Bristol Temple Meads - station, facilities, incidents and events (merged posts)

[whole diary]

[Red Squirrel]

Contracts signed for work to begin on University of Bristol’s new world class campus

Press release issued: 3 April 2023

Work on the University of Bristol’s new Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus – a total investment of around £500 million - will get underway next month after the University signed contracts with construction company Sir Robert McAlpine.

Opening in 2026, the campus at Cattle Market Road, next to Temple Meads Station, will enhance the University of Bristol’s reputation as a global destination for world-leading research, education and innovation.

[...]

Plans for the site were revised in light of the pandemic, which not only paused the development due to its impact on the construction trade, but also shaped the University’s vision for the campus. As a result, timelines have been adjusted and some of the spaces in the main building have been redesigned to allow greater flexibility and digital innovation for the future.   

[...]

...With a refurbished Bristol Temple Meads station at its heart, the area will become a world-class gateway to Bristol and the West of England. With a new entrance opening directly onto the campus, it will also join the city centre to the east of Bristol with new walking and cycling paths. 

Read full press release

Source: University of Bristol

The last paragraph quoted could be misunderstood: the Eastern Entrance to Temple Meads just gives access to the station. A new pontoon walkway will however improve access towards Friary and area to the west of the station.

[johnneyw]

There's an article in Bristol Live giving more details about repurposing the buildings on station approach and elsewhere in Temple Meads, including Bonaparte's.  There are even some projected timescales for their completion....which is brave!

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/derelict-part-temple-meads-reopen-8778449?int_source=amp_continue_reading&int_medium=amp&int_campaign=continue_reading_button#amp-readmore-target

[Red Squirrel]

With things looking so utterly gloomy elsewhere, it's good to see positive things are still happening: Work starting on the next phase of the Eastern Entrance. https://twitter.com/i/status/1710263640564347323

[johnneyw]

With things looking so utterly gloomy elsewhere, it's good to see positive things are still happening: Work starting on the next phase of the Eastern Entrance. https://twitter.com/i/status/1710263640564347323

I wonder if it'll include a ticket office?

[ellendune]

With things looking so utterly gloomy elsewhere, it's good to see positive things are still happening: Work starting on the next phase of the Eastern Entrance. https://twitter.com/i/status/1710263640564347323

I wonder if it'll include a ticket office?

No they will expect everyone to purchase on-line using their phones, and to make it easy they will probably ensure the entrance area is a mobile phone not-spot.

[johnneyw]

Inspired by Red Squirrel's upthread news that work has begun on the new eastern entrance at Temple Meads, I had a brief plod down there to see if there was anything worthy of a photo.
There's not that much to see at present but there clearly is some fencing on the current new university campus building site around where the entrance is to be located.  It doesn't show very well on the photo that I've attached but it's just in front of the green metal girder structure that can be seen.  I've no idea what that structure is but it looks like it has a degree of permanence as its anchored in a concrete base.
There's no sign of any activity in the station underpass, the illustrative hoardings are as they were previously.

Edit:  I've just realised that I've posted this on the incorrect WECA^» (West of England Combined Authority - about) Passengers thread.  Is it possible for admins to move it to the "Temple Meads Redevelopment" thread?

[Red Squirrel]

...I've just realised that I've posted this on the incorrect WECA^» (West of England Combined Authority - about) Passengers thread.  Is it possible for admins to move it to the "Temple Meads Redevelopment" thread?

Might be. We'll see...

[Phantom]

Sorry, not sure how to upload photos on this site

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/major-work-begins-bristol-temple-8828153

[Noggin]

Also https://www.bristol247.com/news-and-features/news/work-begins-new-eastern-entrance-temple-meads/.

I noticed today that KwikFit has closed but haven't seen timelines on when work on the southern entrance might get started

[johnneyw]

Bristol 24/7 has an article regarding a photo opportunity at the new campus entrance for assorted individuals and politicians linked to it.

https://www.bristol247.com/news-and-features/news/progress-on-new-gateway-to-bristol/

[TonyK]

Bristol 24/7 has an article regarding a photo opportunity at the new campus entrance for assorted individuals and politicians linked to it.

https://www.bristol247.com/news-and-features/news/progress-on-new-gateway-to-bristol/

Tenuously linked in some cases. Marvin has had little to do with this project beyond cancelling the Arena that was going to be next door. This could be his one last shot at getting a photo dressed in orange before he departs to - who knows where? Barra Mac Ruairi, who I think is the man on the left in the main picture, worked for BCC^» (Bristol City Council - about) on the Arena project until Marvin, who had developed ties with YTL, cancelled it. He then went to work for YTL on their competing bid for an Arena at YTL's site at the old Filton Airfield. That might now be a dead duck for all we know, but Barra is not one to let the grass grow under his feet when there are new networks to get into.

"Network Rail bosses forecast that by 2030, some 2.5m people will be using the eastern entrance alone each year." - but they don't say how many will use it accompanied.

[johnneyw]

Noticed some of the new lighting going up on platform 7/8, presumably enabled by the cherry pickers parked a few metres away.

[johnneyw]

Severn Beach Line service arrived on platform 15 at Temple Meads today affording a great view above where the new entrance is being built there so thought I'd take a quick snap.

[Noggin]

Incidentally, work started recently on the new student housing development the other side of the University of Bristol site.

500-ish students from September 2025 if to opens on time, although IIRC^▸ ('if I recall/remember/read correctly') they'll potentially need to take the long way round for a year until the East entrance is open.

https://pbsanews.co.uk/2023/12/18/unite-students-to-deliver-marsh-mills-pbsa-in-bristol/

[infoman]

Can anyone recall when was the first installation of ticket gates were installed at BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI) but BTM is a commonly used alternative))?

I recall there a very loose manual tickets checks being made just past the booking office,

although if you went towards Bonapartes you could just the lift the barriers out of the way.

Also there were the wooden partitions put in place to get passengers use to going through automatic gates.