Four track for Filton Bank - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[Red Squirrel]

...GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)'s Temple Mills goods station 

...or TEMPLE MEAD as railway folk call it

[Bristolian]

If you look here there is an excellent section on the area we are discussing and the topic as well!

http://www.cornwallrailwaysociety.org.uk/bristol-tm-to-severn-beach.html

Thanks for the pictures there, it showed signal no BL1815 With its pos 1 2 3 indicators on and another on the filton down when it was previously there,One thing why was the filton lines removed, only to cost NR^» (Network Rail - home page) loads of money to put back, there is so much waste in this country.Not to mention the contents of a bin bag in my kitchen full of unnessary
 packaging.

The Up and Down Filton Mains were supposedly closed due to the weak condition of the former bridge over Stapleton Road, which for several years, had a permanent speed restriction over it.

[Dispatch Box]

BL1815 only has Position 1, 2 and 3 JUNCTION INDICATORS.  There has never been a main route from there to the UP FILTON RELIEF towards BRISTOL EAST JUNCTION, only a subsidiary one preceeded by shunt signal BL6625 leading to BARROW ROAD DEPOT.

Not at all supprised by the condition of signals at Gloucester.  NR^» (Network Rail - home page) has no money for maintenance renewals these days (although might get a little bit in CP6^▸ (Control Period 6 - The five year period between 2019 and 2024)).

I have just been told that under CP6 That Network Rail are planning to resignal Gloucester and Cheltenham within the next 18 months, The plan he said was to put the ine from Charfield to Churchdown onto TVSC^» (Thames Valley Signalling Centre - about) And the line on towards Birmingham on to WMSC.

Does anybody know if signal BL1511 At Bristol Parkway being replaced.


Lastly the open train times map is now now out of date for the filton lines. Some signals seem to be showing OFF, when they shouldnt be.

BL1511 signal isn't being renewed but will be fitted with a flashing double yellow aspect once the Filton project is completed in the new year 2019.

There are some big NR boundary changes going to take place in the Gloucester/Cheltenham area in 2019.  I've not heard of any resignalling plans for that area yet and I would think that "in the next 18 months" probably means the start of design work only....

Isuppose the flashing double yellow on signal BL1511 is because of the signal BL1573 Which I assume will flash a single yellow on approach to the new crossovers.

[Red Squirrel]

The Up and Down Filton Mains were supposedly closed due to the weak condition of the former bridge over Stapleton Road, which for several years, had a permanent speed restriction over it.

To add to that: The River Froom/Frome used to run under the northern span of the old Stapleton Road viaduct, but was diverted when the M32 was built. I'm told that as the land dried out as a consequence of this, it did for the viaduct's foundations. Obviously they could have been fixed at the time, but this was the early 80's - no-one was planning for expansion; the future of the Severn Beach line was in doubt, and two tracks would just have to do.

[SandTEngineer]

No, its for BL1533 at Patchway Junction.  The UP TUNNEL line from the Severn Tunnel to there is going to have reversible signalling installed. For routes through the new Horfield Junction the aspect sequence will be unrestricted (due to the junction turnout speed being the same as the line speed), and BL1511 signal will show a green aspect in that case.

[Dispatch Box]

The Up and Down Filton Mains were supposedly closed due to the weak condition of the former bridge over Stapleton Road, which for several years, had a permanent speed restriction over it.

To add to that: The River Froom/Frome used to run under the northern span of the old Stapleton Road viaduct, but was diverted when the M32 was built. I'm told that as the land dried out as a consequence of this, it did for the viaduct's foundations. Obviously they could have been fixed at the time, but this was the early 80's - no-one was planning for expansion; the future of the Severn Beach line was in doubt, and two tracks would just have to do.

Thanks for that, see it, say it, sorted.


Severn Beach is still there and in use.

One last thing for now as I have to go to Sainsburys, Are dispatch boxes now to be fitted on Bristol parkway and filton AW stations. This would be so staff would have the close door and right away function for trains.

[stuving]

...GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)'s Temple Mills goods station 

...or TEMPLE MEAD as railway folk call it

I should know by now not to post something quickly just before dashing out to have lunch ...

[SandTEngineer]

I've just had a look at the signalling records and Lawrence Hill Junction (as it was known - the Midland/LMS^▸ (London Midland Scottish - 1923 to 1948) Connection) was taken out of use in July 1968.

[SandTEngineer]

...GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)'s Temple Mills goods station 

...or TEMPLE MEAD as railway folk call it

I should know by now not to post something quickly just before dashing out to have lunch ...

Don't worry.  He has been having a go at me as well.  We will have our revenge

[stuving]

I've just had a look at the signalling records and Lawrence Hill Junction (as it was known - the Midland/LMS^▸ (London Midland Scottish - 1923 to 1948) Connection) was taken out of use in July 1968.

For the avoidance of doubt, "Lawrence Hill Junction" was where the MR^▸ (Midland Railway)/LMS lines from St Philip's and Temple Meads joined, before going under Lawrence Hill (the road), not the junction called "Lawrence Hill Ground Frame" until recently (unless it still exists), which previously connected the sidings at Lawrence Hill Goods Yard to the line on Filton Bank north of Lawrence Hill Station - yes?

Now, what prevented two railways having junctions or signal boxes with identical names? With so much running over each others metals it would be so confusing that common suggests it oughtn't to be allowed, but railway sense may have said something else.

[CMRail]

Gloucester Area resignaling was originally scheduled for 2021, with susposed reverse time improvements buy up to 2 minutes.

[SandTEngineer]

I've just had a look at the signalling records and Lawrence Hill Junction (as it was known - the Midland/LMS^▸ (London Midland Scottish - 1923 to 1948) Connection) was taken out of use in July 1968.

For the avoidance of doubt, "Lawrence Hill Junction" was where the MR^▸ (Midland Railway)/LMS lines from St Philip's and Temple Meads joined, before going under Lawrence Hill (the road), not the junction called "Lawrence Hill Ground Frame" until recently (unless it still exists), which previously connected the sidings at Lawrence Hill Goods Yard to the line on Filton Bank north of Lawrence Hill Station - yes?

Now, what prevented two railways having junctions or signal boxes with identical names? With so much running over each others metals it would be so confusing that common suggests it oughtn't to be allowed, but railway sense may have said something else.

Correct on the first two points (pun intended).  The Ground Frame and siding is still there and we discussed it further up thread.

On the third point, nothing prevented the duplication of a name on another railway even if jointly utilised.

[SandTEngineer]

Gloucester Area resignaling was originally scheduled for 2021, with susposed reverse time improvements buy up to 2 minutes.

Was that the CP5^▸ (Control Period 5 - the five year period between 2014 and 2019) plan or CP6^▸ (Control Period 6 - The five year period between 2019 and 2024) plan?

[metalrail]

Just for Grahames benefit.  This is what it all used to look like.  As well as the bits you can see there were also scissor crossings in the main platforms in the train shed that allowed two trains to access/egress to each part at any one time.

You can also just make out the Midland (LMS^▸ (London Midland Scottish - 1923 to 1948)) line heading away top right behind the gas holders.  Look at the size of the goods shed as well.  Anybody remember that?

And just to make sure we stay on topic the Filton lines head away north at the extreme right top.

Great seeing the line to the harbour railway on here too, running down to the left of the original passenger shed, and then down to the bottom left across the road and onwards towards Redcliffe tunnel

[Red Squirrel]

Great seeing the line to the harbour railway on here too, running down to the left of the original passenger shed, and then down to the bottom left across the road and onwards towards Redcliffe tunnel

Other things of interest: The old tram terminus shed, at the foot of the incline; the tramlines which served this are still in situ; also notice the gateway structure to the left of the Old Station facade, which this had a mate to the right of the facade which was demolished for the tram terminal. Finally, the tower over the entry at the top of the incline has its steeple - unusually, this actually was destroyed by the Luftwaffe and not the town planners... I live in hope that this will be restored when Temple Meads finally gets its long-overdue makeover.

A tram terminal at Temple Meads? What nonsense I hear you say; what kind of lunatic would think it a good idea to integrate a tram system with the main railway system? Thankfully it was seen for that madness that it was, and swept away by 1941.