Great Western Coffee Shop

Well they've got 2 days left, or do you suppose it will be a 'rabbit to be pulled out of the hat' at Transport Questions on 7 Nov ?

I don't think it will necessarily rate its own announcement as I've pointed out before.  When considered nationally it is just one of many, many schemes being decided on in NR/ORRs ongoing discussions regarding the CP5 settlement. 

Those discussions reach a certain stage on October 31st, 'ORR's final determination', but that's all it is, a stage in the overall process which AFAICT won't be finally decided until March next year...

Paul

As you would expect, I have been watching for news myself. There was a mention on BBC West news tonight, with a report and a bit of footage, but it was vague. DafT has been remarhably quiet over the past couple of days, with zero RSS feeds today. There's usually someone with a fondness for the sound of their own voice re-releasing some old news.

Speaking of which, Margaret Hodge has been ripping into DafT's capability so far as HS2 is concerned, and has expressed shock at how few top experts are on the payroll. Whilst she has stopped short of suggesting that DafT tries to tempt some of the many it made redundant out of early retirement, it could explain the silence, as what few civil servants are left check and double-check every sum.

I shall check my RSS inbox before leaving for work tomorrow. Trick or treat?

Edit: Nothing at 7.20, although it's top of the news on BBC. Off to earn a crust, then.

The final determination (http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/pr13/PDF/pr13-final-determination.pdf) (page 918) includes

"Dr Days to Filton Abbey Wood capacity" and
Bristol Temple Meads passenger capacity

The economy of words is commendable...

The BBC's thorough analysis of nearly 1000 pages of information about the whole of the CP5 work package seems to have stopped at 'level crossings'...

Useless.

Paul

With the BBC1 6 o'clock news headlines this evening having George Alagiah saying, "100s of dangerous level crossing will be closed...." over the recent footage of the idiot cyclist who nearly became a Class 170 hood ornament. A bad example of a 'dangerous' level crossing. The crossing was working perfectly correctly, the only dangerous activity was that of the cyclist ignoring the lights and barrier.

There are isolated incidents of level crossings and their operation proving to be dangerous following RAIB (and its predecessors) reports. The vast majority of incidents at level crossings are however down to vehicle driver/pedestrian misuse or error.

Totally inaccurate of the BBC to describe 100s of level crossings as 'dangerous'.



Apropos of nothing. My 9000th post!

This is one time when I don't want to believe everything I read in the EP !


The wait goes on for four-track funding to pave the way for Bristol Met


Read more: http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/wait-goes-track-funding-pave-way-Bristol-Metro/story-20019987-detail/story.html#ixzz2jTHCnncl

West of England Partnership's Joint Transport Executive Committee's minutes of the meeting held 2 December 2013 (http://www.westofenglandlep.co.uk/transport-and-infrastructure/joint-meetings-of-local-authority-partners/joint-transport-executive-committee/) give some hope and a possible timescale for the four-tracking seemingly announced in July 2012:


Which is a bit different to the quote given by Bristol City Council's Comms Officer 17 months ago:


What gives me most confidence is Network Rail's apparent desire to do the work.

I think it's more that they interact with DfT and ORR enough to know what could prevent it. Certainly I heard from within NR that it will happen and people are working (quite a lot of them, too) on that basis.

I guess it's been scoring high marks for hoop jumping.

The same was said - though it is at an earlier stage, and needs more money (hence more hoops) - about Heathrow Western Access.

It is a sad indictment of how we do infrastructure in this country that a scheme confirmed by a minister in July 2012 has to wait until 2015 to be confirmed. I can't see how it can be not done. So much else is happening that will need extra capacity, not least of which is IEP, that it has to happen. Our councillors are on the scrounge for some cascaded 165s with a view to extra local services as well.

It will be confirmed (or not) by the end of March 2014, not in 2015.  That's when NR will publish the agreed CP5 project list, as has been the case since the HLOS was published in 2012.  The HLOS was not 'confirmation by a minister', at that stage it was a list of proposals, and a supporting statement of funds available.  Detail was to be negotiated between NR/ORR by end March 2014. 

ISTM that local media and local politicians in the Bristol area have been clouding the issues and timescales.  The decision is not late, because it is not yet due.

Paul

Hopefully the newts and bats will still be in hibernation by the end of March. Then the cynic in me, thinks they can just  have 'vinyls applied' and are rebranded, ready to be put in the next cave /pond by (insert name of  group of protestors/saboteurs) who are against (insert name of infrastructure project !)
I am starting to wonder wheteher if we have great crested newt breeding farms in this country....shouldn't DEFRA be thinking about a cull?

Thank you Paul7755, for the clearest explanation ever of what is going on. Hype by Bristol's politicos and the Post, then, along with photo opportunities by Mesdames Villiers (now Northern Ireland minister - a step up) and Greening (International  Development - a big step down). Meanwhile, civil servants are quietly going over the figures. We know where the real power lies.

March 2014 it is, then. Let's hope the ORR and DafT agree with NR. Hopefully, Four Track, Then!

NR has today published an update on CP5 projects. Four tracking is still envisaged - the fact that a fourth platform is envisaged at Filton AW would appear to indicate that a full four tracking is the likely outcome - Abbey Wood is the one place where I could have envisaged a little paring back to save on costs.

I notice it also include a project of gauge clearance to cascade 165 dmus to the west country

That isnt really a surprise considering many have expected the class 165/166 turbo fleet to make their way westwards.

I believe these units will bring a good boost to rail services around Bristol with their extra seating and higher top speeds.

That has been highly likely for a good few years, it was mentioned in the SWML route plans (i.e. for Portsmouth Cardiff) 7 or 8 years ago.

In NR's revised list of CP5 work, published as an update in Jan 2013 following the HLOS, they included a project named "West of England Diesel Multiple Unit capability works"  which gave an explicit list of main and diversionary route:


It clearly covers nearly everywhere except Devon and Cornwall locals and not just the Bristol area as sometimes thought.   In this week's update, they've distilled the above down to just this:  "Network Rail has assumed that the cascaded Class 165 and 166 units will operate over extensive parts of the Western, Wales and Wessex Routes."

By the way, to save searching, the latest drafts of the delivery plan and the enhancements plan can be found here:

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/publications/delivery-plans/control-period-5/draft-cp5-delivery-plan/

Paul

Included is the TransWilts (you would expect me to highlight that, of course!) but it appears that Brighton is not, nor (but I may be a pedant here) the Rhubarb loop.  And I thinks that's everything North East of Cowley Bridge?

They don't go beyond Worcester either, so I wonder if like Brighton (which I hadn't spotted) that's just a slip up or is intentional, given that Brighton is usually linked with Great Malvern?

Paul

Worcester to Great Malvern is already cleared for 165/166 though

Ah yes of course, for the main service via the Cotswolds...   ::)

A bit off my beaten track...

Paul

Doesn't sound good. :( More suburan stock on Regional Express services. :'(

And why does the Wales route come into it? I thought a Swansea-Bristol electric service was looking likely, which I thought would be in place of the Cardiff-Taunton, with DMUs running Bristol-Taunton instead or perhaps linking Taunton-Bristol with the Gloucester/GreatMalvern - Bristol trains instead of Cardiffs.

I don't think Turbos operating on long distance regional routes is necessarily a bad thing IF they get a good quality refurb (like the Chiltern ones had).

I agree with the last comment - the Turbos are good trains and, I believe, have had superior reliability,
We had them on the Cotswold Line since soon after they were introduced and the ride on them is very good. The seating layout (3+2) is adequate for suburban services but for longer distance journeys such as on the CL, not really satisfactory. As already commented, the Chiltern refurbishment was a much more satisfactory arrangement for longer journeys.

Four-tracking expected to go ahead, according to Chris Aldridge of Network Rail - http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/Electric-trains-London-Bristol-running-Great/story-20785715-detail/story.html

Decision expected later this year, according to the article.

I hope Chris Aldridge is right! That will be a fun engineering project to watch taking place. Part of my working week is spent in Stapleton Road, and I should see what's happening at close quarter. The recent round of fettling of the stone bridge, with its new truss rods and pointing, seems to be over, but the stockyard by the station remains, and the interpontal section remains fenced off - waiting for further orders?

Is this the last final announcement to gladden FTN's heart, or yet another 'cold' dish served lukewarm ?

From the BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-26815987):



Moderator note: Edited to include quote and attribute source. bignosemac

Looks tasty to me! I shall do more research before popping any corks, but it looks good to me so far!

 :o   So they've confirmed the work in the required timescales I explained in post #11 after all; whatever next!

Paul

Anywhere that gives the breakdown of what exactly has been approved?
All I can find is www.betterrailway.co.uk

I'm a little too busy to go looking for the nuts and bolts of the latest announcement from Network Rail. From a quick skim read of their press release, much of it is about existing projects such as Reading, Birmingham New Street, GWML electrification, Northern Hub etc. Hard to decipher what's actually new in relation to the Bristol area in specific detail.

Meanwhile though, may I extend a warm welcome to the forum Aasimuk.  :)

There should be the final delivery plan replacing the draft delivery plan released very shortly.  By the end of March 2014 according to this page of the Network Rail website:  http://www.networkrail.co.uk/publications/delivery-plans/control-period-5/draft-cp5-delivery-plan/ (http://www.networkrail.co.uk/publications/delivery-plans/control-period-5/draft-cp5-delivery-plan/)

The March 14 version of the 'CP5 enhancements delivery plan' is now online, AFAICT it must have been posted within a few minutes of II's post above.   Third (PDF) link down on this page, the four tracking is on page 99 :

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/publications/delivery-plans/control-period-5/cp5-delivery-plan/

Paul

Yes Paul, you are entitled to credit for telling us exactly what, where, and when. I wish I had your faith!

I just remember a similar series of discussions leading up to the CP4 announcement 5 years ago, all the decision and confirmation dates are set down in the 2005 Railways Act.  It's a bit like the old 'watched pot never boils'...

Paul

Makes you wonder why the "Oh yes it is! / Oh no it isn't!" sort of politics applies to transport and throws out half-truths and mixed messages when a clear direction would help plan improvements.

I think you could forgive us if we've allowed ourselves to get slightly over-excited by all this... speaking for myself, these are the first really significant positive changes I've seen to the rail infrastructure of this region in my entire lifetime... and I am pretty ancient for a squirrel!

Structural soil survey people were hard at work under the derelict bridge at SRD.

The planning portal on Bristol City Council's website* has this


Some good plans to pore over there.

As far as I can tell the conclusion is that an EIA is not required. All good, and signs of progress.

* go to http://planningonline.bristol.gov.uk/online-applications/search.do?action=simple&searchType=Application and enter the reference 14/01549/SCR

NR has announced today that it has awarded a ^33m contract to Taylor Woodrow for this work to start in December 2014. No completion date given!

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/News-Releases/Doubling-of-the-railway-lines-between-Bristol-stations-is-given-the-green-light-21aa.aspx

Also announced by Assistant Mayor Mark Bradshaw via the BBC: (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-29833216)


The only real addition to the sum of knowledge is that work is due to start in December. As much of the design work has been done, I would think this means work in the more physical sense, and shall keep an eye out.

Once complete will FTN be changing his username to 'Four Tracked Then'? Seriously though, this is good news. Filton bank is a very crowded portion of track and this is long overdue. Also looking forward to extra platform at Bristol Parkway

No it will be to Six Track Now (STN) to cater for the 5 minute metro service on the Henbury llop.

The last CP5 enhancement plan had work on the ground not starting until May 2015, (with completion Aug 2017) so this could be a six month advance if they really do start...

Paul

I already changed it once, from the campaigning motto Four Track Now! to the much more triumphalist Four Track, Now!

I'm off down the Knights Templar shortly to meet a few friends, so it may be Four Pints Now! ere the night is out.

Edit: As a parrot.Still walked home quicker than the bus.

Did anyone go along to the Easton Community Centre meeting on Mon 10th November 3.30 - 6pm with Network Rail ?.
If so, did you find anything out ?.

Oh, the irony! You wait for Four Years, Now!, and they choose a night I am working on my tan in Tenerife. (Actually, on the day itself I was on La Gomera). There will be another in January, NR told me in reply to my anguished Tweet, date TBA.

Not yet seen any sign that the December "to be confirmed" start date for vegetation clearance on Filton Bank has commenced. ???

Moi non plus. But it it still December...

As may be, but it will need to be completed before the birds start nesting. Mid-March?

I wonder where the work will start. Possibly the thickest vegetation is around Ashley Down, which may be as good a place as any to wield the secateurs first.

Well, if they're going to use secateurs it'll take them until March just to get as far as Narroways Junction. One hopes that a few chainsaws and maybe a rail mounted equivalent of that contraption farmers use on hedgerows will be employed.

Hmm; for 'thick vegetation' you could read 'a beautiful green oasis'. These works are really not going to improve the Boiling Wells Project (http://www.accessiblewebdesign.co.uk/clients/swcf/boiling_wells_project.html), not even a tiny bit. Very sad; we've been to a couple of excellent kids' parties there. Omelettes and eggs, I suppose.

Don't worry, Red Squirrel, there will still be plenty of city farm to go around.

Apropos which I caught the train from SRD to BRI today, and saw this:
(http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/Boyamijealous_7108a707/20141216_085335_zpsdd5a9784.jpg)

where the southern bit of Eastside Roots used to be. There is an identical patch of concrete surrounded by railings between Dr Days Junction and Temple Meads, clearly of recent construction. Anyone able to explain?

Looks like a site for a relocatable equipment building (REB) - a large signalling equipment cabinet.  I assume it is the start of the Bristol Resignalling scheme.   

Way-hay! Signs of modernisation at last! Having solved one mystery, I pose another question: why is this set of points / bit of rail on the disused platform at SRD?
(http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/Boyamijealous_7108a707/20141216_085403_zpsb8fbb1ef.jpg)

It's been there for a few months...just off the track line on the line of the far platform which is apparently not being reinstated. My guess is that it's a foundation for the electrificaction to Wales (sub station or similar).

I went to Gloucester via Cheltenham today, and saw more of these. One was near Charfield, I didn't recognise the locations of the others. Things are moving.

I think it is supposed to stop trespassers walking along the line. 

Surely the palisade fencing and 'egg-tray' rubber anti-trespass panel is there to prevent trespass onto the line/disused section of platform.

I think that was what I was trying to say - you put it so much more clearly

I think maybe johnneyw and ellendune may have mistaken what FT, N! was referring to - towards the top of the picture, to the right of the patch of glare and embedded in the platform, is what appears to be a set of points .


The Boiling Wells Project is to the east of the railway embankment, whereas the City Farm is to the west. At the moment there are tallish trees on the east-facing slope of the embankment, which gives the Boiling Wells valley a pleasant, rural feel. If you look at the Arup visualisation (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jUYViwle1c), at about 1' 34s, you'll see 'Ashley Hill Embankment South (Down) - 205m Contiguous Pile Wall and Regrade'. I don't think it's going to be very pretty when they finish! But as I say; eggs and omelettes.

At some locations ready use spare S&C components are left stored trackside, if there's a failure a load of men in a few vans can sort it out.   

Either that or it has been delivered early for an upcoming renewal somewhere in the vicinity, but not necessarily that close.  I expect delivery of such components is by flat bed lorry to a convenient point, with road-rail machines appearing some time later to deliver to the actual worksite, which may be up or down the line somewhere.

Paul

I don't think that's what they are. It's some other bits of ironmongery - possible leftovers from the railings?

They're definitely switch blades and stock rails.  If you magnify it and look at the far ends, you can see the fixed blocks that separate the parts of the switch that don't move with respect to one another.

But contrary to my previous post, having now magnified the image, I'd tend towards them being scrap, because there seem to be signs that there are either bits of sleepers or chairs under them as well...

Paul

In this view from Google Maps (https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Stapleton+Road/@51.4667975,-2.565552,105m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x48718e3f34e9e2f1:0x144ad8ce51e1669c) it looks very much like old scrap points, and a few bits of rail.

A 'heads up' for the newbie moderator FT,N !

From the Network Rail website:

Vegetation clearance is due to start at the beginning of February 2015 (date to be confirmed), to progress with civils enabling and infrastructure work.

Thank you, chuffed.

I had noticed that item, but have been too busy assimilating my new role to respond. (OK, in truth, it was Mrs FT,N!'s birthday, and I took her to the Metrolopse for a few days.) I shall keep my eyes peeled for anything noteworthy, and shall try to have a camera about me.

Having missed the drop-in info session in Easton in November (Mrs FT,N! again, this time Tenerife), I contacted NR by the medium of Twitter, and was told there would be another in January. So far, no news despite my asking. I have a few questions, none of them hostile.

Should we have made Mrs FT,N! moderator me thinks - she is obviously much better at decision making!   ;D ;D

Number of things noticed today.

At Stapleton Road there was a company boring soil test holes in the old track bed where the farm use to be.

White water filled barriers have been place up Filton bank from the access point by the Ford dealership up to Horfield Station

Also seen in a number of locations over the past few days have been a group taking pictures of the vegetation that needs clearing lineside.

I wouldn't always regard her as moderate...

In any case, she has the standard view of trains, as being mystical but seeming to turn up reasonably close to time. On our recent sojourn (SWT to Waterloo up, FGW from PAD down), there were many times when she wondered how I knew so much detail about what was going on. All garnered from FGW Coffee Shop over the years!

I would have made the November drop-in but for my family. No sooner had I put the phone down from booking our apartment in Tenerife for the end of November / beginning of December than my youngest daughter rang to inform us she was expecting her second child at the end of November / beginning of December. Thankfully, I hadn't got around to booking flights, and the people in Tenerife couldn't have been more helpful in rearranging my week in the sun.

And on 30 November, I became Four Grandchildren, Now!

Congratulations Gramps!  :P ;) ;D

Some sign of movement at last...and the electrification is getting closer day by day.




Edit note: Quote marks fixed, for clarity. CfN.

and congrats from me too!

I notice the Network Rail GWR Electrification page regarding the Bristol area is PR managing a delay in the Filton Bank vegetation clearing by repeatedly postponing the start dates "to be confirmed" by small increments until they can announce no more work until after the nesting season.

I only had the phone with me, but here are some pictures. Firstly, from the bridge at Lockleaze Road looking towards Temple Meads:

(http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/Boyamijealous_7108a707/Filton%20and%20Horfield/20150217_131238_zpsiiiosck4.jpg)

This is the site preferred by many, myself included,  for the new Horfield Station, possible under Phase 2 of MetroRail West (or is it MetroWest Rail?). I do not think the orange jackets are involved in building a station just yet.

From the opposite side of the road, looking towards Filton, the row of white plastic is clearer to see:

(http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/Boyamijealous_7108a707/Filton%20and%20Horfield/20150217_131142_zpsks3abxi8.jpg)

I don't recall how it looked recently, but it seems to me that at least some clearance work has taken place. Now, before the nesting season, is the right time, and I hope that johnnyw's opinion is a little overly-pessimistic. The bridge at Bonnington Walk, at the site of the former Horfield Station, is visible.

Speaking of which, here is the view from that bridge towards Temple Meads. The slew (or is it slue - I have seen both) of the track is clear.

(http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/Boyamijealous_7108a707/Filton%20and%20Horfield/20150217_131612_zpsw2nl1v1o.jpg)

Was that done at the time the third line from Abbey Wood was installed? There is room for two more lines easily. What are the wire cages for - just to hold rubbish?

Looking towards Abbey Wood from the same bridge:

(http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/Boyamijealous_7108a707/Filton%20and%20Horfield/20150217_131649_zpswcr4zctj.jpg)

there is a wide open vista. I don't know if those electricity pylons are due for replacement as part of the refurb of the National Grid. What is clear that there is a source of supply to transformers for the 25KV OHLE, if it works that way.

I am looking forward to a ramping up of work in the summer. There is little point in cutting back the Beeching Forest* just to let it grow again, so I assume these parts will be a hive of activity**.

(*Not strictly accurate, but it does seem a good generic term for those bits of former railway left to grow naturally)
(** I don't want any bees harmed in the requadrification of this railway. Wasps are another matter, despite their clear place in the pollenation shenanigans)

There has been a lot of clearance done. You can easily see the boundary fence in places plus all the rubbish that the households along that streach have been throwing onto the railway land.


They mark where the drains are presumably so that the workers don't fall into them!

Good pictures and it seems I was indeed a little pessimistic in my observation on delayed progress although I have only been recently keeping an eye on the Narroways to TM stretch. The Network Rail page on the subject still says "date to be confirmed" though. Perhaps someone should tell them!

I have a "before and after" comparison, the older picture being taken in September 2012:

Before:

(http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/Boyamijealous_7108a707/Filton%20and%20Horfield/Horfield2.jpg)

After:

(http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/Boyamijealous_7108a707/Filton%20and%20Horfield/20150217_131621_zpsfgkqsafj.jpg)

Certainly enough room for another 10-foot.

....and crikey you can see the signalling cable route again  :P ::)

With the four tracking slowly beginning to take momentum (I hear work is starting on improvements needed on the Bonnington Walk Bridge) could it be likely that the work on the line above Narroways Junction will require some service diversions along the Severn Beach Line/Henbury Loop. The slew in the track that was created in the 1980's after the line was reduced from 4 tracks to 2 will need to be reversed to make space available again. This, along with the new tracks being laid, could mean the closure of the line for a while, or seriously reduced capacity. The SB Line has been used as a diversionary route in the past, could it happen again?

It could, although whether it will be used depends. I would think every effort will be made to keep disruption on the SVB line to a minimum. It is a much busier line than it was when the last two-week diversion happened to open the third track through  Abbey Wood. There are going to be a few crossovers built in, so it may be possible to do the work in stages over a few weekends, or at least get two lines in the proper place then do the rest with the railway running. The proposed fourth track through Filton Abbey Wood looks the toughest bit - that will need a bit of work on the actual structure of the station.

Dave Wood from the RMTU who writes the "On Track" column for the Bristol Evening Post added an online article on Sept 28th which included mention of the Henbury Loop and Severn Beach Line being used as a diversionary route during 4 tracking, probably for the last time. On thing is for sure though. There is a visible increase in lineside activity between Narroways junction and Stapleton Road bridge now, including, by the look of it, some new access points being constructed.

Has anyone published details when the new four tracked stretch will be in use, and what use will be made of it prior to MetroWest Phase 2, which is still a long way off.


   

I thought the justification was the additional service from Paddington to Temple Meads via Parkway

The last info and dates I could find were in the latest CP5 milestones plan: 


Hendy's report doesn't give revised dates for Filton Bank, although confirming it remains within CP5, so we should check the next CP5 Milestones report when it comes out.

Paul

An interesting update on the progress in the Bristol area can be found here:
http://www.railengineer.uk/2015/12/04/the-focus-moves-to-bristol/

Interesting, though the comment about the work at Parson St is both irrelevant and inaccurate. It's a 2 track  railway at that point and the work is nothing to do with Metrowest or electrification, just the construction of a new road.

I also smiled at the comment that the increased space in the station would be used by local retailers. Yeah, right, it'll be the same national chains that are everywhere else. Am I right in thinking local retailers lost out in the rebuilding of Reading?

I think its a 3 track railway there and isn't it supposed to go to 4 track for the Portishead reopening?

This is the passage in question:


I'm not aware of any new 4-lane highway at Parson St. The South Bristol Link (a road, funded by an alleged public transport scheme which I think may have been discussed elsewhere on this forum) passes under the 2-track main line at Colliter's Brook, a way to the south.

The said alleged public transport scheme have called this structure the "Parson Street Underbridge" in their plans. That's odd, in that it's an underbridge from the railway's standpoint, not their road's. But it's not named according to railway practice, in that Parson Street is innocent of all underbridging activity at this location. A. E. Yates Trenchless Solutions Ltd., the contractors who have begun building it inside the embankment - clever stuff though that may be - think it is called Parsons Street.

You'd expect it to be called the railway overbridge, wouldn't you? It is the only one on the route. It will presumably end up being called Brookgate, after the road called Brook Gate. It's also much more west of Parson Street station than south.

Maybe they are just reflecting the world-turned-upside-down mindset of people who build a ring-road and claim it's a public transport scheme.


Isn't it, though!

In mitigation, my prejudice that the B&E runs south from Bristol over-rode the obvious fact that at that point it really is going kinda west (not to be confused with Kanye West, or even (and arguably more appositely) Knowle West)... if only those pesky Mendips hadn't got in the way.

Having time on my hands, I remembered how the two disused platforms at Stapleton Road looked in September 2012:

(http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/Boyamijealous_7108a707/Garden.jpg)

and decided to go take a butcher's, to see if there was any sign of actual work. This is how they looked today:

(http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/Boyamijealous_7108a707/Stapleton%20Road/DSC_0362_zpsjfpiglmg.jpg)

If that is the new signalling, isn't it going to get in the way a bit?

This is, however, progress! That three span bridge beyond the fence has to be dismantled and rebuilt. Given the very urban nature of what is below it, I wondered if a temporary line would be laid to here, to allow for removal of the scrap by rail?

Had you noticed, F T, N!, that there is another of those kittens rampant in this post - and half the text refers to that picture, too.

Grrr! That one IS down to Photobucket. Hopefully fixed.

If you zoom right into Google Earth's captured view of this (dated 9/9/2014), then at the limit of its resolution there does appear to be such a box already at that position. (There's another in the bushes at the end of platform 2.) Quite why it would be there is not obvious, though it might have looked a suitable place to put a box at some time in the last 30 years - well out of the way, of course.
 

Looking again, I am sure that is the old signalling route - it was covered by plants until recently. It should be redundant soon, if not already.

travelled between parkway and temple meads for the first time in a couple of months, and what a difference. The vegetation has been cleared for most of the route, with old bits of station, platform, brickwork etc being exposed.

What are the plans for the new track now that space has been created for the track?

I've also noticed a large bridge get built between stapleton road and filton abbey road - is this an access road for vehicles to get to the railway?

Hullo Stroud Valleys, and welcome!

I suspect the bridge you refer to is for the bus-only junction on the M32, which is part of the MetroBus scheme. This is not connected in any way with the improvements to Filton Bank.

...except that both are considered to be part of the larger MetroWest scheme (I think), but that in itself is so vague as to be pretty meaningless. So the bridge is certainly not directly connected to the railway.

I passed through Stapleton Road station the other day, and took a few pictures to show the preparatory work:

(http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/Boyamijealous_7108a707/Stapleton%20Road/DSC_0956_zpsziqbdmjj.jpg) (http://s1082.photobucket.com/user/Boyamijealous/media/Stapleton%20Road/DSC_0956_zpsziqbdmjj.jpg.html)

(http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/Boyamijealous_7108a707/Stapleton%20Road/DSC_0952_zps4k3sj8x8.jpg) (http://s1082.photobucket.com/user/Boyamijealous/media/Stapleton%20Road/DSC_0952_zps4k3sj8x8.jpg.html)

(http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/Boyamijealous_7108a707/Stapleton%20Road/DSC_0953_zpsmyarsrjk.jpg) (http://s1082.photobucket.com/user/Boyamijealous/media/Stapleton%20Road/DSC_0953_zpsmyarsrjk.jpg.html)

(http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/Boyamijealous_7108a707/Stapleton%20Road/DSC_0957_zpsy1re3jcu.jpg) (http://s1082.photobucket.com/user/Boyamijealous/media/Stapleton%20Road/DSC_0957_zpsy1re3jcu.jpg.html)

Goodness only knows what I was thinking when I posted that - you'd have to have astonishingly good eyesight, coupled with an uncanny ability to see over the horizon and round  corners, to see the new M32 junction from the railway. Could it be that you saw the works shewn in FT, N!'s pictures?

There's a temporary scaffold bridge over the railway just to the south of the Easton Road overbridge. I say over the railway. It is actually only bridging the the part where there are no lines at present, but will be come four tracking. I think it might be there to give work access to the outside face of the parapet wall.

There are a couple of new vehicle access points between Filton Abbey Wood and Lawrence Hill. Can't say I've noticed what could be described as a new vehicular bridge though. But I've not really been staring out the window going up Filton Bank. My usual choice of service is the 0841 BRI-BPW and, as I join it from the 0832 arrival from Avonmouth (which is consistently 3+ minutes late), I never get a window seat. Usually dark whenever I coming down Filton Bank.

My guess is that the area behind the white plastic markers will be used for vehicle and plant access during the replacement of the bridge (the last photo). It will then have tracks laid on it.

Is this bridge to be retained, do you know, or does it require replacement?

It is to be replaced. That is going to be fun! Until July, I shall be working next to it, and shall watch with interest.

Quite frankly, it may even have collapsed in the meantime.  ::)

In past jobs elsewhere in the country, the new bridge has been built alongside the site, then rolled into place. I'm not sure there is room here, with the M32 on one side and the station on the other side. Given that the road was closed for nearly 2 weeks for the pointing and truss rod work to the stone bridge, I have a feeling that there will be another closure to allow for craning of the main component parts. I had hoped to see a temporary line from Dr Days junction for removal of scrap and delivery of new components, track, ballast etc.

Easton Road bridge, taking the road over the railway, is the next major structure towards Temple Meads. That is to be replaced. The road is now closed until 8 April. A temporary bridge is being constructed to carry pedestrians and utilities. I believe the bridge will then be demolished and the new deck beams put into place during a late May Bank Holiday 76 hour possession, with work then continuing until early 2017. Details are in Network Rail's City of Bristol information page. (http://www.networkrail.co.uk/great-western-route-modernisation/city-of-bristol/) The February newsletter (http://www.networkrail.co.uk/Bristol-newsletter-Feb-2016.pdf) gives more information, as does the letter to residents (http://www.networkrail.co.uk/GWRM-Easton-Road-Bridge-Letter.pdf).

The new four-tracked railway will not be electrified when it first opens, but provision is obviously going to be made to make that part as easy as possible.

From FT,N!'s pictures, it looks like they are levelling a largish area adjacent to the gas facility immediately to the north-west of the M32. Would it be reasonable to assume that the new bridge will largely be assembled there, and then slid into place? Sounds easy if you say it quickly...

Thanks for that information on the Easton Rd over bridge. I was merely guessing about the reason for the adjacent scaffold bridge. I guess this will be extended over the operational railway imminently.

Looks like things could be fun over the next  12 months or so on the M32.  Be glad when the roadworks are done sick to death of my coach being delayed when I drive along that stretch.

gonna be fun tonight since I am coming into Bristol around 1815.

Anyway like many of us I will be glad to see the 4 tracking done down Filton Bank it cant come soon enough and should help sort out reliability of services

Those roadworks are for the stupid MetroBust. I don't think the four-tracking work will impact on the M32. The bridge over that is OK, with maybe a lick of paint.

I am sure we will all be glad to see the 4 tracks being used and better rail services

I certainly will, but you knew that already.

This really is the key to all the other planned improvements. Filton Abbey Wood and Parkway will both gain a platform. Parallel moves out of Parkway for Bristol and South Wales will be possible, and there will be room for stopping services from Cardiff, Henbury and Severn Beach, providing a decent coverage of the local stations.

It is to be replaced

Has anyone seen plans for upgrading Filton Abbey Wood.  Is that to be tracks?  How many Platforms?

No track drawings that I have found, but the latest description still refers to an additional platform there.  That implies four tracking all the way from Dr Days Jn to just north of Filton Abbey Wood where presumably the four tracking becomes two pairs, one towards Bristol Parkway, and the other towards Patchway?

Paul

My reading of the situation too, paul7755. That would mean a split at Abbey Wood, with two platforms for Wales and two for Parkway and beyond, if that was the best way of running things.

The last (and first) time the line was made up from two to four tracks, less than 100 years ago, Filton Junction station already had four platforms. That had been done when the junction at Filton, and the line from Westerleigh to Avonmouth, were built not long before the WW1. The line was evidently operated as two pairs not just at Filton but after that down into Bristol too. Whether that sheds any light on what is the preferred design now is another matter altogether.

PS: I see that the West Loop (SW chord) was also double track, but the NW chord was an embankment with no track until well after WW2.

Are there any diagrams/drawings of the proposed plans by Networking Rail for the four track, especially arrangements at Filton Abbey Wood and the Bristol Temple Mead ends?

This You tube video (https://youtu.be/2jUYViwle1c) gives a good overview of what is to be repaired and what is to be replaced, although probably not what you are truly looking for.

I think it does show what the track layout is, though I think in reality the cross-overs are likely to span all four tracks. The main difference from before is that the tracks on the London side are fast - no platforms, where before all stations had platforms on all tracks. The crossovers are different, being single instead of two parallel tracks, but that's just fashion. And of course there were more stations, and Filton Junction was well north of Filton Abbey Wood (it was north of the main junction).

Incidentally, the map on "Know Your Place - Bristol" that's described as "1949 1:2500" is really a 1918 (1912 survey) edition that didn't have four tracks all the way, hand modified in the planning office - but the drawn-on tracks have rubbed off. The 1946 aerial photo shows that, though it is a bit too fuzzy to show the detail.

Don't forget that the layout will be augmented by the maintenance depot. What is being put in will be more than was taken out.

I was wrong about that - the relevant map was (before having planning stuff put onto it) the 1934/5 revision, so all four tracks were on it. An explanation as to why two of them have faded at Ashley Vale, but the original two haven't, must lie elsewhere.

Maybe contact the Know Your Place people about that?

I'm not suggesting it's wrongly labelled. It is plainly an office copy with planning data added, so if it was in use up to 1949 the title "1949 1:2500" is hardly incorrect. It is certainly brief, and I can't see any more explanation of what the map is, though I expect it is somewhere (perhaps in a library index).

Ok.

Any idea when Bristol Parkway and Filton Abbeywood will get their extra platforms?

simonw, I've been wondering about that for ages. From what I've heard, with all the newly announced delays,  nobody actually has a clue. Expectation management in full silence here.

I believe "mid-2017" to be an answer. Whether it is a correct answer is another matter, of course. Filton Abbey Wood was not really left future-proofed when the third platform was built:

(http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/Boyamijealous_7108a707/Filton%20and%20Horfield/AbbeyWood2.jpg)

(http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/Boyamijealous_7108a707/Filton%20and%20Horfield/AbbeyWood4.jpg)

This bridge will need moving slightly to one side:

(http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/Boyamijealous_7108a707/Filton%20and%20Horfield/AbbeyWood5.jpg)

Another 2-week possession in the offing?

At BPW yesterday I was speaking to a member of staff, and was told that surveyors have been on site from a number of civil engineering companies.

Whether this was for the new platform, or more parking I have no idea. I was wondering if any announcements had been made.

Certainly, the announcement of the new platform has been made, and I believe it survived the recent review. It is necessary to allow parallel movements into and out of BPW. I can't see car parking provision being increased so soon after the construction of the multi-storey.

A shame I don't pass overhead BPW these days.

Why? The new platform 4 and its track will be to the west of the existing, and while that has to be slewed north and south of the station I don't think it can be moved much within the station. The platform edge has to be at least 2.5 m clear of the footbridge structure, which I suspect is more demanding than the bases in the picture.

Of course there is a problem, since this isn't a case of putting back what was stripped out before - both earlier Filton stations were well to the north. Assuming the edge of platform 3 stays where it is, space has to be found for two tracks plus spacing plus offsets (3.4+1.43+2x.73=6.3m) plus 2.5 m means 8.8 m to any kind of structure. That's still well clear of the footbridge, so provided its bases hidden in the bushes aren't too big it should be OK, if it's already railway land (which seems likely).

And there's even some pretty (and moving) artist's pictures of it here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFuvX1A1O1g).

Ahh! you mean moving in that sense of the word.  Yes is does seem to be relatively straightforward.  Even if actual construction does not go quite as smoothly as in the video.   

I believe BPW car parking is regularly full, and the design of the carpark was to allow extra 'decks' when needed. Also the advent of MetroBus(t) will make BPW a transport hub and will require extra parking.

So not sure what will arrive first, a few hundred extra parking spaces, a new platform and when these will happen.

Presumably MetroBus is notionally intended to reduce the demand for parking at Parkway, rather than increase it?

However I wouldn't be surprised if South Dibley were to put forward plans to increase parking in that area... they seem fairly determined to turn their little part of the world into some sort of 'Los Angeles without the weather'.

Edit: typo

Yes, I do - though it did occur to me that the other sense might be apt, for those forum members who have an emotional attachment to this project. 

Building the fourth platform off to the side (and slightly lengthening the existing island at the south end), is also illustrated in the video linked to by Four Track, Now! himself, back in reply #120, on 22nd Feb.

Don't see any problems, that's two bits of evidence supporting a simple side platform...

Paul

What Hendy's version of the CP5 Infrastructure Plans says about BPW (in W002b) is as follows.
Objective:
Scope of works:
Timescale:

With no date given for use by trains in service.

OK, hands up, that was a bit lazy of me! I have two young grandchildren at my home, without parents, so relied on memory rather than proper research. That said, I reckon the bridge at FIT will need a little more work than the one at SRD, although the latter will still need disabled access.


MetroBust is intended to do a lot of things it won't do. Ordinary buses are already capable of transporting people to BPW from the surrounding residential areas, but the price of car parking hasn't yet persuaded them to leave the motor at home. MetroBust is just another bus in that part of the world.

You illustrate a conundrum, however. It seems to me that MetroBust can never be integrated fully into local public transport, as originally promised in the glossy leaflets. If cross-modal go-anywhere tickets were available, it would transport a bus load from Patchway towards Bristol, but empty at BPW whilst everyone jumps on a train. Who wants to spend half an hour on the M32 when a 12-minute train ride will get you to work?

Now that South Gloucestershire have taken their planning portal out of the cupboard it's kept in over the weekend and wound up the clockwork, I can see that there have been no applications for the expected work at either FIT or BPW.

That presumably means that the works will be permitted development - just railway stuff, such as platforms, tracks, earthworks, signals (not on gantries), but no building, bridge, aqueduct, pier or dam  nor any access road.

There was an application for a temporary car park to replace the spaces at BPW used for the works, but that was withdrawn. There's also an entry for the original building of BPW, but that's only a scanned copy of a sketchy plan.

Seeing all the four track improvements proceeding, it left me wondering what is planned for BPW?

There are only two tracks entering the station, and frequently trains have to wait to allow other trains to access the station track.

Not being a train buff, how could NR improve the flow into BPW, and what is planned?

Oh dear. Someone else whose memory is going the same way as mine. Way back in, er, February we covered that in this thread, and your question was answered, in a fashion (BR's fashion).

Passing Stapleton Road yesterday I noticed a number of concrete caisson type of objects being stored on the old trackbed. They are not all identical but they are quite substantial. Sorry no pics, I was quite unprepared. Anyone know what they are for?

I saw them as well, along with three huge pieces of pre-fabricated bridge on the road behind Bristol Parkway.

I think Network Rail have a busy weekend ahead of them!

I hope all is ok Tuesday morning.

I've decamped to Taunton this weekend. No desire to experience the delights of 'Rail Replacement Bus' on my local line.

Welcome the reason for the RRBs obviously.

They are the beams for Easton Road bridge replacement.  The old bridge is being demolished and the new beams places in position this weekend. All should be finished by 04:00 on the 31st May according to NR latter to residents!

I took the train to SRD from BRI today. I had forgotten about that work, but there was plenty of evidence of a busy weekend, with lots of diggers etc.

Over the past few days, I have seen lots of activity (workers, pipes, vans and heavy equipment) near the rail track in the Filton area.

Is there a published outline of the project anywhere of the expected date when this work will be completed and when traffic will be segregated between stopping and trunk services?

All I can find is reference to CP5, which means completion by 2019.

According to the latest CP 5 milestones:

Infrastructure ready for use (not electrified) - December 2018
First timetabled public use of the infrastructure - December 2018

Paul

So, the end of CP5!

But only if Dec 18 is considered the same as March 2019...

I had a few spare minutes today, so I thought I would go take a look at the railway, and see if there is any sign of work on the four tracking. And there was! It wasn't easy to photograph at Bonnington Walk because of the enhanced bridge for the electrification that isn't coming:

(http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/Boyamijealous_7108a707/DSC_2418_zpskns2medp.jpg)

Looking towards Filton Abbey Wood:

(http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/Boyamijealous_7108a707/DSC_2415_zpsq6dotcx4.jpg)

Looking towards Temple Meads, it seems that the northbound platform of what was Horfield station has gone, although the southbound remains:

(http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/Boyamijealous_7108a707/DSC_2417_zps2adxnzvy.jpg)

There is now a cycle and pedestrian pathway:

(http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/Boyamijealous_7108a707/DSC_2419_zpszeaywhbt.jpg)

Looking north from Constable Road, the clearance work is obvious:

(http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/Boyamijealous_7108a707/DSC_2422_zpsbh6pplf8.jpg)

A crafty change of lens to the 75-300 mm gives us more of an insight into what is happening:

(http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/Boyamijealous_7108a707/DSC_2424_zpsdf5iu3aq.jpg)

Looking the opposite way, towards Ashley Down, the access road can be seen:

(http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/Boyamijealous_7108a707/DSC_2420_zpsfrrsnajw.jpg)

More orange army in the distance:

(http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/Boyamijealous_7108a707/DSC_2421_zpszwgyf68p.jpg)

(http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/Boyamijealous_7108a707/DSC_2428_zpsmuseftri.jpg)

Finally for today, I am on the site of the former Ashley Down station, where work progresses. Looking north:

(http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/Boyamijealous_7108a707/DSC_2430_zpstqsoyrv6.jpg)

and south, towards Narroways:

(http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/Boyamijealous_7108a707/DSC_2434_zpsqzwsxjfy.jpg)

In short, it looks like things are happening. Four Track, Soon!

And well done to Four Track soon to be completed for keeping us all up to speed and up to date. I can hardly wait for the day when he calls himself Four Track Finished, And I Told You It Was Gonna Happen, And You Didn't Believe Me.....

Yes, thanks for the photos. Is the cutting between Bonnington Walk and FAW actually steeper than it used to be or does it just look that way without the vegetation and rubbish? By the way, there always a cycle/pedestrian path in both directions from Bonnington Walk (ie to FAW and to Constable Rd). It's part of what they call the Concorde Way. They might well have altered it though. Oh, and in the 8th and 9th photos, looking south from Constable Rd, is that the remains of the old footbridge visible?

:D Or maybe even Four Track Now and I'm Happy!

Happy ?? He be as ****** as a newt. Oooops, perhaps I shouldn't mention them ! Me, and my big mouth..... ::)

I think it has been cut back to pre-1984 levels, which always looks severe.


They have.


I didn't know there was a bridge there!


I might just change it to Tony. Until there are four shiny tracks along there, though, the nom de guerre will remain as the handle.


Steady now! Just coming out with the N-word like that - there's no call for that.

Cheers!

As it happens I went to Station Rd Ashley Down this lunchtime to have a look see myself.

Exactly where I was at 2.45 pm. Blast - we could have gone for a pint!

Are you sure you're not the same person?

I hadn't thought of that. I could have had that pint!

Thank you, you can see quite what a serious bit of engineering it is, far more than just cutting back a few bushes and spreading a bit of gravel ;-)

I believe that work is due to start on the replacement Stapleton Road bridge in the next few weeks.

Maybe next time let me know  :D.

Indeed!


I ran out of time today, or I would have taken a look. I worked across the road from there, but left in June last year, so I don't see it daily as I used to. I did notice that the ballast has been largely cleared off the knackered bridge last week when I passed through on the train. I might try to take a look in the next few days.

Sugar Loaf?

Last time I was in the Loaf was twenty or more years ago what's it like these days ?

See http://www.sugarloafpub.co.uk/  ;)

I have only been there twice, the second occasion being my retirement. It sells beer, so it's fine.


No idea what the gallery is all about. I don't recall seeing anyone that good looking there, at least not until my third pint.

Observed the new look cutting from train level on Saturday, it's quite impressive. And later I even cycled along the realigned cycle path. It's been moved from the rugby club's drive to running along the embankment edge, presumably because the playing fields are being built over. From the cyclist's pov. this realignment is not a good thing, mainly because visibility of the road is limited by the bridge parapet. But the track work is coming along nicely.

That bridge parapet is a bit urgent following the addition of extra courses of bricks and coping stones. Given the electrification won't pass under them for a while, it seems a bit OTT, in more ways than one.

Been out for a bit of exercise this morning, and took a few photos:

1. Site of Ashley Hill station, looking towards Narroways. This is clearly a major access point for the works:

(https://zemblanity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/20170330_090920-e1490875847113.jpg)

2. North of Stapleton Rd viaduct, beside M32 looking towards the viaduct. Even I got the message!

(https://zemblanity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/20170330_095826-e1490875831678.jpg)

3. Under the viaduct. Something's afoot...

(https://zemblanity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/20170330_100054-e1490875805343.jpg)

That's a long closure! Nice update, Red Squirrel.

Stapleton Road viaduct is to come down this week, it seems! The Bristol Post (http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/stapleton-road-close-entire-weekend-228574) reports:

From what I have read it looks like full removal will take rather more than a week. Look how long it took for the Temple Meads conveyor bridge, more than a month there I seem to remember. It surely has to be cut up into removable bits although with the trackside access I suppose you can haul away bigger chunks than at Temple Meads.

Mumps Bridge in Oldham came down practically overnight. The decking was removed, then the road closed to allow a couple of big diggers and a crane in. They held one side of the bridge at a time whilst men in orange attacked it with disc cutters. The pieces were moved to the side of the road to be cut up. I don't think Stapleton Road will be any trickier - although it still has a railway running alongside, which Mumps did not.

Blimey, that's a bit impressive. If only other Network Rail works were that quick. That would mean 4 track next month!😀

I want Four Track, Now! :)

In fairness, it was all, like my signature paella, in the preppy uppy.

See it here on Youtube (https://youtu.be/ljpJJ9kJn_k) (the bridge, not the paella).

There is plant in place on what was platforms 3 and 4 at Stapleton Road station. I only had the phone with me:

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4325/36050831261_3f88eabb89_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/WVFW9e) (https://flic.kr/p/WVFW9e)

The picture taken, I came over all thirsty all of a sudden, and went to the Sugar Lumps for one of them pints. Otter, as it happened. :cheers:

Went down for a final look at Stapleton Road Viaduct, which is due for demolition on the weekend of 29/30 July 2017. Here's what I saw:

Looking west from Stapleton Road towards M32; note temporary blue supports underneath. It appears that the spans are to be cut up rather than removed complete, so these supports will retain the stubs. The original stone viaduct, which is still in use, can be seen behind. It looks like it is overdue the attention of NR's Gardening Dept.
(https://zemblanity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/20170728_153656-e1501261055435.jpg)

Looking north, taken from beneath the stone viaduct. The stacks of sleepers will presumably be laid on the roadway during the closure.
(https://zemblanity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/20170728_153803-e1501261006449.jpg)

Poster indicating method of demolition:
(https://zemblanity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/20170728_153037-e1501261038950.jpg)

Sunday update: First photo is taken from the same spot as Friday's. One complete span has gone, and the next is well on its way!

(https://zemblanity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/20170730_121249-e1501416222505.jpg)

I couldn't get the reverse angle because my viewpoint was in the exclusion zone.

This image shows the newly-exposed abutment adjoining Stapleton Road Station:

(https://zemblanity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/20170730_121438-e1501416208979.jpg)

Did you take that today (Sunday?) Cos I went past it about 9 p.m. on Saturday and it looked almost exactly the same, apart from being floodlit.

I managed to embarrass the kids by popping up on the local news doing a vox pop. A slight paraphrase of my observations appears on on the ITV website (http://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2017-07-30/bristol-bids-goodbye-to-victorian-viaduct/)

Yes; about 12.15pm.

Nice pictures, Red Squirrel! I'm glad you recorded it - I was in Devon over the weekend. Then (confession time) I was at my son's place in Fishponds today (Sunday) afternoon, and simply forgot to take a butcher's.

Until a year and nineteen days ago, I "worked" across the road from that bridge. Had the project been on time, I could have lunch minute taking pictures of the preparation, while munching on my delicious samosas from Jeevon or my felafel from Sweetmart (others are available). That's the main thing I miss about work, apart from my afternoon nap.

Crikey. ITV are still using Flash for online video content. Unable to watch on my phone or tablet.

Silverlight seems to have gone into deep freeze too. Still, I don't have your skills. Let me know the solution.

Yeah, I only see " local businessman Jadtar Singh Kandola" and then an absence of flash message. Is that Red Squirrel?

Red Squirrel wasn't wearing a turban when I saw him last...

Anyone else, ever get sikh of these terrible puns ? ???

I rather liked the headline in the Metro this morning referring to the end of the 3rd test. Three men went to Mo.......

Swung by Stapleton Road viaduct again today (15th Aug 2017): There it was, gone!

(https://zemblanity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/20170815_154242-e1502825154467.jpg)

This time I was able to get the reverse angle again, though you'd be forgiven if you said there's not much to see:

(https://zemblanity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/20170815_154336-e1502825136136.jpg)

I can't google at the moment but I'm sure when I was courting Wife V0.1 (she was still in beta) in the late 1970s it was 4 track then? Would that have been right?

Until recently (last week) I travelled through Filton Abbey Wood station and there seems to be quite a lot of work going on particularly north of the station as you approach the junction with South Wales line.

I expect to be back there in about 4 weeks so look forward to seeing the progress.

You're correct, BB, it was dequadrified in February 84.  I remember once in the early 80s coming from the Cardiff direction and running alongside a service from Birmingham most of the way into Temple Meads. 

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

has some interesting photos on the line pre and post dequadrificatiol although note that one of the captions referring to it happening in 1971 is incorrect.

Does four tracking extend to BPW, or stop at Filton Abbeywood?

There is a lot of work between the two stations at the moment, extending the raised embankment closer to houses in Stoke Gifford so I assume it is being extended.

No, the four tracking ends at Filton Abbey Wood.

The work you mention sounds like it could be to do with the new Down Bristol Parkway Relief Line.

The current Stoke Gifford Siding which is currently at the end of the Down Goods Loop (Later known as the Down Bristol Parkway Passenger Loop) will be extended a short distance towards Filton and become the Down Bristol Parkway Relief.

This change allows a departure towards Filton from Platform 1 and a departure towards Wales from Platform 2/3/4 to leave Bristol Parkway simultaneously.

The line speed of the new platform line and the relief line is 50mph throughout. Platform 1 is likely to become the main platform for services towards Bristol from Westerleigh. Anything towards Wales has to use a 15mph crossover, similarly to avoid this everything will likely use the Down Bristol Parkway Relief.

There is also the proposed extra platform for Filton Abbey Wood, bringing it to Four Platforms, Now!

Chatting to 2 of the ticket staff at Abbey Wood late July I was told the work starts in Sept, although there seemed to be a real start already made as I went through there yesterday.

I have wondered about fitting the extra platform in at Filton Abbey  Wood (FIT) because as I see it platform 2 and 3 (which is a single combined platform for those unfamiliar with the station ) is quite wide in my opinion.

I look forward to seeing the progress later in the year

I was told the island platform would be narrowed a bit to make space for the new one.

That will be quite an exercise - those platforms can get quite busy at times.

There was a video visualisation posted a while back in this thread:  https://youtu.be/VFuvX1A1O1g

Doesn't show any narrowing of the P2/P3 island.  The previous discussion about changes to FIT took place from about post 120 onwards...

Paul

Thanks Paul -  I will have a view later.

They will be quiet whilst the line is closed.

Yes I guess so :) but I would have thought that changing the platform width (and relaying the platform 3 track) was a substantial task

From memory, I think there will be no need to move the line on P3. The supporting structure for the footbridge will need amendment.

Network rail have posted one of their timelapse vids of the demolition of Stapleton Road viaduct:

Here it is, on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2E2v8PhzpE)

I thought the choice of the Russian dance  from the Nutcracker suite by Tchaikovsky was excellent. If only they could have constructed as quickly as they demolished, electrification would have been finished by now !

"Trepak" - played on the flute by a 12-year-old Four Track, Now! as part of a pretty rubbish school orchestra. I did better with Jethro Tull.

Just now on Channel 5's Paddington 24/7, the demolition of the old Stapleton Road bridge.

Came upon this whilst walking the dog yesterday at Narroways. Note the deluxe viewing gallery, presumably laid on by NR, on the opposite bank. No takers, it seems.

Surplus Mk II seating?  :P

Possibly.

You know that moment, about halfway through your third can of Special Brew, when your bum sort of slides forwards off the edge of the sofa? Wouldn't want to try that there. possession or no!

Not exactly a 4 tracking post or an electrification one but did notice at Bristol Parkway yesterday that the new platform wall has been backfilled with what looks like spent ballast and the the old metal back wall has been removed and replaced with temporary barriers. Looks like it's soon ready for surfacing. Not sure when it's supposed to open though.

I was told 'by Christmas', 23rd or 24th December from a trusted source if not sooner.

It looks like the services are all in and ready for connection so all that's left would be the Christmas lights.

Rather more on topic, does this means Parkway will beat Abbey Wood in the (imaginary, in my mind only) race to open their new platforms? I suppose Parkway has the advantage of the track actually being in-situ.

Right, I'm puzzled.  What I thought looked like it was going to be new track bed at Filton Abbey Wood is being raised into a sort of hump...?

I was there is afternoon with kid bro looking at progress briefly. Didn't notice anything. Whereabouts was it? Could possibly be the area where the 4th platform is going. Could even be a temporary bit of shifted earth?

I think underneath it all, may be MARK my words, just a HOP skip and a jump away,may be the contrived ending of the work at Filton Abbey WOOD..... ::)

I see what you did there, chuffed (eventually)!

"He sleeps with the fishplates"?

Had a look at the local press and the Network Rail website but all seems very quiet about Parkway at the moment so I guess the new platform hasn't opened yet. That said, I wouldn't expect the lord mayor, local dignitaries and massed marching bands to accompany the opening of a platform but some blurb from NR to announce this modest achievement might be appropriate.

Would that be the Lord Mayor of Thornbury?

I was using the term rather generally but Ms Harrison would be a candidate there I'm sure.

No I don't think so, with my knowledge of the local area I would think the Lord Mayor of Stoke Gifford would be the most appropriate civic dignitary to attend if invites were being issued. I'll be passing through Parkway tomorrow so I'll post a progress report but passing through Westerleigh Village yesterday I couldn't see any additions to the already installed steelwork from which I reported on the 21st December. 

The December Operating Changes booklet all drivers have been given (19 pages of light reading!) says the following:



New Platform 1
From Sunday 31 December 2017, the new Bristol Parkway Platform 1
(on the Down Bristol Parkway Passenger Loop line) will be brought
into operational use. The platform length will be 280 metres.
An ‘S’ and IET ‘S’ Platform Stop Markers will be provided 10 metres
before the Bristol end of the platform.
The 3-state Banner Repeating signal BL1513BR is situated 162 metres
on approach to the platform starting signal BL1513.
Platform starting signal BL1513 is located just beyond the far end of
Platform 1 and is located on the right hand side.

Train Dispatch
Platform 1 starting signal BL1513 is obscured, to Guards and
Dispatchers, by the stairs leading off of the platform, so two ‘off’
indicators have been provided.
All platforms have the same method of dispatch in the down direction.
Please note this is a new platform to customers and colleagues alike, so
please take additional care to avoid any PTI incidents.

Platform 3 & 4
From Sunday 31 December 2017, Bristol Parkway Platform 2, 3 & 4
extensions come in to use. The platforms will be 280m long.
The PSMs on platform 3 & 4 for Class 80x services , in the Up direction,
will be moved 30 metres towards London.

Many thanks ... just checking abbreviations:

PTI - Passenger Train Interface ?
PSM - Platform Stop Marker (?) - that one is defined earlier in the text

Isn't that the seat - or in the case of long distance services to the Westcountry, the floor   ;) :D

How about Platform Train Interface?

Called in at Parkway, new platform looks definitely up and running. Happy to celebrate little gains as well as big ones. HNY Coffee Shoppers!

Physical Training Instructor.

It's been a while, so I took a look down Stapleton Road to see what's occurring.

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4631/40337175732_3b72efde8c_h.jpg)

What looks like capped rebar protrudes above the mound of rubble. Was that put there to allow access for men and machines while reinforced concrete pillars were created?

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4604/40382563461_3e8e6199e9_h.jpg)

P3 (as was) is fenced off from P2 (as is) while work progresses.

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4670/40382568271_6e532b7cc3_h.jpg)

A look behind one of those mounds reveals a chevron-shaped trench, presumably to reveal what utilities lie buried within?

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4622/25510267587_41a2bf3bb6_h.jpg)

A look in the direction of Temple Meads shows where the new steel will eventually be laid, to form Four Track, Now!

My regular jaunts on the Severn Riviera Express from Redland have shown progress but I still wonder when I will see the rails in place.

I seem to recall November 2018 being mentioned.

For info, there's a GA you can look at on the  Bristol City Council Planning Portal (https://www.bristol.gov.uk/planning-and-building-regulations/look-at-and-track-planning-applications), ref 15/00655/RA . Note the disclaimer: subject to further design...

...ooh, I just noticed there's also a little detail on one of the bridge piers: "corble(sic) for future OLE mast". I'm sure they'll value-engineer that away.

From the Urban Dictionary

Too right it's sick, although not necessarily out of context. A corbel may be of more use.

The things you learn on here !!! Is that 'sick' in the way the youngsters use the word, or 'sick' as we oldies always understood it to mean ?? ??? ::)
In a similar vein ..our local Wetherspoons is called the Posset Cup (pronounced Pozzit). Posset is the old name for Portishead. However to the young, a 'Pozzit' is what baby regurgitates after being fed ! I am sure Wetherspoons didnt take that into consideration !!

Lemon Posset ?.

I noticed today that both tracks now go through the eastern arch of the Bonnington Walk overbridge. There's also a lot of work going on at Filton Abbey Wood, presumably for the fourth platform, and new footbridges in place in Lockleaze and Narroways.

Sorry, Bmblbzzz, that isn't new work. I took this picture in March 2017:

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4776/38851709870_5f83a15c86_c.jpg)

I took this picture today:

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4802/38851231240_62f41b826e_c.jpg)

A lot has happened in the 12 month gap, but the railway ran through the eastern arches back then, and I think since it was reduced to two tracks in 1984. (IIRC).

Whilst I was in the area, I swung by Abbey Wood:

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4775/39766443985_87b4a6f722_c.jpg)

A retaining wall is well on the way, and it looks as if shuttering for work on the new platform is being prepared. More when I get a moment.

I thought it used to run one track through each arch, but all I'm saying is:  :-[ :-[ :-[

Google's time machine suggests that it's been like this since at least 2012...

https://goo.gl/maps/inLRCtnHeZy

Google's got another time machine that shows it like that in 1992... well, actually it's a 1999 view (slip of the brain, that).

PTI = Platform - Train Interface.

Inspired by a wave of extra activities ... I have a question.  "What is the cost of the 4 track on Filton Bank project" and a corollary "is that cost included in or extra to the MetroWest budget / cost".

Quick look, I found Rail Technology Magazine (http://www.railtechnologymagazine.com/Inbox/33m-project-to-four-track-route-between-two-main-bristol-stations/88620) from 4 years ago talking of a £33 milliion contract ( "Work to double the railway lines will begin in December 2014 and will be undertaken by Taylor Woodrow, following the award of a £33m contract by Network Rail.") but I wonder (a) is that the complete cost or are other contracts involved (and indeed there's Network Rail's own associated costs) and (b) is the figure current.

Well Grahame, for starters the TW contract doesn't include the signalling work as that is part of the ongoing BARS (Bristol Area Resignalling Scheme) project being carried out by ALSTOM.  Having seen the signalling plan for 4T, I would estimate that element of the work to them to be about £2-3M.

I would be astonished if the track work alone could be done for £33 million. The amount of work done so far is remarkable. The whole line has been reinforced and cleared, the bridge at Stapleton Road has been demolished in readiness for a new one, and there is still a long way to go before the easy bit - laying the rails - happens. Some work will have been done under the aegis of the paused electrification work or resignalling, so will appear under different headings in the accounts, but I seem to recall a figure of around £90 million being mentioned some time back.

Here's another report, this time from Construction New (https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/projects/contracts/taylor-woodrow-wins-33m-bristol-rail-upgrade/8671890.article)s, that says a bit more about what work is included in the £33M:

That doesn't say in as many words that no civils works were done under other contracts, so it's still possible that the replacement of Stapleton Road viaduct was - but the obvious reading of the text is that TW are doing the whole thing.

In which case, it looks a bargain. The Stapleton Road viaduct needed a complete rebuild anyway, so may have been excluded from the figures, but even so there has been a tremendous amount of work. The rebuild of the Easton Road bridge alone must have cost a pretty penny.
15Km - presumably that is 7.5Km each way? Because it's less than 4 miles from Dr Days to Filton Junction.

Browsing during the night ... some interesting official GWR pictures from the 1930s from the Bristol Railway Archives http://bristol-rail.co.uk showing Ashley Hill and Horfield stations.

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/sewweb_ashleyhill_old.jpg)

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/sewweb_horfield_old.jpg)

Both shown on some of the FoSBR suggestions ... what chance?  Any of the four track work being done in such a way as to protect the site(s) at least for platforms on what will become the slow (or will they be know as relief?) lines?

Grahame, the WR diesn't do FAST and SLOW lines its always MAIN or RELIEF lines........

The Horfield site, shown on the photo, has not been chosen as a potential new station according to what I have read. Consequently, I think a lot of the bank reinforcement work there has made no passive provision for a platform.
The picture itself seems to show the station after it had closed as the access routes and  the wooden ticket office by the bridge have gone.
If you are heading north along the line you can still see recesses in the bridge structure on the left hand side where one or two of the wooden joists for the ticket office were fixed to to the bridge itself (the other support being posts into the bank).
I'll attempt to add a photo showing the station with ticket office in a while.

Horfield Station the aforementioned ticket office and access routes.


http://bristol-rail.co.uk/w/images/5/51/Horfield6.jpg

Horfield didn't have a signalbox, the signals shown were the up relief and up main homes the main line being the pair of lines on the right in the photograph, the box operating those signals was Filton Incline Box the following box being Filton Junction box, a box I spent many hours in with my schoolmate train spotting in summer school holidays as his father was a signalman there.

Snowing in Yate right now, ahead of forecasts.

As it "It would be a relief to have some lines"?  ;D

I think the mooted site for a possible new Horfield station is further south, on Constable Road? And even then IIRC the line seems to be that there is only capacity for one more station and the favoured one is Ashley Hill.

Nice photos by the way.

Bmblzzz, that's correct. The preferred site for a Horfield station is by the Constable Road bridge. But that is only preferred as in where the local residents and councillors would like it. So far, there is no official body supporting the idea.

The work to prepare the trackbed for the new lines to go beneath the Bonnington Walk bridge seems to have obliterated the northbound former platform. The southbound may have gone too - it isn't easy to see or photograph over the bridge since the walls were raised for electrification work. I might be able to post some pictures when I get home (from a country that has had no passenger railways for 67 years).

If you want to get a good view of the works at Bonnington Walk, try Constable Rd overbridge. For some reason its parapet has not yet been raised.

Constable Road is easier to construct a step free access to platforms.

When a child we used to walk to Ashley Hill station although we lived in Horfield as there was no step free access to the platforms at Horfield for brother then sister in the pram. We crossed the lines using the barrow crossing.

I had a trip down the M32 today for the first time in a while.  The new north abutment for Stapleton Road Bridge seems to be in place and there was a large crane in the folded position and what seemed to be a DIY steel bridge deck kit next to it.  Looks like the Easter shutdown could also be used to put that in place.

The DIY steel bridge deck kit probably came from Ikea just the other side of the M32.  :D

Hope it is open on the Tuesday when they have almost finished and there are 2 nuts and a washer missing.

To celebrate my first day of doing proper part time working hours, I took a midday detour home to see how the new platform at Filton Abbey Wood was coming on. Clearly some way to go but without doubt getting there. No pics sorry but well past elementary ground work.

I've used that a few times with the telephoto lens. Here's the latest:

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4756/26790626408_7f953556af_c.jpg)

Chatting with someone really well in the know this morning, and he came up with a fairly tight band (10% from base to top) with that figure in the middle.

Considering what has been done, it's still a bargain.

I can confirm that the Filton 4 Tracking Project signalling scheme has made passive provision for a new 4 platform station at Ashley Hill.

Four platforms? That seems to run counter to the idea of having two fast through lines and two for stopping trains. Good to have it there, though. And good to have the whole thing there, seconding its bargainness!

Good news! I suppose the four platforms adds flexibility in case one of the slower lines is closed.

I didn't get that far today, although I had intended to have a look around the whole project. Instead, I called into Stapleton Road again to see what's occurring. This is a time of great activity, it happens!

The first thing of note is the temporary exit from the Temple Meads-bound platform, P2. The space formerly occupied by, and soon to be again occupied by, two lines has been levelled further, and contains the Mobile Welfare Unit. I thought this might contain a couple of social workers, some bean bags, crayons, maybe a psychiatrist, but I think it's just the brew hut on wheels.

(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/816/41030899552_fcd5635294_h.jpg)

Every temporary exit must have a temporary entrance:

(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/895/41030936882_bc0d452d6f_h.jpg)

(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/863/41030932482_34f8575742_h.jpg)

Looking the other way, the space between the former platforms 3 and 4 has bee filled in and levelled, no doubt temporarily to allow free movement of men and machines behind an equally temporary fence:

(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/802/41030928452_7ece3ccc16_h.jpg)

Looking back over that area from further along the plaltform:

(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/893/41030919172_d5c1be3d15_h.jpg)

And now, laydeez and gennermen, from the far northern end of P2, your first sight of the new viaduct, intentionally of a rusty appearance, sitting quietly between Stapleton Road and the M32, and awaiting installation in June this year:

(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/876/41030905332_4c33278be9_h.jpg)

If ellendunne is right, it came from the nearby Big Stupid Place, as Ikea was once known in adverts, and is called something like Trolleboda*

A further glimpse of the bridge from the station approach:

(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/808/27201252528_583011fa18_h.jpg)

Work on the northern abutment continues:

(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/896/27201257628_53a906f30a_h.jpg)

A slightly wider view, including the booth where the diggers pay for parking:

(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/871/27201265058_67d6f87421_h.jpg)

The abutment on the southern side seems as ready as it has ever been:

(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/893/41030954792_34cfbd37c2_h.jpg)

And my final shot is of the whole hole, soon to be bridged:

(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/800/39264673020_848b8cf602_h.jpg)

The schedule is for the viaduct to be installed in June, with Stapleton Road being closed for a period yet to be specified. Track formation work will begin very soon after that, with completion by November, and opening of the line in December, just in time for the January 2019 new timetable.There is a factsheet by National Rail (https://cdn.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Stapleton-road-viaduct-factsheet.pdf) covering the Stapleton Road work,  and a further NR document (https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/our-routes/western/great-western-mainline/bristol-upgrades/city-of-bristol/) covering all of the work in Bristol.

(*Many of the names given to products offered in Ikea are names of towns and villages in Sweden. My niece worked for Ikea all around the world, and said that it was strange, when she was in Sweden, to see buses going to a wardrobe or table)

Am I correct that this will be a two span bridge and that only one span is currently on site?  Or is it just the angle of the photograph making the deck seem shorter than it is.

As planned for planning in 2015 it was to have 3x20m spans. I think that picture looks like the whole thing, assuming it's not been replanned much since.

As for its being "intentionally of a rusty appearance", that's called a "weathering steel finish", that is. Apart from that it looks almost traditional in design, if decidedly post-Victorian. Except perhaps for the plastic walkway along the side, which is the reason for all those closely-spaced supports sticking out of it.

I couldn't remember the jargon! My description was not a criticism - I like the look of it.

And progress at Lawrence Hill ...

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/lawhill1.jpg)

Firstly apologies to Graham for disrupting your breakfast the other day, but thanks for sorting out my login issue.

From a regular user on the route, the bridge span looks like a single structure. It also looks like there is still some way to go before the supporting structures are going to be ready, some concrete pouring still to do.

A route that was 4 track not that long ago the amount of work to bring it back to engineering requirements today is quite frankly huge. Some of the biggest work looks to have been the underpinning work south of narroways. Subsidence in the area has been an issue for a number of years, hopefully now sorted.

Filton station work progresses but not entirely sure even now what the final layout will be.

Anyway Hi to everyone.

As coincidence would have it, I was also on Stapleton Road yesterday – on my way to and from Ikea! I got a Variera, which sounds like a nasty disease but actually bears a slight resemblance to an arched bridge, sort of, once you've got it together, if you squint a bit. Oh and some sylt... which sounds like it should be from Stockholm's harbour but is in fact jam. I did consider taking a photo of the big concrete ramp thing, but I'm glad I didn't because FT,N! has not only photographed it better than I would have but described it more accurately as well.

Yes, it does. I was surprised though. And if at Ashley Hill, albeit only passively, maybe also at Stapleton Road? Would make more sense there to enable changing between lines?

What does that involve? I mean, does a station actually need any signals, points, or anything of the kind? I though not.

Is it rather just an indication that, should anyone feel inclined in the future to build a station, that is the most likely place for it, so please try not to put any stuff there (not just signals) that would have to be moved later?

I was only quoting what is stated on the Signalling Scheme Plan (SSP).  I take passive provision in that context as meaning "don't put anything signalling or telecommunications related here" and nothing that might be civil engineering related (e.g. this is the best physical place for a new station).

One of the reasons quoted for the astronomic price for putting a track alongside the disused platform at Westbury has been "because there are lots of signalling cables buried there" - so no passive provision was made.  On the other hand, when we have challenge about cables being laid at present where a loop line would go at Chippenham (also to do with the old platform there, where we were promised passive provision), we have been told they could be moved very easily if need be.  I am struggling to understand the difference between the Westbury and Chippenham situations, and suspect that the difference is in the message that the infrastructure people want the community to hear ...

I think the main cable route to Westbury Panel passes that side of the station so 'lots and lots' of cables in the way.  At Chippenham, following the signalling re-control, there are likely to be a maximum of 4 cables in the way.

Word reaches me of track being laid somewhere around Lockleaze. My camera and I are out of Bristol for a frustrating couple of weeks.

Just a thought but could this be part of correcting the slew made to the lines after reducing to two tracks? The slew will need to be corrected at some time in order to make room for returning to four tracks and this might be how they do it with minimum line disruption.

The Signalling Scheme Plan shows some track slewing at the 1 1/2 mile post between Lawrence Hill and Stapleton Road stations.

I'll check soon, but I'm out of town until 18 April.

Some photos from Constable Road. Not good quality I'm afraid, FT,N!'s will be much better.
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/884/40420702755_0857db90d7_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/24zQEGc)

(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/891/41316287851_01584a4ef0_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/25WYLWx)

(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/866/40420704175_8c58f60279_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/24zQF7F)

Went and had a squizz at this just now. What may not be immediately apparent from the photos is the height difference between the old and the new: I'd take a stab that the old track is 700-800mm higher. Looking south from the bridge, it is looks like the old track will need to be lowered as well as slewed - which leads me to wonder whether they plan to dig out all the old stuff and build a new bed for it. Anyone know? Seems odd otherwise, given that as I understand it the new stuff we can see going in will be the local (i.e. slow) lines...

As I have said quite a few times on this forum now the WR doesn't do FAST, SLOW or LOCAL lines ::) :P.  They are MAIN and RELIEF lines.  The new ones in the photographs will be the RELIEF lines and the existing ones become the MAIN lines..... ;)  The new formation switches over from the RELIEF to the MAIN lines at approximately the 2 3/4 mile post (a short distance south of where the photographs were taken).

A new DOWN MAIN to DOWN RELIEF single lead junction is going to be installed in the foreground of the photograph, and the signal in view (BL1586) disappears as part of that work.  There will also be a new Up RELIEF to UP MAIN single lead junction in the far distance of the photograph partly under the road bridge.  Hence the gaps in the plain line track installation.  The two new junctions will be used by trains to/from BRISTOL PARKWAY (accessed from the MAIN lines at FILTON ABBEY WOOD station) that need to stop at STAPLETON ROAD and/or LAWRENCE HILL stations (with platforms only on the RELIEF lines).

I totally understand that "main" and "relief" are a tradition that goes back to Marc Brunel.   And that the term "slow" has negative connotations.  "Main" and "relief" strike me as odd when some station platforms are only on the relief lines; the feeling from the names is that trains should primarily run on the main lines and only switch to the relief ones for capacity reasons, and not because the stops are only on the reliefs!

I like the way that King's Cross to Barbican and Moorgate had the "Widened lines". Perhspa we should call the 2 new tracks being added up Filton Bank the "Widened lines" too, with the old lines designated the "Metropolitain lines" as MetroWest will be using them, with platforms only on that pair.

Grahame, dont forget that in an ealier post I mentioned passive provision for ASHLEY HILL station with platforms on all four lines.  I think in the case of STAPLETON ROAD and LAWRENCE HILL we are looking at GRIP 3 optioneering out new platforms on the MAIN lines for those stations on cost grounds...... >:(

I was slightly surprised to see what I saw. Sometimes you see a waggon loaded with track sections, and it's a length of rails with sleepers attached. I always thought that's how track was laid – sections of ready-assembled rail and sleepers put in position then welded together. But no, it seems that in some cases at least, the sleepers are laid down (with extras and/or mistakes!) then, presumably the rails attached.

Musical chains:
https://youtu.be/pIgZ7gMze7A

https://youtu.be/GZw_8PBdSfA

Being a pedant myself, I can only apologise for falling foul of this shibboleth. Just to be completely clear, though, does 'WR' refer to the Western Region of British Railways? Because that ceased to exist in 1992... ;)

As to the question of how the track will be laid, maybe something like this will be used? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLwO6u1J-w0

I'm hoping for something like this:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jrmZIgVoQw4 (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jrmZIgVoQw4)
(1m30 in)

Did he employ these terms when designing block pulley making machinery, or when designing the Thames Tunnel?  :P

It should of course be NR(W) (https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/our-routes/western/) these days.  ;)

Or maybe it will be like the scene with the train crossing the canyon in Back to the Future 3, there'll just be a flash of light and we'll wake up in the future?

I think a lot depends on what is there already.   Short panels have their uses, particular in areas of dense S&C, but if the final requirement is for continuous welded rail, and there are existing tracks to work from, (like in the case of four tracking an existing two track railway), I expect it is quicker to deliver the LWR strings (216 metres each) using the normal delivery trains, and then work from the existing railway using road rail machines for the nearest track installation on prepared sleepers, and then work from that track when complete to do the second (further) new track.

Added a video, showing how an RRV can transfer a dropped LWR onto positioned sleepers, starts about 2 mins in:  https://youtu.be/SupWOAddodw


I think the 'new track machine' in the video being used on the Borders, and the similar Balfour Beatty blue coloured machine are more useful when installing a single track for the first time where they are either working from one end to another, or they are installing the first track on a completely new formation, such as when the Bermondsey dive under work was in progress.

Paul

So which were 'MAIN' and 'RELIEF' lines through Stapleton Road/Lawrence Hill?

Regarding tackbed height, it looks considerably lower on the reinstated route and far lower than would make the old platforms viable.

Will it be only on the RELIEF (Northern) section that will require dual running signalling?

As posted above. The RELIEF lines pass through the existing STAPLETON ROAD and LAWRENCE HILL station platforms.

Not sure what you mean by dual running?

Except that if you have ever boarded a train at either station, you will realise what a step up to the train it is. I had to give a rather elderly lady a bunk-up at SRD one day, an experience I would prefer not to repeat. I left it to the crew to help her down at Lawrence Hill.

Something like this perhaps!."

http://c8.alamy.com/comp/BNYDH6/benny-hill-the-italian-job-1969-BNYDH6.jpg

Those are much better than I can do for now!

In the track laying videos, I'm surprised at how flexible the rails are. It's like a giant ferrous spaghetti machine! But I suppose that once they're fastened to the sleepers, that provides lateral rigidity, so as long as the rail is stiff in a vertical plane, that's all it needs.

Pictures of the laying of new rails for the Gloucester Warwickshire railway extension to Broadway recently displayed the same surprising flexibility.

Passed Stapleton Rd today - this picture isn't going to give Don McCullin anything to worry about, but it does show the new northern abutment with the new bridge span waiting in the background. I also noticed fresh new ballast at Lawrence Hill; not much, but progress!

Incidentally, my train (15.16 BRI - MTP) was bang on schedule. There's a thing.

It is an excellent photograph, Red Squirrel!

It's not a patch on mine... for that fuzzy, hazy, impressionistic, foggy look.  ;D :-\

While it's nice to have a perfect example of a photograph, with optimum exposure, white balance, and co-operative light, if yours is the only shot, it is the best there is! I like those you have taken, Bmblzzz.

Been following progress on the four tracking ever since it was first proposed years back, and was great to find lots more info about it on this thread, so finally joined myself!  After much driving around to various vantage points to see what progress was being made, decided to take a quick return trip from Parkway to TM about 10 days ago, which is when I saw the first new sleepers laid on what will be the new relief lines that have been photographed earlier in the thread by old Horfield station

Took another trip today and decided to video it from just past old Ashley Down station where the current track slews over from the old relief side to the current 'main' side.  Amazing progress since 10 days ago!  Have uploaded it onto youtube for anyone who's as interested in this project as I am  ;D

Here's the link....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiewgaJl9E4&feature=youtu.be

Also shows the amount of work going on at FAW where I paused, followed by the inevitable wait to get back into Parkway!   ;)

Look forward to returning in a week or so to see how things are progressing then

And a very welcome addition you are! By way of celebration, I shall post some new pictures when I have time to empty my camera.

A warm welcome from me.  Unfortunately I cannot get your link to work.

Ah, maybe if I got the youtube settings right!  Let me know if this one works please...

https://youtu.be/UiewgaJl9E4

Both links work equally well for me, and very good to see, too.

Both now working for me

It worked for me too! Meanwhile, on the very same day, I was looking at things from outside of the train:

Were you on this one, metalrail? I got a friendly toot of the horn from the driver. This is looking towards Temple Meads from the Constable Road bridge:

(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/859/41482577462_2abfffd08a_c.jpg)

The sleepers have appeared on that side of the bridge:

(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/831/40810830234_7dfa558cc5_c.jpg)

but in greater quantity towards Filton Abbey Wood:

(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/868/41524078041_5eec48baf7_c.jpg)

(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/900/27653462158_32bfd7a48f_c.jpg)

A close-up of a platoon of the Orange Army beavering away:

(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/857/27653424058_0c5b894b70_c.jpg)

as metalrail disappears into the distance, video still running:

(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/832/41482571222_488f0523bc_c.jpg)

I knew I should have bought shares in that gabion cage company:

(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/942/41482554212_cacf145afd_c.jpg)

(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/900/27653348458_86e3dd46e4_c.jpg)

Finally for today, work is going on apace to construct the fourth platform at Filton Abbey Wood:

(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/854/41482536812_bea8ee8ccd_c.jpg)

(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/829/27653326998_46b6447903_c.jpg)

but metalrail already knew that!

Haha nope wasn't me on that one, I was treated to a 'new' 3 coach 166 turbo both ways!   ;)

Great photos!  Good to see it in comparison to the existing lines too.  And yeah amazing just how many of the orange army are on it... I lost count of how many different sites they were working at all the way down between BPW and BRI!

Good photos! And... you've been stealing Red Squirrel's pile of ballast!

As long as they leave my nuts alone...

Apologies if i've missed this somewhere, but not been able to find any info on it....

One thing that's been puzzling for a while now is how Filton Junction will be remodelled...  does anyone know please?

Watched the Network Rail youtube clip a couple of years ago which showed the new 4 x 75mph crossovers to transfer stock from the relief to main lines at various points on the southern approach to FIT which would make sense if expresses had to be re-routed onto the relief lines, but will there be crossover provision at Filton Junction itself?

At the moment FIT platform 3 takes all Cardiff bound trains, and the junction itself has crossovers so those returning from Cardiff can transfer to what will be the new main lines to use FIT platform 1, which will no doubt become redundant once all Cardiff trains use both the relief lines at FIT following the introduction of new platform 4?

So will the junction be remodelled - basically switched around the other way - with crossovers from the BPW lines to FIT platforms 3 and 4 so that all local BPW bound trains can use the relief lines all the way down, leaving FIT platforms 1 and 2 free for all the 800 expresses and Cross Country Voyagers / HST's?  The animation vid still basically shows the junction as it currently is which seems weird, plus there's ample room to provide the crossovers the opposite way around

Otherwise, especially seeing as FIT is the only 'local' station currently with scheduled stops on main line services - plus the introduction of 4 new IEP's per hour between BRI and BPW - FIT platforms 3 and 4 will literally just see Cardiff services, whilst 1 and 2 will have all express stopping and through services (both GWR and Cross Country), plus all local BPW services, meaning the famous BPW area bottleneck will just get worse!

I'll post up a diagram of the F4T layout, but I need to draw it up first so it may take a few days...... ;)

That would be great SandTEngineer, thanks so much! :)

Took another trip yesterday to film the down side, starting just before Muller Road bridge where the current track slews over from the old main side to the current 'relief' side.  Trackbed all just about cleared, various stages of drainage works and ballasting.  Plus lots of progress on new Stapleton Road viaduct piers since last week, with new viaduct itself in the background.  Also showing the current state of Stapleton Road and Lawrence Hill stations

Here's the link....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DMrtx6qZMw

Got off at Lawrence Hill to catch the train back, and took a pic of how the station is now looking with nearly all of the new ballast down....

Still needs a lot of lineside vegetation to be removed though.

Just guessing - I know there's loads more people who will know better than me on this - with the amount of new sleeper work happening over the past couple of weeks on the new relief line side, that during the 2 upcoming weekend blockades in May between BPW and BRI, the current 'main' lines will be transferred to the new relief lines being laid just south of FIT, then rejoining the existing relief side lines at Ashley Hill, thereby removing the current track slew

That would then mean work can be concentrated on the new main line side between FIT and Dr Days

Happy to be wrong, and more interested to find out exactly what will be happening then!   ;)

Thanks for that video, metalrail - I hadn't seen the extent of the work on the northern abutment at SRD. I don't know what's occurring over the two possessions, but a bit of track realignment would seem a good idea, maybe even the installation of the live sides of the crossovers. The new viaduct goes up in June, and it would be so much easier to lay two new tracks and keep the railway running that way.

As promised above here is the diagram.  If you have any questions please ask. Apologies, but I can't seem to get it to fit to the screen width ::)

(http://cbrailways.co.uk/PhotoAlbumsPro/1379866239/F4T%20v02.jpg?cache=0.82959417850069)

So between Ashley Hill and Abbey Wood the Mains become the Reliefs and the Reliefs the Mains, is that so.

No.  Designers error  ::) :P  The RELIEF should be the top pair and the MAIN the bottom pair throughout.  Version 02 coming shortly..... ;)

Version 01 now replaced with Version 02 in original post above.  I'll get my dunces hat out and go and stand in the corner..... ::)

Has the Barrow Hill siding been reconnected to the Up Filton Relief?

It wasn't last time I passed over it (two weeks ago), but its still technically there as a siding and thus shown as in situ on all the signalling drawings.

Just to be clear, its not intended to be a scale drawing but what is called in the S&T trade, a facilities sketch.  If I do another update I'll make that a bit clearer on it.

I remember it being disconnected a couple years ago. Was plain track for a while.

See: http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=13173.msg142770#msg142770

Should have read that thread first to remind me. Was only a temporary disconnection.

Just a minor point, isn't the current line from North Somerset Junction to Dr. Days Junction (neither shown on diagram) a two way line to allow access to SPM from the Lawrence Hill direction. Issue 3 beckons ?

Yes. I can't update the drawing again just yet as I'm still standing in the corner of the room wearing my Dunces hat after the last error... ;D

Excellent stuff, thanks SandTEngineer!

Tho it does back up my original concerns about the FIT to BPW bottleneck only getting worse than currently...

They've kept all of the crossovers from the S Wales lines at Filton Junction, meaning all 4 platforms at FIT can be accessed by trains between BRI and S Wales, but still leaving only platforms 1 and 2 for all BPW traffic

At the moment the off peak service is 2 tph each way between BRI and S Wales, whereas there are 2 'local' tph each way between BRI and BPW plus 2 mainline XC tph each way between BRI and BPW, thereby doubling the amount needing platforms 1 and 2 at FIT compared to those at platforms 3 and 4

Also with the introduction of the new BRI - BPW - PAD 2 tph IEP services scheduled to run that will make a total of 6 tph each way going thru platforms 1 and 2 at FIT, with still just 2 each way thru platforms 3 and 4

I take it the new 'flagship' IEP services and XC services will always be given priority over local services between BPW and the new Horfield Junction where the new main to relief crossovers are being put in, which will surely only mean further delays and even more of a bottleneck?

And that's before they add any future additional local services that have always been mooted following the completion of the upgrade works

Surely it would make more sense to have the crossovers the other way around at Filton Junction allowing all BPW services to access all 4 FIT platforms?

Thanks for that, SandTengineer! One question: what exactly is "recovered track"?

Existing track to be removed

For my two pennorth, I'm confused as to why there's passive provision for a 4-platform station at Ashley Hill but not at Stapleton Rd...

Does seem weird...  FIT makes sense as it's where the line splits, and it was rebuilt there specifically for the MOD

But seeing as SRD already has 4 platforms (albeit currently half buried), and LWH still has it's island platform with plenty of room to reinstate the 4th if they cut the vegetation back to the boundary, Ashley Hill having 4 is confusing

Could understand it if the new Horfield Junction on the map with the crossovers between relief and main lines was between SRD and Ashley Hill in case they had to re-route trains if the relief lines were out of action due to track circuit failure / broken down train etc., but Ashley Hill is obviously before that junction

Obviously only the current platforms at SRD and LWH can serve the Severn Beach line with Narroways junction as it is, but any problem with the relief lines in that area would leave no platform provision at either of those stations

In (mainline) railway signalling design practice the colours used are:

BLACK - Equipment/track to be retained unaltered
GREEN - Equipment/track to be removed/recovered (Green for GO)
RED - New Equipment/track (Red for STOP or ADD)

Other colours are used to show options (e.g. BLUE, PURPLE or ORANGE)

Hope that is of interest?

Unfortunately there is no explanation on the signalling scheme drawing, it will be in the supporting paperwork somewhere, but I don't have access to that.

I should have been clearer in my question: Track to be retained unaltered is obvious, as is new track, but what does it mean that track is to be recovered? Does it mean it's already on site but will be taken from Position A and reused in Position B; so it's not actually new, but it is being altered?

<cynically>It's so they can not build/restore platforms at SRD, by saying there is provision for 4 platforms at Ashley Hill, but not build those either because (reason to be inserted).</cynically>

It means its there today but will be taken away completely when the RED work is commissioned.  In the case of the drawing for example, a set of points shown in GREEN will be taken away when the scheme is commissioned (or in some cases, as part of stagework prior to that).

That's not what I had thought at all, so I'm glad I asked. Thanks for the explanation.

Has anyone had a look at the Filton Bank recently to see if there is any developments with the new sleepers paid between the two bridges? Not had a look since mid April.

Yeah I saw on Monday that there's rails on most of those sleepers that had been laid before, plus a lot more sleepers and more track laid further down towards where the track slews over by Muller Road bridge.  I thought I was filming it again coming up Filton Bank, only to find when I got home i'd pressed the photo button instead of video and just had a crap blurry pic!  DOH!  Taking another one later today or tomorrow so will load it up then

We have Four Tracks, Now!  Well, in a couple of places anyway!  ;)

Lots more progress on todays trip since a few weeks ago...  loads more sleepers in place, plus rails laid onto the sleepers that had been laid before...  there's actually 4 tracks again in old Horfield station!  Would appear from where the new sleepers and rails are now in position that will be between where the new crossovers are to be installed from the new relief to the main lines.  Also a lot more work around FIT

Here's the journey up showing all the new sleeper and track work...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgAHZ1k0U9o

And back down from FIT to LWH showing more trackbed work, and more work on the new SRD viaduct piers...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFAms61u0aE

Be very interesting to visit again next week after this weekends possession to see what progress has been made then

...mmm.  7 1/2 months to go and a lot of work still to do.  The Lawrence Hill - Stapleton Road section seems to be needing the most work still.  Keep posting the videos!

I'm wondering if NR are missing a PR opportunity by not retrieving the old discarded rail between Narroways Junction and the Montpelier tunnel at the next possession of the line during 4 tracking. It would make a local heritage line a lovely siding or headshunt.
They could do with some nice headlines.

Appears there is still a lot of lineside and between lines vegetation needed to be cleared / trimmed back.

Thanks metalrail - I only get to see half of that from the Severn Riviera Limited.

Delighted to see that NR have added colourful decorations to the spraycrete - much of their work is so... utilitatian. I note that those bits of spare pointwork are still sat on the platform at Stapleton Road; wonder if they'll ever get round to recovering them?

Yeah that part seems to be moving slower at the minute, far less progress than further up the bank...  looks like they're concentrating on getting the new relief lines in first so they can remove the slew between FIT and Muller Road bridge, then they can concentrate on the rest of what will be the new main line trackbed from the new crossovers southward, over the new SRD viaduct and connect up at Dr Days


Certainly didn't take the 'artists' long to 'decorate' that new spraycrete... think there was less than a week before it was vandalised... oops sorry, artistically improved!  >:(

And that spare pointwork at SRD certainly seems to have taken root...  caught my eye the other day yet again, should be used to it by now!  ;)

Some pics from Sunday afternoon during Filton Bank possession...

Constable Rd N showing crossover being installed between 2 new relief lines just south of Bonnington Walk, Constable Rd S showing a load more ballast being delivered.  Tried to get a close up of the new crossover from Bonnington Walk itself thru the metal railings at the side but no joy, and even tho i'm over 6 ft tall i'd need a stepladder to try and see over the sides of the bridge now!

Then 2 of FIT, currently with no track into platform 3...  from the 2 pics looks as tho they're relaying the line from the junction to slew it over better in order to fit in the new track for platform 4.  Always noticed before that the line to platform 3 was slewed way over under the footbridge I was on to fit a second track under

Be interesting to see if it's completed for this week, or whether that's part of next weekends possession

You'll regret saying that soon!   ;)

Another trip up the bank this afternoon showing the work done over the weekend possession.  All the ballast delivered now pretty much covers all of the new relief side starting from the south slew, the first new crossover installed just south of Bonnington Walk, and the new track alignment from the current up main junction into FIT platform 3.  Look forward to seeing what next weekends possession brings now!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTBYPTJkLIc

The orange army didn't get to watch Meghan and Harry:
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/972/42230732381_2b9218d9f4_c.jpg)

That's from Constable Road looking towards Bonnington Walk yesterday about 1p.m. In the distance you can just see the switch from relief northbound to southbound lines (sorry, I don't know which is "up" and "down" deprived of the London-wards reference point). I'm not sure exactly what the yellow frames on the engineering train are but when I passed that way again about nine hours later, it was still there and a crane was lifting the long steel girder and depositing it on main northbound tracks, while acres of ballast was being spread the other side of Constable Road bridge.

They are probably the tilting wagons carrying the switch assemblies.

This was posted on Twitter  this afternoon.
https://twitter.com/networkrailwest/status/998191304562667520

This was the same view this afternoon (Sunday) around 3pm.  2 delivery freights - 1 on the down main having delivered the new switch and more rails, the other on the up main having delivered a boat load of sleepers both sides of Constable Rd bridge, so expect to see those along with the new rails delivered laid pretty soon now...

They're getting there.

Three and a Half Tracks, Now!

Then a trip to Bonnington Walk to figure out where the new switch delivery had taken place, as judging by SandTEngineer's new diagram posted recently looked like it would be just north of Bonnington Walk, and it was.  The first new switch was laid between the 2 new relief lines last weekend as in the pics, and the second new one (half of it at least) is being laid on the new down relief to crossover onto the up main, which will no doubt be installed either in the July possession or October blockade.  You can 'just' make it out from the only pic I managed to get thru the railings at the side of the bridge!

Nice photos. Good to see the progress. I’m hoping to have a look around for myself later this evening.

Just as a point of interest, the lines at this location are titled the ‘Up Filton’ and ‘Down Filton’, not the Up & Down Main.

Yebbut which way is which?

And I've just realized that having mentioned the Orange Army in my caption, there are none actually in the photo! But they were there...

It would seem then that I wasted my time posting a diagram here: http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=13113.msg236581#msg236581

Yeah as SandTEngineer pointed out a while ago when he posted the new track diagram, while there are just 2 running lines they are the Up Filton and Down Filton, but obviously now the laying of the 2nd set of running lines is taking place they're referred to as the 'Main' and 'Relief' lines as just Filton won't distinguish between them, and seeing as the new lines being laid will be on different 'sides' due to the current slew of the track halfway up the bank, we've been using what will be the new terminology to refer to each set...

So the 2 new lines currently being laid in the location of these pics will be the new up and down 'relief', whereas south of the slew before Muller Road until Dr Days the 2 new lines to be laid there will become part of the up and down 'main', joining onto the existing lines up to FIT

SandT's excellent new diagram clarifies all of this

Not wasted at all, because even if I'd forgotten it, other people won't have, and even if everyone forgot it, it would remain here as a resource. Although in fact it doesn't, as far as I can see, answer my question of which way is up and which way is down when the "to London" convention doesn't apply.

Up is North and Down is South...  think of it as the quickest route to London from that point, as it's going via the quicker Badminton lines rather than thru Bath & Chippenham

So looking north from Constable Rd & Bonnington Walk, the new 4 lines left to right are Up Relief, Down Relief, Up Main and Down Main

Are the 'Up Filton Relief, Down Filton Relief, Up Filton Main, Down Filton Main' names not going to be used on the new four track section?

Wouldn't having two sections of 'Up Main, Down Main' (with the line to/from Bath) in close proximity lead to confusion?

Judging by SandT's diagram yeah they will once it's all completed, as they'll also need to differentiate between the Up and Down lines on the Badminton (S Wales) Main Line...

Just easier on this thread here to refer to them as simply the Up / Down Main & Relief I guess as it's all to do with Filton Bank anyway

Not only that; there are scheduled services between BRI and PAD via BPW. Well, only one a day at the most, and much the same 20 years ago. There aren't any London trains going the other way around, and I doubt there ever were. (Disruption excepted, of course.)

So you don't think the proposed IET services between Temple Meads and Paddington via Parkway will happen?

EDIT: Sorry misread last word as "will be" rather than "were".

Now, where's my glasses?

Cheers! I wasn't sure if it was that or if up would be south, towards Temple Meads as the nearest major-est station.

1912 Paddington - Temple Meads. First stop Swindon then Bristol Parkway. Fridays only it also calls at Reading and Didcot.

There used to be a train that stopped at Paddington at about 8.30am ish that went to Temple Meads via Parkway. I think it then went on to Exeter.  The first time I caught it caused me a moment of concern that I had caught the wrong train. 

Mondays being very short work days these days, I sometimes divert my route home to pick up a few items from Filton Asda and have a quick nose at how the new platform works at Abbey Wood are doing. Took some pics today. Still no clear platform or track bed but some progress on the retaining walls.
Top pick looking north, bottom looking South towards Temple Meads.

Got a shot at a new angle on the Stapleton Road viaduct works today: From the top deck of the JustaBus j3 service(!):

#MeToo, although from the more traditional viewpoint of a 48A on Stapleton Road. I was heading home from my depressing MetroBust ride. I had taken my camera, but saw nothing I wanted to immortalise until this.

(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1733/41874114884_957d2b15f5_c.jpg)

(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1743/28720246008_11f1289dc6_c.jpg)

(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1756/28720241228_3c3aa0f347_c.jpg)

Rather impressive, I thought.

Impressive is the very word it brought to my mind too.

Wait until the vandals get their paint on all that nice clean white concrete.... ::) :P

Presumably white concrete was specified during the consultation with the local community as providing a suitable canvas for street art.

Sadly I doubt train passengers will be able to enjoy it, being as how it'll be rather tucked away under the bridge, but fear not! I'm sure the efforts of the St Werburghs massive on the spraycrete, a km up the line at Narroways, will compensate.

Some progress, viewed from Constable Road bridge. First one is looking north - not much new apart from a large stash of sleepers; second one shows that Gromit's been hard at it on the downhill stretch:

I am given to understand that the new pre-rusted bridge gets put into place across Stapleton Road this weekend. I am stuck in Devon, so won't be there to immortalise the event.

Perhaps Red Squirrel could do the honours for us?

Might see if I can do another voxpop on ITV news - it's such fun, embarrassing the kids...

Don't I just know it!

As requested, I cycled down to Stapleton Road today to see how they've getting om. I'm sure NR will cover this with one of their lovely vids with the uplifting music, but for now:

1. New span in place over Stapleton Road, looking south.
2. View from underneath this looking towards M32.
3. Looking north from northern end of platform. The new bridge appears to be a lot lower than the existing one; not sure how that works!
4. Looking north from footbridge. Note that they are demolishing the platform edge.

One more to follow...

...and this one looking east from footbridge - more footings than you'd think necessary for extending the footbridge.

I suspect that the latest standard NR "U bridge decks" are designed (assuming clearance above the road allows) to allow the normal depth of sub-base and ballast to run through the bridge.

Open to correction on this of course, but I suppose it will become clear before long when the ballast gets delivered.

Paul

I'm surprised at the distance there seems to be between the new span and the old stone bridge. Was there as much clearance to the old steel bridge? I also think in a way it's a shame they took the steel 'bows' (sorry don't know the technical term) down, they were more attractive in fact than Brunel's stone arches – but if it was too expensive to repair them, so be it. Good to have the new bridge up.  :)

Yup: http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=13113.msg217412#msg217412

Thanks!

RS, Thanks for the update.  Keep them coming!

Excellent pics as always...  rather you than me cycling in this heat!


Seems such a waste...  every time i've gone past recently i've lived in the vain hope of them being retained / refurbed so that it could be put back to a 4 platform station now the extra 2 lines are being put back too.  Especially as there's already passive provision for 4 platforms for the proposed new Ashley Hill station!  And there's still plenty of room to re-instate back at LWH...  oh well, back to reality  ;)

I think the underlying principle of the four-tracking is to separate local and through traffic thus adding capacity.  If you run local traffic on the through lines you will reduce their capacity and negate the reasons for the four-tracking.

I understand your point, but as an outside observer it seems to me that one of the bigger problems with the way railways are run these days is their inflexibility and lack of redundancy. Wouldn't retaining the main line platforms at Stapleton Road, together with perhaps a connection to the reliefs just south of Narroways Jct, have allowed greater flexibility?

Yeah that was my thinking on it too, not for general day to day running but more for redundancy.  The 4 track stretch between Didcot and London springs to mind, where a lot of the local stations in between still have platforms on all 4 lines, but generally only use the relief ones unless there's an operating incident - broken down train, points failure etc

Keeping the new through main lines free is great to free up what will be the new relief lines to run more local services, but as RS points out there doesn't seem to be any redundancy built in which seems like a bit of an oversight, seeing as the whole premise of re-instating the four track was to run more local trains more often

With no connection between the main and reliefs prior to Narroways in the up direction that will mean any issues with the relief lines between there and Dr Days will shut down all Severn Beach line services, plus with more services planned on that line on a greater frequency, and also the introduction of new services on the Henbury loop once the fast trains have been switched to the new main lines, building in redundancy to keep the local trains moving would seem to make more sense, especially as there's no crossovers from the main to relief lines anywhere up Filton Bank that I can see (I may be wrong) as they all seem to switch from relief to main, meaning that after Dr Days the first crossover from main to relief is north of FIT

Ahem.  The modern day thrusting railway doesn't do 'redundancy', it only does 'just in time' (or in the case of NR/GWR, 'just too late')...... ::)  :P

A quick update on Stapleton Road Bridge. I was there at about 14.00 today watching the second section being installed. Got there just after 13.30 from Filton Abbey Wood with half an hour to wait for the Severn Riviera Express and the section was just being moved from where it had been stored. By the time I pulled out on the train it was nearly in place.

By way of answering my own question, I just found Prior Approval Notification 17/05003/RA - 'Prior approval notification of proposed extension of the Stapleton Road footbridge, as part of the Filton Bank Four Tracking rail project' on the Bristol Planning Portal:

All available land to the east of the station is to be filled with an access ramp for the extended footbridge, which will double back on itself three-and-a-half times to achieve the required slope and height. Most of Platform 2 will be filled with another access ramp which only doubles back once, mostly consisting of a long straight run laid out in such a way as to obstruct most of what could become Platform 3. There will be no ramp for Platform 1, presumably because there is level access from here to Belmont Road.

Just for the fun of it, I calculated how far someone with a buggy or wheelchair would have to go to get from Platform 1 to Platform 2. By my reckoning it is about 750m - is that a record?

Not sure.   Would need to measure Trowbridge and Bradford-on-Avon, and I suspect Bridgwater and Weston-super-Mare may be quite long.

To be fair, most of the distance is what's already there, going down to Stapleton Road and back up again by a decidedly roundabout route. The Alpine bridge replacing the path across the track bed does add nearly 200 m though, being 6 m up and down at 1:15. The question is, how much is it worth Network Rail spending on a route between the two platforms if it doesn't form part of any likely intended journey?

I'd say the footbridge at Stapleton Rd forms part of a lot of intended and actual journeys every day, just not many of them involve a train.

And why not? If there is ever a Greater Bristol Metro or a proper MetroWest Rail with local trains every 10 to 15 minutes, what would be wrong with going Sea Mills to Abbey Wood, as an example, changing at Stapleton Road instead of going all the way to Temple Meads to change? Somebody probably does it already, although in the interesting times when we can predict the arrival of earthquakes with almost the same accuracy as the next train, it takes some balls.

Using the same rough-and-ready calculation, Trowbridge is about 460m; Bradford is under 400m assuming you can get to the south side through the park. Bridgwater is a footling 200m if you start at the station footbridge, rather less if you just want to get from the southern end one platform to the other. Weston-super-Mare - ah, now you're talking! At 650m, Weston comes close to the future Stapleton Road arrangement, and of course it is a clear winner if the gate is locked and you have to go back...

Stapleton Road is unlikely to be a major interchange until service are frequent and reliable (I think that's called "MetroWest" when it become the logical point to change if you're travelling Clifton to Filton, for example - indeed not only logical but mandated, unless there is an easement that would allow doubling back via Temple Meads.

Weston-super-Mare is less of an interchange; local passengers from Weston Milton and Bedminster to Bridgwater I suppose (and similar journeys) but unsure as to whether there would always / ever be a platform change necessary?   

Further question - TVMs.   At Weston, are there ticket purchase facilities on the eastern platform - or would wheelchair / buggie passengers who do not have tickets need to purchase them at the western platform before taking that 650 metre walk?  If so, the distance involved is important for far more that just the connecting passenger!

Just to add to the fun, the access road from Stapleton Road to Platform 2 (towards BRI) is steeper than 1:12 and is about 140m long. You need to get up that before reaching the luxury of the 1:15 ramp up to the footbridge. The access road is also a mess of potholes and very uneven, but presumably that can be fixed!

The mother of all platform changes has to be at Gloucester

Sounds about right for a skateboard nursery slope. They can hone their skills before tackling the Cenotaph.


Yes. At least in theory.

Out and about this morning, before it got too hot. I've taken BNM's tip and hosted the images on imgbb.com, so let's hope I've done it right!

First two are the now more-or-less complete Stapleton Road viaduct:
(https://image.ibb.co/ju68go/sr1_20180708_113724.jpg)
Note the sticky-outy bit (I think that's the correct engineering term) on the side of the leftmost pier; from the plans I think that is for an access gantry of some sort:
(https://image.ibb.co/h1bPMo/sr2_20180708_113813.jpg)
Network Rail were out in force on Filton Bank; hard to get decent pics as everything was so far away from anywhere I could access, but this one (taken from Bonnington Walk looking south) shows track panel wagons. There was also a trainload of sleepers just south of this:
(https://image.ibb.co/mPdM1o/bw_20180708_104742.jpg)
Finally Parkway station, where there appeared to be more than enough buses to meet demand. To a passing cyclist, this looked like a model of quiet efficiency; YMMV.
(https://image.ibb.co/iMXQST/pw_20180708_110346.jpg)

Edit: Apologies for false start; should be OK now. learning curve and all that!
Another edit: Third time's a treat!

Can't see any images there.  :(

 

Look good - thank you!

Ah, belay that; I dug out the plans (15/00655/RA  on the Bristol Planning Portal for them as might be interested) and I see that my memory has been playing tricks with me; it is actually a 'corble (sic) for future OLE mast'. Let's hope some of the younger readers live to see it employed.

Yeah, photos! Thanks, Red Squirrel. By the way, I've never heard of imgbb.com, I presume it's something like flckr but in some way better, or at least supposedly better?

Good pictures indeed, Red Squirrel! I wnet along Statpleton Road on Thursday, but without chance to take stock or photos.

I switched to Flickr from Photobucket when the latter decided to charge. I shall look at imgbb, just in case.

BNM suggested it; a quick google suggests that not everyone loves it - I wouldn't use it for primary storage, for example, nor would I put stuff there if I cared about my copyright - but it does the job.

Unfortunately the images do not appear on my MacBook Pro or iPad but do so on an old iPhone!

A picture below of Filton Abbey Wood new platform at about noon today. Looking South the platform wall has been started. It looks like they have started at the southern end and are working north. The arrangements of the supporting walls are now making more sense with the course of the permanent access ramp now becoming clearer. They looked quite busy on the wall for the time being, perhaps there will be a lot more progress to show in the next few days.

Well that saves me the bother of posting the identical photo I took yesterday!  :)

Took another look at Filton Abbey Wood today. After what seemed like a brief pause in progress, the platform wall construction has resumed. There was not really enough visible progress from my previous picture to justify a new one yet but the wall is now nearly half way from it's southern extreme to the footbridge so more obvious progress could be imminent.

Bristol Parkway to be closed from 15 September - 07 October and from 27 October - 19 November trains will not run between Temple Meads and Parkway and will include the Severn Beach line. I presume this will be to connect up and commission the four tracking.

The signalling commissioning is over xmas 2018/new year 2019.

Will the Crosscountry trains be using the Henbury loop again?

The first of those closures, 15 September to 6 October, is for Parkway's electrification. Presumably the full block closure is preferred there because there is a reasonable diversion via Bath, and for XC trains via the Severn Tunnel, Newport, and Lydney. Buses fill the other gaps around Parkway.

Filton Bank's fourtification also gets a 23-day block closure (27 October to 18 November), as well as weekend ones (13 and 14 October and 24 and 25 November and 1 and  2 December, though they may involve other stuff too). The services for those have not been announced yet, but the "expected" route for XCs is via Swindon and Bath. For most other routes, it is buses and more buses.

Last time they used the Henbury loop for north-south trains was when they redid  Filton junction, so the Severn Rivera line was available (though not for its usual users!); this time that line is included in the blockade. I presume that there are good reasons for this - a layman might imagine that it was overkill.

Don't forget that there will be work at Dr Days junction to connect up the four tracks and this work will affect the Severn Beach line

Well that's the thing, see: according to S&TE's excellent diagram, the current lines from Temple Meads to Narroways - the reliefs, in the new scheme of things - don't appear to be affected by the remodelling. So I'm assuming that the closure is for safety reasons.

(http://cbrailways.co.uk/PhotoAlbumsPro/1379866239/F4T%20v02.jpg?cache=0.82959417850069)
Diagram courtesy of SandTEngineer

If there's a bit off heavy plant needed for the day it could mean there is a possibility of occasional obstruction that cannot be safely predicted.

The current up and down lines will be breached on Filton Bank where the lines are slewed to run from the original formation of the relief line to the original main lines so as to connect the new tracks to run through the new platform and the added 3rd platform and for the new relaid tracks from Dr. Days Junction tracks can be connected through the original Abbey Wood platforms.

In the olden days of semaphore signalling the box controlling what SandTEngineers excellent diagram labels as HORFIELD JCN was FILTON INCLINE SIGNAL BOX.

I spent many an hour in the next box up the line, FILTON JUNCTION, with my school chum whose father was a signalman there, sat on an old cushion on an upturned metal milk crate.

One day when I got time I'll put down some memories of my adventures in the late 50's with my school chum which at one point included a footplate ride on GWR 3440 CITY OF TRURO from Filton Junction to Swindon when the loco was working the Bristol - Swindon via Badminton all stops diagram in 1958 I think it was.

Yes, but I don't understand why the Beach line needs to be closed for many weeks when, as far as I can see, there will be no breach at any point between Narroways and Temple Meads...

For engineering trains ?

I like this word.  :)

A quick visit to Abbey Wood today while passing by. Platform wall building has seems to have slowed again over the last week but there is general progress on show with quite a bit of earth moved. Here's a few pics:

Top pic looking North from bridge. Middle pic, further view north.
Bottom pic, looking South from bridge.

Are there any plans to alter p!atform 3 to accommodate the additional line?

I appreciate it's difficult to judge at the moment but when it was originally built it was a very simple retaining wall and rubble fill afare to expand platform 2. And there have been numerous spray paint lines in the past 18 months indicative of new platform edges, that was my interpretation.

Given the extent of the current work, the realignment of the platform would be minimal.

Is there really enough space for forty tracks? ;D

A chat almost a year ago with some GWR train staff waiting at Abbeywood for their next train suggested this. From what I have seen, this might have been more speculative than actual.

Some photos taken yesterday from Narroways footbridge.

Looking north, sleepers all the way:

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/Narroways_cutting.jpg/1024px-Narroways_cutting.jpg)

Looking south; sleepers now nearly reach Stapleton Rd viaduct (just visible before the track disappears behind the trees in the distance):

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/Narroways_jct.jpg/1024px-Narroways_jct.jpg)

Didn't take long for the artistry graffiti to appear..... >:(

Went to Bristol today, massive progress since I last went 4 months ago, and it isn’t an easy project that has been set out.

On Filton Banksy?   ::)

Yup, and just think, if they hadn't bothered to rationalise it in the 80's, they probably wouldn't have spent as much money over the last 30 years as they are spending now.

On another forum there is a picture of the new footbridge at Stapleton Road and mention of rails laid on the new up main under Narroways footbridge. Anyone able to get some pics?

I might have a try on Monday. Was going to have a look this afternoon but plans have been altered.

Never does. Head for Ashton to see the newly erected and newly daubed MetroBust bridge. It hasn't had a passenger yet.

Passing by Filton Abbey Wood Station today and took this south facing pic. Not a breathtakingly large among of visible change since my previous posted photo but progress nonetheless. No north facing pic this time as not that much has happened.

Went up it yesterday. Ballast and sleepers down on the final stretch towards Temple Meads, so can't be that long before it's all operational.

Have to say that it looks like a very thorough job, lots of shiny steelwork and concrete throughout.   

From what I could also see yesterday from the front top deck of the Y1 to the city centre sleepers and rails in place over new Stapleton Road bridge.

Will there be a ceremonial renaming of Four Track, Now! on completion?

Paul

When would that be? Is he nearly finished now?

To "Now wire me up!" perhaps?

There has been some discussion of this rather important matter elsewhere on the forum, but I'm blowed if I can find it now. I did adapt from Four Track Now to Four Track, Now! to celebrate the announcement that the work to go ahead, an event in the distant past. I shall think of something, possibly even appropriate, when the first train runs on the new steels.

The truth of the origin of my handle is probably a little anti-climatic. I had been looking for information about the project when I stumbled across the Coffee Shop. As I suppose many do, I rather lurked for a while. Eventually, I felt I had something to add to the conversation, but found no inspiration when I needed it. Four Track, Now! was the best I could come up with at the time. It has given me some fun, though.

Tony

From the Opening Notice (Yellow Peril)
Note: This is not the final arrangement.  That will be commissioned over Xmas/New Year 2018/2019.

EFFECTIVE 05.20 MONDAY 19 NOVEMBER 2018

Signalling and permanent way alterations affecting the working of the lines
between Dr Days Junction, Lawrence Hill and Stoke Gifford Junction / Filton
Junction No.2

OVERVIEW OF THE SCHEME

• The existing two track railway (Up Filton and Down Filton lines) will be
augmented by two additional running lines between Dr Days Junction /
Narroways Hill Junction and Stoke Gifford Junction / Filton Junction No.2
(excl).

• The lines described will be controlled by the Stoke Gifford and Temple Meads
work stations in Thames Valley Signalling Centre (TVSC) in Didcot.

• Some signalling equipment identities will be changed.

• A new junction, known as Horfield Junction will be provided.

• New (or altered) three-state banner repeating signals will be provided.

• Filton South Junction will be taken out of use.

• Train detection will be by axle counter.

• Point heating will be provided on all new power-operated points.

LINE NAMES AND STATUS

The existing two track railway (Up Filton and Down Filton lines) will be augmented by
two additional passenger class lines between Bristol East Junction and Stoke Gifford
Junction / Filton Junction No.2 (excl) as follows:

• Up Filton Relief and Down Filton Relief between Dr Day’s Junction and Filton
Junction No.1 on the formation of the former Up Filton and Down Filton lines
at the Bristol end (between Bristol East Junction and the 2m 70ch position
approx.) and continue as new infrastructure to Filton Junction No.1.

• Up Filton Main and Down Filton Main between Dr Day’s Junction and Stoke
Gifford Junction on the formation of the former Up Filton and Down Filton lines
at the Stoke Gifford end (between Stoke Gifford and the 2m 70ch position
approx.) and continue as new infrastructure to Dr Day’s Junction.

STATIONS

Filton Abbey Wood
•Platform 1 and platform 3 will be extended towards Bristol East Junction, to be 117
metres long (128 yards).

•Platform 2 will be extended towards Bristol East Junction to be 126 metres long.
A new platform 4, (117 metres long) on the Up Filton Relief line will be brought into
use.

Thanks for the information!
If that’s not the final arrangement, then what change is being made at Christmas?

Does this mean, subject to train and staff availability, we should see more reliable and frequent services in the new year?

Or will these upgrades lie idle for years, like all the Metrobus infrastructure in along the M1 corrider.

There is an additional third reversible track between Bristol Parkway and Filton Abbey Wood North Junction to be connected and commissioned.  Also an additional bit of reversible signalling through Filton Abbey Wood station to be commissioned.

Are you sure there is to be a third reversible track between Bristol Parkway and Filton Abbey Wood North Junction ?

I could see no evidence of this when I last travelled that stretch before the current blockade and that section is almost wholly on a raised embankment.

I understood the down line over that stretch was to made reversible so as to have a down, an up and a down reversible, 3 routings but only two tracks to do it on.

Apologies, had my 'railway speak' hat on.. ::)  The third line ends half way around the chord between Bristol Parkway and the closed Filton Platform station.  Its being laid on the site of the existing Stoke Gifford Siding which itself is being recreated adjacent to the existing siding.

Being of a certain vintage I can remember when the third line spoken of was a head shunt for a very busy Stoke Gifford marshalling yard but was taken out years ago. There was a second head shunt which when that was taken out performed that function for the much reduced freight facility but has been incorporated into the routing to Filton Abbey Wood from Parkways new platform 1 and I have noted and speculated that the works being done was to re-instate the "lost" head shunt.

Looks like I need to do an additional drawing to that I did earlier in this topic for the Filton 4 tracking bit, to show the Bristol Parkway bit.  Watch this space.....

Here we go then:

(http://cbrailways.co.uk/PhotoAlbumsPro/1379866239/Bristol%20Parkway%202018%20v01a.jpg)

 :)

With the lack of details about new rail schedules, for December, is it known when the extra trains from Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington , via Bristol Parkway, will run?

It is great,   :D, to have all this investment at Bristol Parkway, Filton Abbeywood and Filton Bank, but the lack of coordination and clarity of delivery leaves me, and others, unsure when things will actually get better and justify all this hassle.

All those five car IETs sat doing nothing waiting to work the Parkway Bristol’s... any long forms expected  ;)

Nothing new in December, existing timetable continues even beyond May TT change apparently. So looking to December 19 before we finally see the fruit of the years of infustructure work on the GW network in terms of frequency changes and faster journey times.

Almost exactly as I had been led to believe.

I was unaware that the Down Tunnel line was to be made reversible between Patchway Junction and Stoke Gifford Junction but it does make sense as all the trackwork needed to allow that move to be made exists and has existed for years, all needed was the signalling enhancements to allow it. Thanks SanTEngineer.

Maybe they could take over a few turns on the Didcot-Oxford shuttle ...

Solve the peak capacity problem and put the IET stop boards already installed at Radley to some regular use.

(Not quite as silly as it looks as there are some Turbo diagrams that go Paddington-Oxford-Didcot-Oxford-Paddington.)

You're not looking at the maths of releasing 165 and 166 units westward prior to the arrival of the 769s are you, making use of 5 car IETs rather than holding back cascades?

By the end of March, all HSTs will be gone. So working it out you’d have waiting for the new timetable 1 or 2 from the Cheltenham Rotation, 4 from the Parkways, and all of the rest of the IETs not working to full ability.

Presumably the new track will actually be used, though? It would be nice to see fewer delays on the Severn Beach line...

I'm assuming that at the very least all the XC trains between BPW and BRI will be switched to the new Filton main lines, thereby relieving both SRD and LWH that commonly have to wait for the faster XC services to clear the current 2 tracks at the minute as they generally take priority

You would expect it would be used improving the reliability of the existing timetable.

Bearing in mind the seeming response "the answer is no - what is the question?" default from Network Rail to (even working) timetable change requests from January, make no assumptions.  My understanding is that even things that would seem obvious to do in January (and perverse not to be done) are not being given an easy passage.

Given there are only platforms on the relief side and that the current track alignment shifts from relief to main i don't see how they can not use the new track!

They did the same when BPW new Platform 1 was first opened...  it didn't have any scheduled services running through it, apart from the odd time when there were severe delays, such as a time I remember when a S Wales service was blocking platform 2 due to signalling cable theft around Newport / Cardiff, so they had no option but to run trains thru the new platform then

However after a while they started to run the 'local' FGW services into platform 1 - the ones I always catch from BPW to LWH - which helped alleviate the issue seeing as these often run late resulting in them conflicting with the XC services running thru platform 2 which are scheduled 5 or so minutes later

With the new signalling in place, then hopefully without need for a timetable change, the signallers at Didcot will soon realise delays can be reduced by running the XC along the new main lines...  and with the new platform 1 old siding now passing the old Stoke Gifford junction to connect to the chord further down the line as per SandT's excellent new diagram, it will mean parallel departures from P1 to filton bank along with P2 to S Wales will also be possible

Ever the optimist!  ;)

The key feature of the new Bristol Parkway layout is that all platforms will be accessible from all directions.  Thats a huge capacity increase.  But.....don't forget that NR signallers are under strict instructions to keep to timetabled order, and generally the signalling system will operate in ARS mode which will ensure that happens anyway.  So I anticipate use being made of the flexible track/signalling layout in times of severe disruption only  ::)

So generally the ARS will be up, and only when the ARS is down will we see flexibility...

Whats the point of having millions of pounds of new toys and never using them?

My wife tells me that when her mother used to say 'someday' her stock reply from 3 years of age was someday never comes.

I doubt that very much.  When ARS is off the signallers still stick to timetabled order.  They are under strict instructions to do so on pain of disciplinary processes being started against them (well thats what I'm told by several good signaller friends).  I'm affraid it's that 'money go round' thing again.

In fairness, after the similar recent improvements at Oxford, there have been many instances where the extra flexibility has been used when it would’ve been quite easy not to bother.  Let’s hope the same applies at Bristol Parkway.

Hopefully.  I'm trying not to be all negative about it.  A lot of hard cash has been spent on making the Bristol Parkway layout totally flexible.

...anyway, back to the Filton 4T project.  Do any of our local correspondents have any more photographs showing recent progress.  Only 5 weeks to go to start of commissioning.

When the ARS is off, it will be replaced by a system known as Extreme Limited Bodging Operations.
 :D

My fairly regular Monday look at Filton Abbey Wood was scuppered today by being on a work training course which ran until the available daylight became too little for a viewable photo to be taken. My employers, off course, extend their apologies to forum members and I will endeavour to add another of my progress photos from there next week.

Just seen, according to FOSR FB page, the Stapleton Road footbridge extension steps will be completed on 19th November and the access ramp next spring.

Hoping to take another couple of vids either tomorrow or wednesday between FIT and LWH / BRI both up and down which i'll post up.  Last one I posted up was in May, and took a few in June & July but was very little difference to show then...  should hopefully be able to show some big changes this time with just the new points to go in between the 2 sets of lines   :)

OK, 5 months since last vids posted and loads more to see as expected...

Filton bank down side starting from BPW new Platform 1 and the new 3rd line from there to halfway around the chord to Filton North Junction, showing all the new embankment work.  Things get more exciting around 4m 40s where current track slews over from old main side to current 'relief' side. Amazing to see the 2 new lines all the way from the slew then over the long disused M32 bridge and new Stapleton Road viaduct.  From there it's 3 and a half lines thru SRD, and 3 up through LWH.  Also note the gap between the 2 sets of lines where passive provision has been made for a new Ashley Hill station

https://youtu.be/zxVJv-3xrBo

Then back up Filton Bank starting from Narroways junction up to a now very electrified BPW.  Most of the 2 new lines in place from the slew upwards, with gaps where there are current signalling equipment to be moved, and the crossovers piled up which will form the new Horfield Junction between Constable Rd & Bonnington Walk.  Also a gap around the current Filton South junction which will be removed as the 4 new lines will go straight through the 4 platforms at FIT, with the new platform 4 now looking much more complete

Excuse the reflection of the seats in front and my fingers holding the camera...  ain't complaining seeing as it's such a lush day!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ4dtc5ZBz4

Helps if I get the link right!

https://youtu.be/sQ4dtc5ZBz4

And finally a few new pics around LWH

First showing LWH as it looks now with almost 4 tracks running thru again at long last, and also showing how much room there still is to rebuild the centre island platform and add a 4th on the opposite side (i'm dreaming again!)

To paraphrase the initials of a famous Indian batsman, it looks if it will be Very Very Soon, Tracksman ! :o

Looks like a bit more than a little weeding is required alongside the new UP MAIN.

Thanks for posting those video updates METALRAIL.  Still looks a huge amount of work to do in the 6 weeks between now and commissioning on 19 November 2018.  One thing does disappointment me is the amount of lineside vegetation that could have been removed during the Bristol Parkway blockade.

Got some other pics from LWH over the bridge with the new rails leading right up to Dr Days, but can't get them to upload at the minute

Yeah I noticed that as we rounded the chord seeing as my camera was obviously fixated out the window trying to pick out all the new works, and how overgrown it seemed to be

Apologies if asked before, but will the improvements be sufficient to enable a new Henbury loop service to be run, or will there need to be further works on the mainline?

Once the four tracking is finished and the signalling commissioned that should be it as far as the Filton Bank lines are concerned, as trains from the Henbury loop will be able to access all platforms at FIT, and also onto BPW

The issue will be on the loop itself between FIT / BPW and SAR, getting that re-signalled for passenger train use - that's if they decide to go for the full loop option rather than just running them to Henbury and back

And also if they want to get the new Ashley Hill station built (which they've left room for with the new line alignments up the bank) which I think was also part of the Henbury loop phase of Metrowest, which i'm guessing would need some signalling changes for the new platforms there too?

From my understanding, the main issue with the Henbury Loop is that the now retired head of the unelected local enterprise partnership decided that just a "spur" to Henbury was best for the likes of us. To do this they cited a load of dated stats regarding railway viability and just as questionable costings. This decision also happened to please the Port of Bristol Authority who opposed the loop. I'm not saying they had any undue influence with the now retired head of the LEP, just thought I'd add this information.

He might have changed his tune now that he works for the company that want to build houses on the airfield. There are still plans for a deep water container terminal at Avonmouth (https://www.bristolport.co.uk/trades/containers/deep-sea-container-terminal) though. In the unlikely event of that actually happening, the line would see a big increase in freight, hence the Port's opposition.

I heard the opposition from the port authority lay with the increase need to close the level crossing at the port gate should the loop materialise. Bridging the gap might cost a bit but bridges and flyovers seem all the rage with Metrobust these days and this would, after all, actually for something useful.

Let's hope now with his change of tune and employment (!) the way more sensible loop option is brought back into consideration...

Meanwhile, couple more pics from yesterday at LWH, looking towards Dr Days

Thanks Grahame for sorting the upload issues  :)

I thought that some signalling enhancements were carried out a few years ago to allow pax services to run the loop when works in conjunction with platform 3 at FIT undertaken. Previously when pax were run on the loop a Pilotman had to be used between Avonmouth and Chittenham.

Be interested to find out if anyone knows what enhancements were done?  Would certainly mean less work in the long run which 'sometimes' helps make for a better case for re-instatement!

Had another look at Filton Abbey Wood today. Noticeable progress but still some way to go it would seem. Bit grey and drizzly for a good photo today but hope this will give some impression of where things are at.

Looking good.  My 'insider contact' tells me the signalling work is proceeding to plan as well.  Only 11 days to start of commissioning :)

I hope Tony is polishing up his new moniker for 12 days time. The suspense and excitement over this is almost as exciting as the event itself !!! ::)

Good grief, I had forgotten that! I'm not back in the same continent for another 8 days - it's going to be tight!

Of course you could just change it from an exhortation into a kind of statement, and it would remain appropriate. Now, that alters the stress when spoken, but is there a way of indicating it in writing? I think not, apart from omitting the exclamation.

Steady now, stuving! That exclamation mark, and the comma, were added to the original handle to celebrate the then Transport Minister, Justine Greening, giving the go-ahead to the project, and sending then Railway Minister Theresa Villiers to tell everybody and pose for the Post. It wasn't random, and took months of high-level meetings. I'm going to run the next amendment through the GRIP process, just in case.

Hmm. Done well, the hoop-topped railings and faux-coursed-rubble walls could have been quite attractive, but somehow the sum of the parts is much less than the whole; it looks like it's all just happened, rather than being designed. I presume NR have architects, but presumably they prefer not to use them. How much more it would have cost?

You can keep the exclamation - it's not confined to exhortatory uses, which is why I added the comment like that. To clarify, you can say "it is four track now" as a plain statement, or "it is four track, now the waiting is over!" which is still a statement. It all comes down to how you see the excised phrase as a grammatical entity.

...but please remember the actual commissioning date is the 19 November 2018 ;)

"Four Track Already!"

Fanfare for four fortified finished tracks.....FFFFFT.....which is exactly what you would hear when I put any sort of brass instrument to my lips. I would play it on my organ but fear another outing of BNM's .....'ooooh Matron'! photograph. It might frighten the iron horses too and cause the ladies to reach for their lace hankies and smelling salts.

I'll have a look through my records, but it might take a few days (probably at the coming weekend).

Certainly a big improvement since I took that vid last Tuesday...  am assuming that's a lot of the work that was done over this weekends possession, as less than a week ago there was no line running thru the new platform 4 and the platform itself was a lot less closer to completion than it's looking now

The pace is certainly picking up now we're at the final countdown!

Thanks SandT...  be really interesting to find out.  Always better to hear the facts from someone who actually knows rather than the constantly inaccurate posts in various new reports!

Electrified Track, Now!

Paul

Had a look through the records I have.  They are dated 1992.  They show the single line loop from Filton Abbey Wood to Filton West as signalled to passenger line standards using Track Circuit Block (TCB).  Nothing to stop passenger services using that line and the double track to Holesmouth Junction, which is also signalled to passenger line standards using TCB.

If I remember correctly the track between Avonmouth Station and Holesmouth Junction or Chittenham as I stated was signalled for through running but as the routing Avonmouth to Parkway had a number of consecutive ground signals a Pilotman was employed between Avonmouth and Holesmouth. I travelled in both directions at the time into Bristol on a Cardiff - Pompey service from Patchway via the curve to the closed Filton North Platform and from BRI to Parkway on a Voyager. We picked up the Pilotman at Avonmouth who rode to Holesmouth/Chittenham where the Pilotman detrained to pilot another Voyager to Avonmouth and thence the Voyager would continue to BRI.

The Severn Riviera line was RR'ed that weekend with diverted services passing at Clifton Down.

The enhancements I mentioned was merely to replace the ground signals by colour light 3 aspect signals. I WAS surprised by the use of a pilotman on the occasion as I had travelled over the route on specials previously with no problem but I presume with a number of movements involved it was as a precaution as I was informed NR didn't take kindly to passenger trains being signalled past more that 1 consecutive ground signal on a signalled routing.

Ah.  The reason for that was that there is no signalled movement to/from the Severn Beach line to the Filton Lines at Holesmouth Junction.  Although the track layout allows that, it has to be handsignalled if required.  Nothing really to do with the shunt signals.  Typical BR cost cutting excercise as neither the freight sector nor regional railways sector would pay for the necessary signalling.

I believe that arrangement has now been altered.  I'll see if a friend of mine can get hold of a current signalling plan.  Watch this space.

Perhaps not 100% a propos of this thread, but waiting at Clifton Down today I noticed that many of the sleepers there appear to be made of something akin to over-ripe pear. I am no expert, as you all know, but with my layman's view of the world I can't help thinking this may not be the best substance for keeping things in gauge. Is anyone aware if there are any plans to do any maintenance on the Beach line during the upcoming undoubtedly utterly essential three week closure?

In regards the new layout at Filton Abbey Wood it seems that trains won't use the new platform - Platform 4 - immediately after the works of the blockade of 27th October - 18th November are complete. The RealTimeTrains website suggests that the new platform will come into use on 09th December and the site also suggests that the new layout created by the addition of the extra platform will give the following stopping arrangements:

Platform 1: trains from Bristol Parkway or Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
Platform 2: trains to Bristol Parkway
Platform 3: trains from Cardiff Central which are not using Platform 1
Platform 4: trains to Cardiff Central

The arrangements, albeit subject to change, for trains stopping at Filton Abbey Wood on 10th December can be found at http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/advanced/FIT/2018/12/10/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt to give some idea.

Cheers,
Dave

I have to wonder if the budget for Filton Bank would stretch to a new bike shed at Filton Abbey Wood - they seem to need one ! (I don't think the young lady in the photo was the owner of any of the tethered bikes)

(http://i64.tinypic.com/24depfa.jpg)

The demand is clearly there.

There are several bike boxes in the car park, no sure what the arrangement is to use them but I do agree that a bike rack and security camera would be money spent, as would a coffee stall (opportunity for someone?) and a small ticket office (why not merge them).

Before anyone wonders, Filton Abbey Wood has a very high throughput and could justify being manned with some basic services.

Filton Abbey Wood does have a peak time ticket kiosk and the very manned MOD entrance next door with regular uniformed passengers on the platform does give a feeling of security. I massively miss the old coffee trike at Redland Station, seeing something similar at Filton (and please again at Redland) would be very civilised.

Platform 1 also needs enlarging, at peak times it gets very cosy and has done for a few years.

That sign next to one of the cycles chained to the railings - I presume it is purely decorative?

Only a few hours to go to start of FTN.... :D

And now the end is near..

Any budding lyricists out there to pen a parody along the lines (pun intended) of 'they did it,their way' for Tony in a tuxedo to perform on the morning of Nov 19th ??

And so they lay the final track work ...

Only the start? This forum has been putting up with him for many years already!

Returns, I've had a few
But then again, too few to mention
I went where I had to go
And saw it through without reservation

"Regrets, I've had a few
And then two more, not my intention
I did what I had to do
Then had one more and lost direction"

© Four Pints, Now!

#Now there are eight steps to Filton.
Just listen and you will plainly see.
And as trains travel on and things do go wrong.

Just start with GRIP 1, 2 and 3.

GRIP 1 - There's output to define.

GRIP 2 - It's feasibility.

GRIP 3 - You argue over options.

Yeah! That sure seems like forever to me.

The formula for Filton's very simple.
Just follow the rules and you will see.
As patience starts to give and we lose the will to live.

It's time for GRIP 4, 5 and 6.

GRIP 4 - You finally agree a scheme.

GRIP 5 - You dither over design.

GRIP 6 - Test construction and commission.

At this rate we'll open in 2023.

Finally the race is nearly over.
The marathon of GRIP is nearly done.
Our ducks are in a row, and tracklaying starts to flow.

Only GRIP 7 and 8 to go.

GRIP 7 - We're handing back the scheme.

GRIP 8 - You close the project out.

In the distance, commuter eyes are smiling.

Four tracks as far as the eye can see.
All clear for Portishead and Henbury.
So let's rewind to GRIP 1, 2 and 3...#

(bop bop boo, bop bop boo...)

I hope our regular Bristol area correspondents will be able to post lots of photographs of the work progressing over the next three weeks?

 Here is one Network Rail shared earlier this afternoon on Twitter
https://twitter.com/networkrailwest/status/1056141666992734208?s=20

Good to see the new Dr Days junction (re)taking shape!

Loads of ballast wagons across the M32 bridge when I crawled into town underneath it earlier too

....and for those that don't do twitter?.... ::)

This would seem to be an appropriate place to post a warning to users of Filton Abbey Wood.
Between the end of the Filton 4-track blockade (19th November) and the last day of the May-to-December 2018 timetable (8th December), there will be 4 platforms in use at Filton Abbey Wood, but the electronic timetable will still have the OLD platform numbers.

So some trains will be physically unable to use their timetabled platform.  Others could use their timetabled one, but would have to 'weave' to do so.

The specifics:
In the bad old 2-track days:
Platform 1 - all trains towards Temple Meads, from both Parkway and Patchway
Platform 2 - all trains towards Parkway
Platform 3 - all trains towards Patchway and South Wales

After the 4-track layout opens
Platform 1 - all trains from Parkway; also (by exception) Patchway to Temple Meads non-stop trains (i.e. not stopping at Lawrence Hill or Stapleton Road)
Platform 2 - all trains towards Parkway; also (by exception) Temple Meads to Patchway fast trains
Platform 3 - Patchway to Temple Meads trains
Platform 4 - Temple Meads to Patchway trains

I'm prepared to wager that the CIS screens will be switched off for those 3 weeks!

Are STP (Short Term Plan) diagrams reflecting the changes not going to be issued for the intervening period?

today's offer from Network Rail

https://twitter.com/networkrailwest/status/1056483270563676161

By all means explain what ballast is; but it is ballast, not bloody track stones. Maybe NR have drafted in some work experience people to do their social media over the weekend? For their benefit: patronising is when you talk down to people.

On behalf of those of us who don't do Twitter may I ask that someone posts the links on a regular basis.  Thanks.

Simply click on the links and you'll be taken to the relevant Twitter post. You don't need to have a Twitter account or register or anything.

Weather permitting I'll have a pootle down to Filton Abbey Wood station after work tomorrow lunchtime and take a snap of (hopefully) some progress there.

Not sure really. I managed the step change from ink well (I was the monitor in class 3 A) to fountain pen.I didn't quite make the jump to cartidge pen, though suffering many stained shirts, so I share your sense of isolation.

Don't get me started on cartridge and fountain pens at school. Being left handed I would regularly smudge a lot of what I had just written. A biro might have helped there but I just had to adjust the way I held the pen and angle the paper to limit the damage. It still accounts for my rather unfortunate handwriting to this day.

Back on topic, there does still seem to be a lot to do during the current possession despite undoubted recent progress. Just what would happen if an unexpected problem emerges resulting in completion taking more time than allocated?

Indelible pencil. It's the way forward.

Not sure my school, or anywhere, had any in the 1960s. Would have been a cool space agey sort of thing to impress my classmates with though. We still had plenty of fad toys and things then. Some things don't change!

Wikipedia says they've been around since the 1870s. Which doesn't mean your school had any in the 1960s, or even mine in the 1970s and 80s.

Went and had a look at Narroways this morning... nothing to see really, just a regular four track main line.

!!!!

It's beginning to look a lot like......erm, a 4 platform station.

Busy, busy when I got there, lots going on including work on the old platforms. Here's a few pics, first ones looking south towards Bristol, the last one looking north towards wild uncharted lands.

And one more as it wouldn't fit on the previous post. This one looking north.

Sorry abound the picture quality, I couldn't really see what I was taking due to the glare on my screen from the sun. 😕

Today from Network Rail

https://twitter.com/networkrailwest/status/1056909295814668290?s=21

Looking a lot more hacked about around old Horfield station where the new Horfield junction is being built between the new main & relief lines

Note the old down main has been lifted and moved across onto where the new down relief will be, both north and south of Constable Road bridge...

And the same going on south of the bridge down towards SRD...

Then just south of FIT.  First 2 pics looking north towards the station, and finally 1 looking south showing where the old Filton South junction to platform 3 has now been severed ready for the line to continue directly south

Thanks for posting those photographs, Metalrail.  At least it was a nice day, if a bit cold.  Keep them coming.

Latest NR update
https://twitter.com/networkrailwest/status/1057181788534202368?s=21

Nipped out at lunch to get some of the works around LWH / Dr Days

First 4 are of the new (finally reinstated after 34 years!) Dr Days junction, taken from Church Rd & Ducie Rd...

Then LWH itself

First 2 pics are a comparison - first pic from exactly 3 weeks ago, second from today showing the progress made.  Finally a 4 track station again, albeit with just 2 platforms  :(

Last 2 pics show the new signal I noticed installed on the new down main just before Church Rd bridge, with a feather for the avoiding lines from Dr Days to N Somerset junction

Nice to see four tracks back at Lawrence Hill, although I notice that the points layout is the same as previously i.e. you can only cross from Reliefs to Mains in the Down direction and from Mains to Reliefs in the Up direction.  Why has the layout not been constructed so you can cross from Mains to Reliefs and Reliefs to Mains in both Up and Down directions (per the layout prior to 1984?) Thanks in advance

For ease of reference S&T's excellent diagrams can be found at posts #322 (http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=13113.msg236581#msg236581) and #455  (http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=13113.msg248151#msg248151) (these are links)

No need, as that facilty is available just around the curve at Bristol East Junction.

And, Welcome to the forum.

Afternoon everyone,

First time post here. It's really warms my heart to see the UFM and DFM lines reinstated from Lockleaze, and of course the former Up and Down Reliefs from Lockleaze north.

I travelled over what was then the DFM on its' last day of use, back in February 1984.
Here's my shot of the old B152 signal on that final evening. Note that it had three Feathers, compared to the new version.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bristol-re/4938596167/in/photolist-8wpAzM (https://www.flickr.com/photos/bristol-re/4938596167/in/photolist-8wpAzM)

Very Best Wishes,
Bob.

Welcome to the Forum from another Bristolian amongst the many on here Bristol born.

Thank you - although I now live in deepest Huntingdon!.

Not much to add to all the lovely pictures of trackwork people have been posting - so here's one from a different angle. Lawrence Hill is, quite unambiguously, closed.

(...but Lidl isn't. Got a decent pumpkin for 59p!)

Thanks to both of you (Ellen and Sand T) for the info you have provided.  I guess the facility that existed prior to 1984 to move from Main to Relief and vice-versa in either direction between Dr Days and Lawrence Hill) was merely a duplication of the facility elsewhere and therefore the only potential benefit of reducing the four-tracks to two meant that the unnecessary pointwork could be eliminated.

Are you sure there were then four tracks from Temple Meads into Dr. Day's Junction? There were only two up to the 1950s, and with four tracks north of the junction those crossovers were a necessity. There was also a signal box where the two Main Line tracks are now - I don't know when that was removed and the Filton Mains extended southwards, as I haven't found have a suitable map.

The four tracks from Bristol East Junction to Dr Days were provided as part of the Bristol re-signalling in 1970 which also realigned the curve, increasing its radius and thus easing the speed limit

Here's a shot of mine from 1984, one of the last loco movements along the former UFM...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bristol-re/8675060770/ (https://www.flickr.com/photos/bristol-re/8675060770/)

Very Best Wishes,
Bob.

Thanks for those pics Bob, and looking thru the others on your photostream you've linked to there's also some other great ones around BRI and LWH from the 70s and early 80s as it was then.  Great to see!

stuving, I was referring to the layout post 1970 when Bristol Panel opened.  There were most certainly four tracks from BTM to Dr Days then - I've seen the Yellow Perils on the archive in the SRS website.  Thus the pointwork between Dr Days and Lawrence Hill could most certainly have been rationalised to only allow movement from Reliefs to Mains in the Down direction and vice-versa in the Up direction - as has been the case since the track rationalisation in 1984

Thank you very much, Sir. I have a great many more negs to scan, sadly though in most cases I won't have full information, as my notebooks and prints went several years ago :(.

If the question this time was "is it worth adding the extra crossovers for a small gain in flexibility that would be rarely used?" - answered quite reasonably no - then in the 70s it would have been "is it worth taking out these existing crossovers that do give a small gain in flexibility even if it would be rarely used?". I can imagine the answer then was yes, though there may have been some further arguments to do with how the tracks from Temple Meads were used at the time, or what was planned then but never happened.

Dr.Days Bridge Junction prior to Bristol Resignalling

(https://railphotoprints.uk/img/s/v-3/p263096358-3.jpg)

(http://www.bristolsteam64.co.uk/wpimages/4d509067a04.jpg)


This photograph is dated 02 April 1970 and shows the revised alignment

(https://www.rail-online.co.uk/img/s/v-3/p1546853212-3.jpg)

There was four tracks from Bristol East to Dr Days and also four tracks from Dr Days to North Somerset Junction with a Main to Relief double junction on this, Rhubarb Curve, also because the line towards Bath was Up, Down (to/from Bristol East Depot Up Yard), Up Main, Down Main. The Up and Down may have been designated either Relief or Reception lines for the Bristol East Depot Up Yard as we had the Bristol East Down Yard with its association Up and Down Reception Lines. Dr Days Bridge Junction Signal Box, as I understand was its full name also had a Mains to Reliefs double junctions in both directions too. Then as we travel up towards Filton we also had Stapleton Road Signal Box which also had Mains to Reliefs in both directions too.

Yeah as there were still 4 lines crossing feeder road at that time up to the resignalling weren't there?

Took a couple of photos this evening, in failing light.

First one is from Constable Road looking south, with what I presume to be one of the 75mph crossovers on the right;
Second is from Constable Road looking north towards Bonnington Walk;
Third is from Bonnington Walk looking over the site of Horfield Halt towards Constable Road, showing the extensive work done on the right hand side of the cutting;
Fourth is from Bonnington Walk looking north towards Filton Abbey Wood, again showing the extensive work done on the side of the cutting.

Still plenty to do!

It's looking blimmin' good but yes, still loads to do. Unthinkable of unthinkables, what if unforeseen factors (bad weather for example) means the work is still unfinished at the end of the blockade? Is there a plan B?

Yes.  Carry on Matron..... ;D

I do feel a little better now.

On the matter of new signals I notice that a new one has gone in on the new main line at the northern end of Stapleton Road station: I noticed it while a passenger in a car on the M32 earlier. Also it surprises me, looking at the plans of the new layout, that an additional crossover hasn't been put in just south of Narroways Junction so that if, say, a train broke down at Stapleton Road station then trains on the Severn Beach line could be rerouted onto the new main line which would serve as an avoiding route. Would mean a feather being added to signal BL1855 (as I think signal B360, the last signal before the junction for trains coming from Montpelier toward Temple Meads, is now numbered) but would provide flexibility. Similarly an option to route trains on the new northbound line onto the Severn Beach line.

As things are at present (and, by the looks of it, will remain) a broken down train at Stapleton Road brings the whole Severn Beach service to a halt.

Dave

When I referred above to a signal box that had to be removed, it was an earlier Dr Day's Bridge Junction box I was talking about. You can see it on this map of 1912 (https://maps.nls.uk/view/109729819#zoom=5&lat=1631&lon=9329&layers=BT), and it's still there in the 30s on maps with a smaller scale where you can't count tracks exactly. In the pursuit of further unnecessary details about this track alignment, I also found a locking table on s-r-s.org.uk dated Drawn: 2.1932, Issued 10:1956. Tha's suggestive that the reworking of the 1912 layout into the pre-1970 one was planned pre-war, but done afterwards. Then I found a set of 1950s 1:1250 plans on old-maps.co.uk, showing this intermediate layout and suggesting it was in place before 1951 (though note that their maps can't all be dated right).

It's not so obvious from S&TE's pictures, but the current four tracks from Bristol TM run to the right (west) of the signal box and over its site. The two tracks you can just see in the top picture connected to the sidings, which were then west of the running lines. That's also where the previous two-track main line ran, with connections to the sidings - then east of the through lines - on the far side of the signal box. That box wasn't there, its precursor was rotated parallel with the loop and would have blocked both the current Down Filton Main and two or more of the pre-1970 lines.

So the through lines were doubled and shifted to the other side of the central signal box site, then back when it was removed, and each time the sidings swapped over too. That's a lot of effort for a rather short life-time, apparently 20-25 years, and not just by today's standards either. Oh, and Dr Day's Bridge itself was realigned around 1955-1960 too.

Don't rely too much on dates on signalling drawings.  Quite often they were (are) altered some years in advance, or after, works take place.  This especially applies to signalbox diagrams.

Dave, some good points there (pun intended), but you can't cater for every possible scenario, as each comes at a cost that in most cases doesn't 'wash its face' in terms of affordibility and ongoing liability.

Prior to 1970, there was an additional crossover(s) at Narroways to take trains onto the Mains from the Reliefs and, if I recall correctly vice-versa.  This was removed when Bristol was resignalled and the Mains were plain-lined instead and controlled by Automatic Signals