FoSBR AGM - 28th Jan 2022

[whole diary]

[grahame]

For FoSBR^» (Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways - site) members:

Our AGM^▸ (Annual General Meeting) will be held on FRIDAY 28th JANUARY 2022, from 7.30 pm to 9.30 pm (approximately).  Because of the continuing uncertainties about meetings due to Covid-19, we have decided to hold this as a Zoom meeting.   

The AGM will focus on Bristol with a presentation on the ‘FoSBR Plan for Rail’.  We also will have an update from a GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) representative on current operational issues & upcoming timetable improvements.

   

[grahame]

An excellent meeting last night ... noted a couple of members there.  Good to hear of progress and many good plans.

Concern that plans for Portishead are only for an hourly service which is regarded as less than adequate for a suburban railway (and yet Keynsham lost a number of its extras last month and is now down to hourly, with the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) rep hedging her bets as to when the paths so cleared will be properly reused for the half hourly train).

Pilning remains at 2 trains per week, and the GWR have no plans to stop more unless they are instructed to do so by the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about).   The close proximity to the Severnside business area has not gone un-noticed (if it has, please let me remind readers):

But the suggested solution seems to be to provide passenger rail access via Severn Beach, with passengers from North Bristol travelling there via Henbury and a new chord from there to "the Beach" rather than by an improved Pilning Station (where, it must be admitted, improvements are needed).  South Wales to Severnside commuters would be encouraged to make virtually a complete circle - passing though but not stopping at Pilning, then onward via Patchway, North Filton and Henbury.  Apparently it's operationally awkward to stop at Pilning - even though that clearly was not a problem in the past ...

[johnneyw]

Agreed, it was an interesting and well run meeting.  I managed to miss the first twenty minutes or so due to "problemo technicus" (apologies to The Fast Show) with my Zoom app but I gather it was recorded and will be available to view at some time (FoSBR^» (Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways - site) website?).

Particularly interesting to me was that the chord between the Severn Beach Line and the line to Henbury seems to be being taken seriously by a lot of bodies.  Did anyone mention it's possible cost in the meeting?

[Red Squirrel]

johnneyw,

Unfortunately we started recording after the meeting started, and missed part of Jane Jones' presentation. Hopefully we can get hold of the slides and make them available though.

Yes we do plan to put the recording up on YouTube as last year.

As far as we are aware the chord from Henbury to Severn Beach has not been costed. As a slightt aside, you may have heard Bernard Kennedy throw in an interesting observation that with the closure of the coal conveyor, the possibility of the Avonmouth - Henbury looks a bit more promising now. Interesting times!