Rail services in the West of England

Rail services in the West of England refer to passenger rail journeys made in the Bristol commuter area. 26 million passenger rail journeys were made in 2018-19 within the Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Bristol/Bath region.[1]

"Bristol Metro" redirects here. For the pressure group, see MetroWest (Bristol). For the proposed rapid transit system, see Light rail in Bristol.

Services in the West of England

CrossCountry (XC)
  • Bristol Temple Meads - Manchester Piccadilly (Extensions to Paignton)
  • Plymouth - Edinburgh Waverley (Extensions to Glasgow and Aberdeen)

Great Western Railway (GWR)
  • South West/Bristol Temple Meads - London Paddington (via Bath Spa)
  • Swansea/Cardiff - London Paddington (via Bristol Parkway)
  • Bristol Parkway - Weston-super-Mare
  • Great Malvern/Gloucester - Westbury/Weymouth
  • Cardiff Central - Portsmouth Harbour
  • Cardiff Central - Taunton
  • Bristol Temple Meads - Avonmouth/Severn Beach

South Western Railway (SWR)
  • Bristol Temple Meads - Salisbury/London Waterloo

Main destinations

There is usually a direct weekday service from Bristol Parkway & Bristol Temple Meads to these destinations:

Destination Time from
Bristol
Temple Meads		 Time from
Bristol
Parkway		 Operator(s)
Avonmouth 23 – 35 minutes N/A GWR
Bath Spa 11 – 19 minutes 28 – 47 minutes GWR / SWR
Bristol Parkway 8 – 21 minutes N/A CrossCountry / GWR
Bristol Temple Meads N/A 9 – 20 minutes CrossCountry / GWR
Birmingham New Street 83 - 122 minutes 71 - 93 minutes CrossCountry
Cardiff Central 47 – 63 minutes 35 – 66 minutes CrossCountry / GWR
Cheltenham Spa 38 - 68 minutes 29 – 57 minutes CrossCountry / GWR
Edinburgh Waverley 393 – 399 minutes CrossCountry
Exeter St Davids 56 – 112 minutes 69–109 minutes CrossCountry / GWR
Glasgow Central 461 – 471 minutes 456–464 minutes CrossCountry
Gloucester 38 – 57 minutes 26–44 minutes CrossCountry / GWR
Leeds 210 – 217 minutes 202–215 minutes CrossCountry
London Paddington 97 – 152 minutes 83–106 minutes GWR
London Waterloo 177 – 180 minutes N/A SWR
Manchester Piccadilly 179 – 180 minutes 168–169 minutes CrossCountry
Newcastle 299 – 303 minutes CrossCountry
Newport 30 – 47 minutes 21–23 minutes GWR
Paignton 97 – 145 minutes 118 minutes CrossCountry / GWR
Penzance 236 – 292 minutes CrossCountry / GWR
Plymouth 114 – 167 minutes CrossCountry / GWR
Portsmouth Harbour 146 – 164 minutes N/A GWR
Reading 68 – 123 minutes 59 minutes GWR
Salisbury 68 – 86 minutes GWR / SWR
Severn Beach 33 - 38 minutes N/A GWR
Sheffield 167 - 172 minutes 159 minutes CrossCountry
Southampton Central 99 – 116 minutes GWR
Swindon 35 – 50 minutes 28 minutes GWR
Taunton 30 – 75 minutes 42–49 minutes CrossCountry / GWR
Westbury 37 – 50 minutes 68–75 minutes GWR / SWR
Weston-super-Mare 17 - 39 minutes 47 minutes CrossCountry / GWR
Weymouth 141 – 148 minutes 167–170 minutes GWR
Worcester Shrub Hill 90 – 102 minutes 82–84 minutes GWR
York 240 – 243 minutes CrossCountry

Stations

Current stations
Station Line(s) Platforms Usage 08/09 [2] Usage 09/10 [3] Usage 10/11 [4] Usage 11/12 [5] Usage 12/13 [6] Usage 13/14 [7] Usage 14/15 [8] Usage 15/16 [9] Usage 16/17 [10] Usage 17/18 [11] Image
Avonmouth Severn Beach 2 61,948 68,448 83,674 88,642 97,880 111,440 119,924 129,860
Bedminster Bristol to Exeter 3 58,690 69,898 70,006 76,420 80,262 83,242 87,542 92,868
Bristol Parkway Cross Country
South Wales		 4 2,084,200 2,041,548 2,114,876 2,262,000 2,255,298 2,215,810 2,340,506 2,511,016
Bristol Temple Meads Bristol to Exeter
Cross Country
Great Western
Heart of Wessex
Severn Beach
Wessex		 13 7,829,628 7,875,686 8,409,340 8,884,626 9,099,368 9,522,840 10,099,526 10,711,464
Clifton Down Severn Beach 2 281,876 361,828 433,088 470,980 522,010 573,770 619,766 672,386
Filton Abbey Wood Cross Country 4 536,958 598,032 679,270 771,344 852,250 988,734 1,007,780 1,021,550
Keynsham Great Western
Heart of Wessex
Wessex		 2 249,842 278,850 306,276 329,274 358,186 412,602 424,032
Lawrence Hill Cross Country
Severn Beach		 2 67,338 74,876 93,600 102,964 124,878 136,316 150,774 157,912
Montpelier Severn Beach Line 1 84,834 96,114 122,212 126,316 121,294 130,560 122,146
Nailsea & Backwell Bristol to Exeter 2 450,510 476,618
Parson Street Bristol to Exeter 2 46,670 57,374 68,840 77,720 87,932 102,654 114,458 126,636
Patchway South Wales Main Line 2 45,280 49,812 59,474 67,422 82,198 90,404 92,540 98,296
Pilning South Wales Main Line 1 130 166 178 146 130 88 68 46
Redland Severn Beach Line 1 86,234 86,426 92,966 96,904 94,984 93,176 105,610 99,732
Sea Mills Severn Beach Line 1 36,358 41,680 49,082 51,998 58,310 58,106 64,512 61,696
Severn Beach Severn Beach Line 1 74,712 88,504 141,712 167,078 195,824 225,658 260,784
Shirehampton Severn Beach Line 1 34,292 35,758 42,566 43,480 50,564 51,542 52,480 56,756
St Andrews Road Severn Beach Line 1 3,582 3,942 4,328 6,072 9,910 13,376 11,184 7,374
Stapleton Road Cross Country Route
Severn Beach Line		 2 103,576 111,532 129,344 140,390 157,294 178,114 179,872
Yate Cross Country Route 2 294,934 307,148 328,832 354,004 368,910

Heritage stations

This is a list of stations currently open on heritages line.

Station Line Platforms Year Closed Year Reopened Image
Avon Riverside Avon Valley Railway 1 N/A 2004
Bitton Avon Valley Railway 2 1966 1972
Oldland Common Avon Valley Railway 1 1966 1991

Proposed stations

This is a list of proposed railway stations in the West of England. (This list includes some former stations)

Station Line Platforms Year Closed Current Status Image
Ashley Hill Cross Country Route 2 1964 Proposed to reopen
Ashton Gate Portishead Railway 1 1964/1984 Proposed to reopen
Charfield Cross Country 2 1965 Proposed to reopen
Chittening Platform Henbury Loop 1 1964 Proposed to reopen
Long Ashton Bristol to Exeter 2 1941 Proposed to reopen
Henbury Henbury Loop 2 1965 Proposed to reopen
Horfield Cross Country Route 2 1964 Proposed to reopen
Pill Portishead Railway 2 1964 Proposed to reopen
Portishead Portishead Railway 2 1964 Proposed to reopen
Portway Parkway Severn Beach Line 1 N/A Opening 2020
Saltford Great Western Main Line 2 1970 Proposed to reopen
St Anne's Park Great Western Main Line 2 1970 Proposed to reopen

Former stations

This is a list of former stations in the West of England area.

Station Line Platforms Year Closed Image
Avonmouth (BPRP) Severn Beach Line
Avonmouth Docks Severn Beach Line
Avonmouth (Royal Edward) Severn Beach Line
Brislington Bristol and North Somerset Railway 1 1963
Charlton Halt Henbury Loop 2 1915
Clifton Bridge Portishead Branch 2 1965
Coalpit Heath South Wales Main Line
Cross Country Route		 2 1961
Cross Hands Halt Severn Beach Line 1 1964
Filton Cross Country Route 1903
Filton Junction Cross Country Route 1996
Fishponds Bristol and Gloucester Railway 2 1966
Hallen Henbury Loop 2 1918
Ham Green Portishead Branch 1 1964
Horfield Cross Country Route 2 1964
Hotwells Bristol Port Railway and Pier 2 1921
Hotwells Halt Bristol Port Railway and Pier 1 1922
Kelston Mangotsfield Branch Line 2 1949
Mangotsfield Mangotsfield and Bath Branch Line
Bristol and Gloucester Railway		 6 1966
New Passage Halt Severn Beach Line 1 1964
New Passage Pier Severn Beach Line 1886
Nightingale Valley Halt Portishead Railway 1 1932
North Filton Henbury Loop 1 1986
Portbury Portishead Branch 1 1962
St Philip's Bristol and Gloucester Railway 1 1967
Staple Hill Bristol and Gloucester Railway 2 1966
Thornbury Thornbury Branch 1 1944
Warmley Mangotsfield and Bath Branch Line 2 1966
Wickwar Cross Country 2 1965
Winterbourne Cross Country
South Wales		 2 1963
Whitchurch Halt Bristol and North Somerset Railway 1 1959

Railway lines

There are six railway lines running through Bristol.

Bristol to Exeter line

The Bristol to Exeter line runs between Bristol and Exeter via the Nailsea, Weston-super-Mare, Bridgwater and Taunton. It is served by local First Great Western services, and used by Cross-Country and Intercity trains headed towards Plymouth.

Cross-Country Route

The North-East/South-West route (sometimes simply The Cross-Country Route) is the major British rail route running from South West England or Cardiff via Bristol, Birmingham, Derby and Sheffield to North-East England and Scotland. It includes some of the longest inter-city rail journeys in the UK, e.g. Penzance to Aberdeen) It remains a major freight route, although now largely usurped by the M5, M6 and M1 motorways.

The route shares parts of the Great Western Main Line, Midland Main Line, Sheffield to Hull Line, the East Coast Main Line and the core Cardiff-Bristol-Birmingham-Derby route.

In November 2018 tracks were doubled from Bristol Temple Meads through Lawrence Hill to Filton Abbey Wood stations to increase capacity, back to the original four tracks.[12]

Great Western Main Line

The Great Western Main Line is a main line railway in England that runs westwards from London Paddington station to Temple Meads station in Bristol.

Severn Beach Line

The route runs from Bristol Temple Meads to Severn Beach via Lawrence Hill, Stapleton Road, Montpelier, Redland, Clifton Down, Sea Mills, Shirehampton, Avonmouth, St Andrews Road before reaching terminus at Severn Beach. The journey takes approximately 45 minutes.

Following a successful campaign by FOSBR (Friends of Suburban Bristol Railway), the Severn Beach Line is going to have an increased frequency from December 2007 to March 2010.[13] It is hoped this will pave the way for better services across the conurbation. An additional train will operate on the line meaning services should be at the least every 40 mins.

South Wales Main Line
Main article: South Wales Main Line

The South Wales Main Line is a branch of the Great Western Main Line. It diverges from the main line at Wootton Bassett near Swindon, first calling at Bristol Parkway, after which the line continues through the Severn Tunnel into South Wales.

Wessex Main Line
Main article: Wessex Main Line

The Wessex Main Line is the railway line from Bristol Temple Meads to Southampton. Diverging from this route is the Heart of Wessex Line from Westbury to Weymouth.

Proposed light rail or rapid transit
Main article: Light rail in Bristol

In November 2016, the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership began a consultation process on their Transport Vision Summary Document, outlining potential light rail/tram routes from the city centre to Bristol Airport, the eastern and north west fringes of the city, and a route along the A4 road to Bath.[14] By 2017, this proposal had changed to a mass transit network with potential for underground sections, linking the city centre with the northern and eastern fringes of the city and the airport.

Train operators

Current train operators
Operator Years Image Major services
CrossCountry 2007–2019
  • Bristol to Manchester Piccadilly
  • Plymouth and the south west to Newcastle and Scotland
Great Western Railway (GWR) 1996–2020
South Western Railway (SWR) 2017-2024

Former train operators
Operator Years Image Services
Post-nationalisation
British Rail 1948–1986 All services
Post-sectorisation
InterCity 1986–1996
Regional Railways 1986–1996 All non-InterCity services
Post-privatisation
South West Trains 2004–2017
Virgin CrossCountry 1997–2007
  • Bristol to Manchester Piccadilly
  • Plymouth and the south west to Newcastle and Scotland
Wales & Borders 2001–2003
Wales & West 1997–2001
Wessex Trains 2001–2006 All local and non-express inter-city services.

There have also been a number of other companies pre-nationalisation, including:

MetroWest
Main article: MetroWest (Bristol)

MetroWest is a current initiative in the West of England area to improve local rail services by reopening disused rail lines and stations and improving existing services. Phase One includes reopening the Portishead railway line to passenger traffic and improving services to the Severn Beach Line and Bath Spa. Phase Two will see the Henbury railway line reopen, along with half-hourly services between Weston-super-Mare and Yate. The phases are due to open in 2019[15] and 2021[16] respectively.

The West of England Local Enterprise Partnership also produced a Key Principles Report in November 2015 discussing future potential transport projects for the West of England region, including new rail transit based options referred to as MetroWest++. The options outlined include reopening the Thornbury Branch Line, a Yate to Bath route, the use of tram train technology, a link to the city centre and a connection to Bristol Airport.[17]

See also

References
  1. "Regional Rail Journeys | South West Table". orr.gov.uk. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  2. http://orr.gov.uk/statistics/published-stats/station-usage-estimates
  3. http://orr.gov.uk/statistics/published-stats/station-usage-estimates
  4. http://orr.gov.uk/statistics/published-stats/station-usage-estimates
  5. http://orr.gov.uk/statistics/published-stats/station-usage-estimates
  6. http://orr.gov.uk/statistics/published-stats/station-usage-estimates
  7. http://orr.gov.uk/statistics/published-stats/station-usage-estimates
  8. http://orr.gov.uk/statistics/published-stats/station-usage-estimates
  9. http://orr.gov.uk/statistics/published-stats/station-usage-estimates
  10. http://orr.gov.uk/statistics/published-stats/station-usage-estimates
  11. http://orr.gov.uk/statistics/published-stats/station-usage-estimates
  12. "Bristol railway line shut until mid-November for upgrade". BBC News. 27 October 2018. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  13. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 10 February 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2007.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Friends of Suburban Bristol Railway
  14. "West of England Joint Transport Study - Transport Vision Summary Document" (PDF). Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  15. "MetroWest: Phase 1".
  16. "MetroWest: Phase 2".
  17. "Issues and Options for Consultation. Key Principles Report" (PDF). West of England Joint Transport Study. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
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