Severn Beach line - brief description and recent pictures

On Sunday, I had the opportunity to visit the Severn Beach line - update my photos and get out and have a look around at a couple of stations I had only passed through before.

These days, the "Severn Beach Line" is flourishing. Trains every 40 minutes (weekdays) and every hour (Sundays) are well used. Of course, not all parts of the week our busy and we left Temple Meads on Sunday with quite a light load, but substantial numbers of passengers got on at Lawrence Hill and Stapleton Road, and as we turned off the 4 track main line headed north at Narroways Junction onto the single track branch, the train was comfortably "very busy". Passengers off and on - in good and balanced numbers - at both Montpelier and Redland, then into the passing loop at Clifton Down where we passed the Bristol-bound train.

The majority of people left the train at Clifton Down and only a very few got on ... and we were on our way again through the tunnel under the down, bursting out alongside the River Avon just downstream of the gorge. At this time of year - before the leaves have grown on the trees - there are some spectacular views; hard to photograph though. And so on to Sea Mills - one of the lesser used stations, Shirehampton, and Avonmouth.

There is a further loop at Avonmouth, and during the week two out of three trains turn back there, with just a service every 2 hours onward. On a Sunday, all services run on to St Andrew's Road, and "The Beach". St Andrew's road is set in amongst the industry; Severn Beach is now a commuter toen for Bristol, although the industry of Severnside is very close by indeed, and it's a growing business area.

Although it's known as "The Severn Beach Line", most passengers don't get even half way to Severn Beach Station, with the inner section full to bursting much of the time; plans are to step the service up to every 30 minutes. Ticket checking / revenue collection becomes an issue - even on a Sunday, the conductor didn't get to the middle carriage until we were nearly at Clifton Down, and I suspect a number of free journeys were enjoyed by people on the train for short inner station hops - with the exception of Temple Meads, all stations are "open".