Portishead Line - possible meeting of forum members to explore the route?

[whole diary]

[Red Squirrel]

I took the bus out to Portishead a couple of days ago, and then walked to Pill to see progress. The photos are in this BRC post, for those who may be interested:

https://bristolrailcampaign.org.uk/portishead-railway-january-2026-update/

[IndustryInsider]

I took the bus out to Portishead a couple of days ago, and then walked to Pill to see progress. The photos are in this BRC post, for those who may be interested:

https://bristolrailcampaign.org.uk/portishead-railway-january-2026-update/

A really nice report and that may well have sparked my own interest to do something very similar in the Spring/Summer.  It's the X4 bus, isn't it?

[Red Squirrel]

Yes, the X4. Quite frequent, and usually a Yutong electric jobby!

[johnneyw]

Yes, the X4. Quite frequent, and usually a Yutong electric jobby!

Corking stuff, I'm fully intending to make use of that service to go and have the occasional nose around there too.  Reminds me a bit of my visits to the Filton Bank during the redoubling.

[Red Squirrel]

Worth pointing out that the last couple of hundred metres of Sheepway as you approach old Portbury Station from Portishead are really nasty to walk along, with some blind bends and fairly fast traffic. Most motorists I met were very courteous, but one of two were on me before either party had much chance to react.

[johnneyw]

Worth pointing out that the last couple of hundred metres of Sheepway as you approach old Portbury Station from Portishead are really nasty to walk along, with some blind bends and fairly fast traffic. Most motorists I met were very courteous, but one of two were on me before either party had much chance to react.

Worth pointing out indeed and I'll definitely take that into account in my planning....a train would be a preferable future transport option to an ambulance.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Possibly splitting this off into a new topic - if the idea takes off - but could we recent posters here possibly meet up to explore the restoration of the Portishead Line together?

I am retired, with no particular calendar or timetable constraints, and I would welcome the opportunity to meet up with any others from the Coffee Shop forum for 'a bit of a jolly', just exploring the Portishead area.

If anyone is interested, please reply here initially: we'll see what potential there might be for such a meeting.

CfN^▸ (Chris from Nailsea, an administrator on this forum).

[chuffed]

As a regular user of the X4. I would advise getting off at Portbury footbridge and observing the terrain from there. The top of the road bridge is the highest point for miles around apart from the Portbury footbridge which crosses the M5. How many of you know that the M5 swept away the old Portbury Methodist chapel which had a 1840 broad gauge railway carriage in use as a Sunday school room, which I understand is in store at the NRM^» (National Railway Museum, at York and Shildon - about) in York awaiting restoration. I did a geography degree dissertation on the effect of the M5 on the village of Portbury way back in 1972 !!

[Red Squirrel]

Possibly splitting this off into a new topic - if the idea takes off - but could we recent posters here possibly meet up to explore the restoration of the Portishead Line together?

I am retired, with no particular calendar or timetable constraints, and I would welcome the opportunity to meet up with any others from the Coffee Shop forum for 'a bit of a jolly', just exploring the Portishead area.

If anyone is interested, please reply here initially: we'll see what potential there might be for such a meeting.

CfN^▸ (Chris from Nailsea, an administrator on this forum).

I'm up for that.

I did my trip solo because I wanted good weather for taking photos, and sunny days are far and few at the moment. But I'd be very happy to join in a Coffee Shop adventure!

[Chris from Nailsea]

As several members of the Coffee Shop forum have expressed support for the idea, I've now split these recent posts off into this new topic here.

Please do suggest any preferences as to days and / or dates for such an adventure!  CfN^▸ (Chris from Nailsea, an administrator on this forum). 

[Mark A]

Not near the railway (now) and a long time since it's been an arm of Bristol Corporation, the Royal Inn's position relative to Portishead's bus network... does it rather indicate that *that* needs a reboot in order to serve the town more comprehensively? Perhaps the new station will catalyse this.

Mark

https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/7139472

[Chris from Nailsea]

I did a geography degree dissertation on the effect of the M5 on the village of Portbury way back in 1972 !!

That was when the re-opening of the Portishead Line to passengers was 'just three years away'.

CfN^▸ (Chris from Nailsea, an administrator on this forum).

[Chris from Nailsea]

Quoting from a related topic on the Coffee Shop forum:

I did manage a trip to the area at the end of last month taking some images with a view of returning in a couple of years to see how it has changed.
...

The X4 bus provided an excellent means of achieving all this as it stops near to all locations I needed to visit, which also included Pill and the site of the old station at Ashton Gate .  The main hinderance of it being that I had to walk a mile or so from Temple Meads to catch it from The Centre stop, and on the way back a similar length of walk from Bower Ashton to Parson Street station.  That does though demonstrate that the two services should be able to co-exist and complement, rather than compete, with each other as there will be a clear winner depending on where you are going to.

I can certainly recommend it to forum members as an interesting way to while away a day as there's plenty of things both new and old to see.

With many thanks to IndustryInsider for his update post here, may I also resurrect a parallel topic, at https://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=31490.0 ?

I remain keen to do this, particularly now we have some rather warmer weather and more daylight.  Any takers?

CfN^▸ (Chris from Nailsea, an administrator on this forum).

[Chris from Nailsea]

I'll set the wheels in motion, so to speak - or give the Right Away: how about Monday 20 April?

Bus timetable for X4 is available at https://www.firstbus.co.uk/api/timetables/pdf?opco=3&service=X4&day=mf&print=pdf

I will suggest a mid-morning outward excursion, with lunch taken somewhere along the route (probably in Portishead).

Any takers?  CfN^▸ (Chris from Nailsea, an administrator on this forum). 

[anthony215]

Will have to see what I can do with work and childcare but I might come along to Bristol.