Four track for Filton Bank - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[Bmblbzzz]

Tunnel? I can't think of any tunnel between BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) and FIT. 

[SandTEngineer]

I'm struggling to understand the constraints at either end of Filton Bank. Presumably the works at BEJ will give more routing options and flexibility, but what about the other end? I feel S&TE may have explained all this (possibly more than once) but I've just spent half an hour staring at the track diagrams and I'm not the wiser, and not much better informed...

Can anyone help?

Ask away RS.  I'll try to explain it if I can!  Don't forget that when (i.e. if) the new Henbury turnback terminal station ever gets built, that the current FAW terminator trains will probably terminate there instead.

[TonyK]

Tunnel? I can't think of any tunnel between BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) and FIT. 

I think stuving is referring to the platforms at FIT, and the line through Patchway.

[Red Squirrel]

I'm struggling to understand the constraints at either end of Filton Bank. Presumably the works at BEJ will give more routing options and flexibility, but what about the other end? I feel S&TE may have explained all this (possibly more than once) but I've just spent half an hour staring at the track diagrams and I'm not the wiser, and not much better informed...

Can anyone help?

Ask away RS.  I'll try to explain it if I can!  Don't forget that when (i.e. if) the new Henbury turnback terminal station ever gets built, that the current FAW terminator trains will probably terminate there instead.

Thanks, S&TE. Unfortunately I can only phrase this rather vaguely, but here are the problems as I understand them:

1. There's a lack of paths from the northbound (up?) reliefs from FIT to BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains) since the Dec 2019 timetable. Because of this, cross-city trains which used to terminate at BPW now terminate at FIT. According to our contact in GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway), this is entirely down to timetabling - but it seems to me that timetables reflect capacity, and the increased number of SWML^▸ (South Western Mail Line) IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train)  is clearly using a chunk of that.

2. From May 2020, it looks like some BTH^» (Bath Spa - next trains) - GCR^» (Gloucester - next trains) trains will make calls at LWH and SRD - which is an improvement (though not much for people at PSN and BMT who used to have direct trains).

Will Bristol East help?

I have heard a suggestion (from someone whose opinion I value) that the decision to only build platforms on the reliefs has made the scheme less flexible than it needs to be, and that more crossing points between Bristol East and Parkway would help in terms of recovery and flexibility.

Is there something awry (S&T^▸ (Signalling and Telegraph)/S&C^▸ (Settle and Carlisle )-wise) at the BPW end?

What's your view?

[Bmblbzzz]

There lots of work with ballast and, I think, tamping, happening on Filton Bank today around the Constable Road area. Vehicles and orange jackets with both NR^» (Network Rail - home page) and DB^» (Deutsche Bahn - German State Railway - about) logos.

[bradshaw]

Relaying two plain lines between Temple Meads and East Junction in preparation for later in the year.

Diagram here

https://twitter.com/networkrailwest/status/1254410150120574978?s=21

[Bmblbzzz]

Does that mean altering the positioning of those red tracks in a subtle way or simply replacing the physical track? It surely can't be worn out?

[bradshaw]

Brand new lines according to NR^» (Network Rail - home page) Western

https://twitter.com/networkrailwest/status/1254417449413476352?s=21

Further Tweets show the work being done

[johnneyw]

Thanks for that information, I saw a yellow works train with an excavator on it lingering for a while between the old Ashley Hill railway station and Narroways Junction in the early afternoon and wondered what it was for.

[TonyK]

But work around Constable Road and a digger north of Narroways Junction wouldn't be anything to do with the work bradshaw refers to, which is between BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) and LWH,

[bradshaw]

They were also doing some drainage work, not sure if that matches the place.

“Further up the line towards Bristol Parkway we're working on the Filton Bank - improving drainage at Horfield/Lockleaze & nr Filton Abbey Wood“

https://twitter.com/networkrailwest/status/1254417911424471040?s=21

[Bmblbzzz]

They were also doing some drainage work, not sure if that matches the place.

“Further up the line towards Bristol Parkway we're working on the Filton Bank - improving drainage at Horfield/Lockleaze & nr Filton Abbey Wood“

https://twitter.com/networkrailwest/status/1254417911424471040?s=21

That's what I saw. Same place, same view!

[johnneyw]

They were also doing some drainage work, not sure if that matches the place.

“Further up the line towards Bristol Parkway we're working on the Filton Bank - improving drainage at Horfield/Lockleaze & nr Filton Abbey Wood“

https://twitter.com/networkrailwest/status/1254417911424471040?s=21

That's what I saw. Same place, same view!

Yes, that will be what I got a glimpse of too. I makes me wonder if the current crisis has set back NRs^» (Network Rail - home page) present work schedule that much round here, not forgetting that they seem to have completed work on the Severn Tunnel too.

[Red Squirrel]

STUNNING STREET ART PAINTED UNDERNEATH RAILWAY VIADUCT



An area previously blighted by tagging has been transformed by a collection of Bristol artists.

The community art scheme underneath the Fox Road viaduct in Easton sees five stunning pieces of art replace the graffiti that was previously on the columns.

Severnside Community Rail Partnership and Network Rail commissioned artist groups and five Bristol artists to create the new artwork.

The artists whose work now features are arts collective Peace of Art, ‘Rob and Sophie Wheeler of Graft, Anna Higgie, Silent Hobo, Rob Wheeler, Dave Bain, and Zoe Power.

Network Rail’s community safety manager, Steve Melanophy, said: “It’s really great to see members of the local community coming together to produce some fantastic artwork to improve the look of the local area…

“We want Bristol’s railway infrastructure to be a clean and welcoming environment for our passengers and local residents living alongside the railway.

“We are hoping that this new artwork will inspire people and continue to do so for years to come.”

Each of these artists has a connection with Easton with their designs “reflective of the district’s vibrancy and diversity”.

Source: Bristol 24/7

[Bmblbzzz]

Haven't been down there since Lockdown 1. It might be time for a visit to Sweet Mart!