Brabazon, Bristol

[whole diary]

[Red Squirrel]

YTL Developments (YTL) have released this video which gives some idea of the size of the development proposed for the old Filton Airfield. There is much more to it than just an Arena!



An hourly train service on the Henbury line doesn't quite seem adequate for what is, in essence, a new town. However if you wind forward to 1.05, you will see that the trains are apparently going to be truly enormous!


Edit: VickiS - Clarifying Abbreviation

[Lee]

From the Official Brabazon Website Connections page:

GETTING FROM A-B IS EASY

Train or bus. Two feet or two wheels. Conveniently connected to the life and creativity of the city and to the warmth and comfort of your new community. Brabazon is Bristol’s best-connected new neighbourhood. You could walk or run to work anywhere within North Bristol’s technology cluster. You could cycle to the city centre. Or jump on the train to Temple Meads and be there within 15minutes. Take the new MetroBus route to reach both of Bristol’s leading universities, or to pop to the shops on Park Street. Heading to London? Paddington is just over an hour from Bristol Parkway. You couldn’t be better connected at The Hangar District.

TRAIN

Brabazon's brand new train station* will connect to Bristol Temple Meads in under 15mins.

Bristol Temple Meads to Bath Spa in under 15mins.

Bristol Parkway to Cardiff Central in under 35mins.

Bristol Parkway to London Paddington in under 75mins.

*Metrobus and train station arriving at Brabazon for 2023

[CyclingSid]

Just hope it is more successful than the Brabazon aircraft

[Red Squirrel]

Just hope it is more successful than the Brabazon aircraft

Yes! Has no-one told them that for many people 'Brabazon' is synonymous with 'white elephant'? Maybe this development will be so successful that it will supplant that idea...

[stuving]

Just hope it is more successful than the Brabazon aircraft

Yes! Has no-one told them that for many people 'Brabazon' is synonymous with 'white elephant'? Maybe this development will be so successful that it will supplant that idea...

What struck me was that no-one pictured is over 40 (is that a limitation of Computer-generated imagery (CGI^▸ (Computer-generated imagery))?). That may be a strong selling point, or realistic (and those may reinforce each other). But it probably means that few will have heard of the Brabazon in its heavier than heavier than air sense, or of the eponymous lord come to that.

Edit: VickiS - Clarifying Acronym

[Bmblbzzz]

Well it does say "Join the next generation in shaping the future".

[Lee]

Well it does say "Join the next generation in shaping the future".

All I will say is that the next generation must be a very optimistic one, given the opening dates that the website expects for Metrobus and Brabazon railway station...

[Red Squirrel]

Bristol Arena developer releases train station plans for Brabazon

YTL Developments is working with Network Rail on a detailed planning application which is expected to be submitted in August



The developer behind Bristol Arena has released computer-generated images of the train station it is planning to build as part of its huge scheme.

Malaysia-based YTL, which is constructing a vast neighbourhood on the former Filton Airfield to the north of the city, is proposing a new station at the site. The company is working with Network Rail on the plans.

The station at Brabazon – currently known as Filton North – will connect the new development and the arena to Bristol Temple Meads in less than 15 minutes once it is completed as part of MetroWest Phase 2, YTL has said.

There will also be a dedicated MetroBus route to the neighbourhood.

Network Rail will be submitting a detailed planning application for the station this month. YTL said it expected to begin construction in 2022, with the station then scheduled to be operational in 2023, if planning is approved.

The Bristol Arena is then scheduled to open its doors for the first time in 2024.

...continues, with more CGI^▸ (Computer-generated imagery) images

Source: Business Live

[TonyK]

I looked at those other CGI^▸ (Computer-generated imagery) pictures, in particular this one:



That seems to put the station at the level crossing between the Airbus plant and what was Apron F on the southern side of the runway. I have only a still from a video taken by my son (I was busy at the time) to show it as it was, on the left, midway down the picture:



but I am pretty sure that is nowhere near the site earmarked by Bristol City Council for the station, which was a lot closer to Passage Road. Nor is it the original Filton North, still there in a cutting. Have plans changed at WACO or whatever the new Metro Mayor calls it? Will there still be a station near Henbury, or is this it? To be honest, the position makes sense from the point of view of being on level ground, and I suppose YTL are in a position to do what they want and expect the various councils to kow-tow.

[broadgage]

And what is missing from the artists impression ?

1) OHLE.
2) Multiple cycles, not perhaps on the platform, but a small crowd of happy cyclists in the background is almost obligatory.
3) EV charging points.
4) Ticket gates.
5) A long enough train to handle the expected numbers.

I think that there might be a wheelchair user on the far platform, if so that ticks one box.

[johnneyw]

Will there still be a station near Henbury, or is this it?

I'm pretty sure Henbury station is still going ahead, not on the original Station Road site but a little further east just of Wyck Beck Road, still some distance from the Brabazon Area and the new 'Filton Keynes' district.

[Bmblbzzz]

I looked at those other CGI^▸ (Computer-generated imagery) pictures, in particular this one:

Whoever did the graphics seems to have forgotten to make the corridor between the lift shafts three dimensional.

[stuving]

Whoever did the graphics seems to have forgotten to make the corridor between the lift shafts three dimensional.

I think it is 3D, if minimally - look at the left end, where the vertical square section casts a shadow. But the whole bridge is almost devoid of texture (as a lot of CGI^▸ (Computer-generated imagery) is), so it is only those shadows that suggest the angles in 3D and so depth.

They could have added one of those square sections along the top of the parapets, and made it project on the inside too to give more shadow, or even make the vertical ones do the same. That would help visually.

Of course it needs that top rail to the parapets structurally anyway; if built as drawn it would have buckled and collapsed immediately.

[Red Squirrel]

In case there was any lingering doubt, the plan is for two stations - North Filton (Brabazon) and Henbury:

North Filton and Henbury train stations

New train stations are proposed as part of MetroWest Phase 2 to serve Henbury and North Filton.

These new train stations will form part of the Henbury spur and a new hourly train service will run between Bristol Temple Meads and Henbury, calling at Ashley Down and North Filton.

The two new stations will provide access to train services for existing residents as well as linking in with major new developments taking place at Filton Airfield.

The next stage for these two stations is a planning application to receive consent from South Gloucestershire Council to build the scheme. Each station will have a separate planning application.

As Henbury station is being built within a flood zone, more time is needed to make sure our designs are suitable. As a result, North Filton planning application will be submitted first.

...continues, wth maps and images

Source: Travelwest

[TonyK]

In case there was any lingering doubt, the plan is for two stations - North Filton (Brabazon) and Henbury:

North Filton and Henbury train stations

New train stations are proposed as part of MetroWest Phase 2 to serve Henbury and North Filton.

These new train stations will form part of the Henbury spur and a new hourly train service will run between Bristol Temple Meads and Henbury, calling at Ashley Down and North Filton.

The two new stations will provide access to train services for existing residents as well as linking in with major new developments taking place at Filton Airfield.

The next stage for these two stations is a planning application to receive consent from South Gloucestershire Council to build the scheme. Each station will have a separate planning application.

As Henbury station is being built within a flood zone, more time is needed to make sure our designs are suitable. As a result, North Filton planning application will be submitted first.

...continues, wth maps and images

Source: Travelwest

I looked at the map with its interactive buttons for the two stations. What popped up for the Brabazon didn't fill me with renewed confidence in Travelwest. I know the area is just within Almondsbury civil parish, but it isn't the name I would have chosen.

And what is missing from the artists impression ?

I'm sure there is a small buffet on the train, so it isn't all bad.