Back to the future . . . putting the Bristol Metro on the right trackIt was a journey that took us back in time in order to give us a glimpse of the future ^ a future in which the dream of a "Bristol Metro" seemed almost tangible.
It was an elaborate gesture from rail operator First Great Western, as they chartered a passenger train yesterday to travel on some of the city's historic branch lines, which have not carried passengers for almost half a century.
For the eclectic crowd of local politicians, media and rail enthusiasts and campaigners, it was an extraordinary opportunity for developing momentum ^ and a "rail conference" with a real difference.
It would allow guests to travel along lines they may once have believed had been consigned to the history books but, as yesterday's journey proved, could once again be revived for public use.
The magical mystery tour in a small, two-carriage diesel train, was ultimately an elaborate way for rail operator First Great Western to get behind plans for a Bristol Metro network.
In June the Evening Post called for an Integrated Transport Authority (
ITA▸ ) to be created for the Greater Bristol region, which would be able to co-ordinate the redevelopment of the branch lines.
We appealed to the four local authorities in the former Avon area to work more closely to bring about an ITA which would also be able to co-ordinate greater integration with park and rides, bus and ferry services, and also have the power to provide new rolling stock, so the Bristol area would no longer have to put up with "hand-me-down" carriages from other cities.
At the core of the proposals would be the reopening of a network of abandoned branch lines across the city ^ many of which were the victims of Dr Beeching's infamous swingeing cuts of the 1960s.
Railway stations across Greater Bristol that have been disused for more than half a century could be given a new lease of life, from Ashton Gate to St Anne's Park; Thornbury to Henbury.
Lines such as the long-lamented Portishead line, which closed to passenger trains in 1964, the Avonmouth line and the Henbury loop line would all be reopened under the proposals.
Yesterday's historic journey took us along the Portishead line, along sections of the Avonmouth line, and around the Henbury loop line.
Among those on board keen to marvel at the journey was managing director of First Great Western, Mark Hopwood.
"Today is all about demonstrating that there are many rail lines here in Bristol that are really not a million miles away from being redeveloped as passenger lines.
"As a company we have always looked to the future, and we have always been keen to work with communities for new and better transport developments.
"A system like this, which would make use of existing branch lines, would be a cost-effective and a relatively quick way of encouraging people out of their cars; taking some of the pressure off the road system in and around the city. In local transport terms this is a very elegant solution, and we just need to make the case clear to Government, to make sure suitable funding can be secured."
The stunt comes in the same week that plans to reopen the Portishead rail line suffered a set-back after a bid for ^43 million of Government funding for the project was turned down.
North Somerset Council vowed to continue to work with Network Rail on its Guide to Rail Investment Project (
GRIP▸ ) studies on the feasibility of reopening the railway and look at other possible funding streams.
Colin Medus, head of highways and transport for North Somerset Council, was among those enjoying yesterday's journey.
"It was a knock-back, but it's not the end of the world," he said.
"I believe we didn't get the Regional Growth Money because we couldn't prove that enough jobs would be directly created by the scheme ^ although by reinvigorating this entire transport link, it's hard to estimate the massive effect it would have on indirect jobs."
Julian Crow, First Great Western manager for the West of England, said the funding refusal was "not the end of the world".
"This event today will hopefully demonstrate the potential effectiveness of these lines, not only to local councils and campaigners, who don't need convincing, but also to the representatives from the Department of Transport and Network Rail, who have come along today.
"We're at the beginning of a long journey with this one ^ but we believe the dream of a Bristol Metro network really can be achieved."
Inspiration for the redevelopment of the branch lines came in response to the success of the Severn Beach line, which has seen an increase in the frequency of weekday trains and a Sunday service, after a successful campaign by the Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways (
FOSBR▸ ).
In the first three months, the reinvigorated line saw 27 per cent more passengers using the service. If similar district branch lines were reborn, it is believed the change could radically improve congestion on the city's roads.
Rob Dixon, of FOSBR, said he was encouraged by yesterday's "travelling conference".
"It was fantastic," he said. "We were hearing lots of really positive things from lots of different people who have serious influence in these matters. Apart from that, as a rail enthusiast, simply to be able to travel on these historic lines has been incredibly exciting."
The journey took us out of Bristol Temple Meads, past the existing Bedminster and Parson Street stations, and on to the Portishead line.
Moments later we were creeping through the almost mythical-seeming Ashton Gate station, which once would have echoed to thousands of football fans each Saturday.
Then it was on past the ghosts of Pill station and Portbury station, where hardly anything is left to be seen of their once busy platforms.
But it was later, as we looped back through the north of the city, and travelled into the ivy-covered Henbury station that the nostalgia truly began to kick in onboard.
"It's really quite an experience to see that," said Daniel Casey, rail campaigner for FOSBR.
"I think this sort of event brings some of the railways' magic back into what could seem like a dry subject. I hope it will really encourage greater momentum and get things moving."
Julia Dean, of the West of England Partnership, said: "Apart from anything else, cramming all these different interested parties into a couple of small train carriages is a way of forcing everybody to fight out their differences.
"Everybody here is behind the idea of injecting new life into these lines ^ it has to now be about making sure we're all pulling in the same direction in order to make it happen."
Meanwhile, today more than 40 Saltford residents will set out from the village's disused railway station to hand every household in the village a leaflet and ask if everyone over the age of 16 in each home would sign a petition supporting the reopening of the station, which closed in 1970.
The petition will be open until early December. For details, visit
www.saltfordenvironmentgroup.org.uk 
