected, I assume they will be relaying that as well.

That "siding" was the Midland Railway route out of Temple Meads. It still exists as far as the end of the recycling depot in Days Road, and was used to transfer household waste to landfill sites until that fell from favour. It was disconnected not many years ago, to the great sorrow of BNM and others, but was remarkably rejoined, and used for a while to store coal trucks destined for Portbury or Avonmouth. I am surprised to see that it hasn't been removed completely this time, and that it looks as though provision has been made to reconnect it if it is needed.
It actually appears on two of the pictures. If you on the right of the picture immediately underneath, you will see it almost obscured by vegetation, before it turns off behind Lidl.

[TonyK]

Cheers for those great pics FT,N!...  looks like you had a real good jaunt around Brizzle today taking in all those!

Thanks, metalrail, although it was more point-to-point than jaunt. Lovely day for it though, until I got home.

[JontyMort]

[/quote]

That "siding" was the Midland Railway route out of Temple Meads.

<snip>

It actually appears on two of the pictures. If you on the right of the picture immediately underneath, you will see it almost obscured by vegetation, before it turns off behind Lidl.
[/quote]

I hadn't realised there was a connection via the sidings.

But surely the actual Midland main line, having left the GW^▸ (Great Western) at Bristol East (on the north side), is the bridge crossing the GW on the skew north of Lawrence Hill. It then wandered off to the triangular junction at Mangotsfield, and the other end reappears just south of  Yate.

[DaveHarries]

Its actually about 300m North of MULLER ROAD bridge (wherever that might be).

If you looked it up on Google Maps (or something similar) an approximate postcode would be BS7 9NZ which takes you into a retail park: the bridge in question is next to the southern end of said retail park as are some allotments.

after looking at the picture from dave harries that signal BL1818 does look a bit too tall and weired, could,nt they have just replaced the head to 4 aspect and added a junction indicator to the old one, would of been much cheaper. lastly just noticed the ones in the picture of the gantry look like the elite type, much nicer.

Interesting point. The same applies to Signals BL1981 on the line from Bath Spa, just before Bristol East Junctio: BL1981 is, for whatever reason, taller than BL1983.

Love the pictures, what is that thing we can see the back of, is it a new style banner repeater?.

Yes. Its BL1812BR.

I hope they are leaving the banners for signal BL1580 as I loved seeing them off from a train, I assume signal BL1580 will be left as it is needed to route trains into filton by now having the pos 1 junction indicator for the turnout just beyond the station and the position 4 indicator for the route towards Bristol parkways platform 1. Sandt plans did not show signal positions on.

Affraid not.  They are abolished.  BL1850 remains as before (but without its POSITION 4 JUNCTION INDICATOR), but is renewed due to the track slew.

Pity to see the BRs^▸ (British Rail(ways)) for BL1580 go as I also used to look at them when passing. I guess they will be kept for spares.

On another point I am surprised that, when I last looked over the weekend just gone, nothing has been done with BL1815 which is the starting signal for trains from Lawrence Hill towards Doctor Days Junction. This signal has been supported by a metal pole for some time so I am surprised that no opportunity has been taken to replace it.

Dave

[TonyK]

But surely the actual Midland main line, having left the GW^▸ (Great Western) at Bristol East (on the north side), is the bridge crossing the GW on the skew north of Lawrence Hill. It then wandered off to the triangular junction at Mangotsfield, and the other end reappears just south of  Yate.

You know, I think you're right, and that siding went under Barrow Road to St Philips.

[JontyMort]

But surely the actual Midland main line, having left the GW^▸ (Great Western) at Bristol East (on the north side), is the bridge crossing the GW on the skew north of Lawrence Hill. It then wandered off to the triangular junction at Mangotsfield, and the other end reappears just south of  Yate.

You know, I think you're right, and that siding went under Barrow Road to St Philips.

The siding - approaching from the north - left the GW on the west side (as visible in your photos) and passed under the Midland. It then curved round to the west and rose up to join the Midland's line. As you say, it went to St Philips but you could get to Temple Meads as well.

I googled this last night and was surprised to see the Midland route lasted till 1969 - any justification for keeping it having really disappeared with the Somerset & Dorset earlier in the '60s.

The curves at Westerleigh were put in at - or very shortly after - the opening of the Badminton line. The GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) had running powers to Berkeley Road (the Severn Bridge line being GW/MR^▸ (Midland Railway) Joint, I think).

So the current "Midland" route from Brum to Bristol is a patchwork job (the Gloucester avoiding line also being GW).