Severn Beach Line, Bristol

[DaveHarries]

Hi all,

Having already used a large amount of money to help with the provision, very successfully, of an extra train on the Severn Beach Line (my local route) here in Bristol it seems as if Bristol City Council are to fund, at least in part, the first new railway station in Bristol since Filton Abbeywood in 1997 and it will be built between Avonmouth and Shirehampton to serve the Portway Park & Ride. Opening date looks likely to be planned for Summer 2013 as is mentioned here:

http://www.bristol.gov.uk/press/transport-and-streets/transport-investment-plans-announced

Anyone who has ever used Bradford-on-Avon will know that the layout is something like what is indicated here in this image, which combines partial screenshots of both the Westbury and Bristol layouts on SimSig:

Directions (for those unfamiliar with area): Bath to the left, Westbury & Trowbridge to the right.

The Level Crossing, indicated here as Greenland Mill and indicated by the track crossing vertical orange strips, closes automatically for Bath-bound trains but drivers of Trowbridge-bound services have to press a button on the platform at Bradford-on-Avon.

Back to the Severn Beach Line: in view of the fact that there is a level crossing at West Town Lane, off the A4 Portway just under the Avonmouth Bridge, would it be sensible to introduce a similar system at the new Portway P&R station on the SBL to that at Bradford-on-Avon so that the driver of an Avonmouth-bound train would need to press a button on the platform to get the signalman at St. Andrews Road, just north of Avonmouth, to close the gates at West Town Lane?

Just a thought.

Dave

 

[Mojo]

In view of the fact that there is a level crossing at West Town Lane, off the A4 Portway just under the Avonmouth Bridge, would it be sensible to introduce a similar system at the new Portway P&R station on the SBL to that at Bradford-on-Avon so that the driver of an Avonmouth-bound train would need to press a button on the platform to get the signalman at St. Andrews Road, just north of Avonmouth, to close the gates at West Town Lane?

Given that not all trains will stop at this new station, no.

What is wrong with the current arrangement?

 

[Tomnick]

The Level Crossing, indicated here as Greenland Mill and indicated by the track crossing vertical orange strips, closes automatically for Bath-bound trains but drivers of Trowbridge-bound services have to press a button on the platform at Bradford-on-Avon.

Greenland Mill is an AHB - the arrangement appears to be similar to the stopping/non stopping controls found elsewhere (for non stop trains, the barriers will operate normally).

would it be sensible to introduce a similar system at the new Portway P&R station on the SBL to that at Bradford-on-Avon so that the driver of an Avonmouth-bound train would need to press a button on the platform to get the signalman at St. Andrews Road, just north of Avonmouth, to close the gates at West Town Lane?

This is a CCTV crossing - a completely different kettle of fish. Since dwell times at the new station would be, I'd guess, consistently short, there'd be nothing to be gained. The Signalman would probably lower the barriers as the train approached the platform (assuming the station wasn't located between the protecting signal and the crossing!) in order to get the signal off in good time for the train's departure. No different to the scores of similar crossings up and down the country.