Bristol Area Gallery

    A rare visitor to Bristol Temple Meads. The English Electric ‘whistle’ reverberates around the station as 40069 awaits departure with 3S15, the 12.10 SX Penzance to Glasgow parcels on 25th March 1983. The class 40 had just coupled to the train, having spent much of the day on Bath Road depot. Image credit: Stewart Jolly
    37796 & 37702 make an impressive sight (and sound!) as they head up Filton bank with 6B12, the 14.35 SO returning coal empties from Westbury Cement Works to Barry on 1st June 1996. Image credit: Stewart Jolly
    Headed by power car 43086, the 06.20 Plymouth to Newcastle 'Armada' passes beneath the A38 road bridge at Parson Street on 31st May 2002. The bridge was rebuilt in 1933 as part of a scheme to widen the railway through Bristol, which included construction of the platforms on the eastern side of Temple Meads outside the main overall roof. Image credit: Stewart Jolly
    Two services for Plymouth are pictured departing simultaneously from Bristol Temple Meads on 26th February 2010. 43303 heads the slightly-delayed 06.00 from Leeds, while 150239 forms the 09.00 stopping train from Cardiff Central. Although this might be regarded as a 'modern' image, the motive power pictured here has all been superseded: Cross Country services to the South West are now worked exclusively by Voyagers, while IETs have not only replaced the Paddington-bound HST in the background, but have also taken over most of the stopping services between Cardiff and the South West - levelling up indeed! Image credit: Stewart Jolly
    During the Winter 2001/Spring 2002 timetable, prototype ETS-fitted class 57 conversion 57601 regularly worked a Monday to Friday diagram comprising the 06.30 Plymouth to Paddington and the 15.42 Paddington to Exeter St. David's, both via Bristol. On 24th April 2002, the down working is pictured passing Bedminster as it accelerates away from Temple Meads. Image credit: Stewart Jolly
    Pilning before electrification. Immaculately turned-out 60002 heads down towards the Severn Tunnel with 6M51, the 16:34 TThO Exeter Riverside to Chirk timber on 2nd July 2015. Image credit: Stewart Jolly
    Between December 2008 and November 2010 FGW operated a topped-and-tailed loco-hauled set on one of its Cardiff - Bristol - Taunton diagrams. 67016 & 67017 were nominally allocated to the service during the initial period of operation by DB, though other members of the class would often appear. On 3rd July 2009 the 14:00 Cardiff Central to Taunton arrives at Patchway headed by 67017 with 67016 dead at the rear. Today this view is dominated by lineside shrubbery and OLE. Image credit: Stewart Jolly
    Throughout the Summer of 2023, Transport for Wales Stadler class 756 units have worked test/mileage accumulation runs between Cardiff and Swindon. 756007 & 756006 are pictured on 1st June on the split level track between Patchway and Pilning, running as 3Q41, 16.14 Swindon to Cardiff Canton Sidings. Image credit: Stewart Jolly
    Mid-July 2023 saw several ballast workings from Westbury to Pontypridd in connection with the Core Valley Lines upgrade. On 20th July, returning empties running as the 13.00 from Pontypridd are seen approaching Filton Abbey Wood headed by 66550, with 66514 just visible at the rear. Image credit: Stewart Jolly
    On 13th September 2023, a few days before Cross Country withdrew its HST fleet from regular service, 43304 and 43303 are pictured approaching Parson Street station with 1V50, the 06.06 Edinburgh to Plymouth. The overgrown land to the right of the picture was formerly Malago Vale carriage sidings. Image credit: Stewart Jolly
    The Hitachi class 8xx series is rapidly becoming the UK’s standard stock for Inter-City services. The first of the type, class 800, entered revenue-earning service with GWR in the Autumn of 2017, prior to which on 24th August that year 800005 is seen passing Pilning on a test run from Reading depot to Newport. Waiting in the down loop is 70807 with 6C37, 15.28 Westbury to Aberthaw cement works. Image credit: Stewart Jolly
    A second view of 800005 on 24th August 2017 at Pilning, descending towards Ableton Lane Tunnel on a test run from Reading depot to Newport. The works livery contrasts well with the lineside vegetation, unlike the GWR dark green currently carried by the fleet. Image credit: Stewart Jolly
    On 28th October 2016, amid Autumn colours and evidence of advancing electrification work, 66956 makes steady progress up the 1 in 100 ascent towards Patchway from the Severn Tunnel with 4O51, 09.56 Cardiff Wentloog to Southampton Freightliner. The different gradient profiles of the up and down lines between Pilning and Patchway are of interest. The down line on the left follows approximately the profile of the original 1863 single-track branch to New Passage Pier, whereas when the route was doubled with the opening of the Severn Tunnel in 1886, the up line was laid on a longer but less severe gradient for traffic climbing away from the tunnel. Image credit: Stewart Jolly
    67017 & 67016 at rear are pictured passing Pilning with the 11.02 Taunton to Cardiff Central on 10th November 2010, as 150248 speeds through in the opposite direction with the 12.00 Cardiff to Taunton. Locomotive haulage on these services finished after 12th November. The station footbridge from which the photograph was taken was partially dismantled during electrification of the route, and the down platform is no longer accessible. Image credit: Stewart Jolly
    During the 2000s First Great Western was chronically short of DMUs, leading to periodic sub-leases from other operators. In this view taken on 19th April 2009, 150281, one of several class 150/2s on loan to FGW from Arriva Trains Wales at the time, has just departed from Sea Mills working the 14.52 (Sun) Avonmouth to Bristol Temple Meads service. Image credit: Stewart Jolly
    For several years First Great Western operated a small fleet of 3-car class 158 DMUs formed by splitting several 2-car sets. They usually worked the Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour service, as in this view of the 12.30 Cardiff to Portsmouth taken on 8th April 2009, photographed near Pilning on the climb from the Severn Tunnel to Patchway. In the years since the photograph was taken, electrification of the line and growth of vegetation have made lineside photography here much more difficult. Image credit: Stewart Jolly
    On 27th March 2024, Locomotive Services' 57311 is pictured at Bristol Temple Meads stabled with empty stock, class 47 D1924 (47810) being out of sight at the other end of the train. The pair had worked an excursion from Bristol to Canterbury and return the previous day, and the train would depart as empty stock that afternoon for Eastleigh. To the right of the picture, 802109 waits time at platform 15 with the 08.30 Paddington to Weston-super-Mare. Image credit: Stewart Jolly
    The new station at Ashley Down opened to the public on 28th September 2024 following a ceremony the previous day. It is initially served by hourly stopping trains between Bristol Temple Meads and Filton Abbey Wood, with the intention eventually to extend the service to the proposed new station at Henbury. There was a lot of interest on the opening day from members of the public and enthusiasts, particularly young people making video recordings as seen in this view of 165120 about to depart for Filton with the 10.03 from Temple Meads. The station occupies the site of the former Ashley Hill station, closed in 1964. Image credit: Stewart Jolly
    Following problems with the wagons (see the May 2025 Bristol Bulletin), the GBRf steel workings from Portbury to Margam ran daily during the week commencing 28th April. On 2nd May, 66783 'The Flying Dustman' heads the late-running 08.22 Margam to Portbury empties (6C92) through Filton Abbey Wood, just as an empty 'Turbo' departs to change platforms via reversal on the Henbury line. Image credit: Stewart Jolly.
    On 15th May 2025, West Coast Railways ran an 09.30 Carnforth to Bristol Kingsland Road empty stock working prior to a Pathfinder railtour to Pwllheli the following day. The ECS ran via Chester, Shrewsbury and the Severn Tunnel, and is pictured approaching Filton Abbey Wood headed by 37685, with 37518 at the rear. Image credit: Stewart Jolly
    99001 & 002 arrived in the UK via Avonmouth docks on 10th June 2025. A week later on 17th June they were hauled by 66307 to the UK Rail Leasing depot at Leicester to complete commissioning. Running as 0Q66, 13.53 from Avonmouth Hanson Siding, the three immaculate locomotives are pictured at the start of their journey, heading away from Hallen Marsh Junction towards Bristol Parkway. Image credit: Stewart Jolly

Railtours Visiting the Bristol Area

'The Western Wanderer' -  On 25th August, the return leg of this tour (outward from Crewe ) was worked from Cardiff Central by Peak no. 45118 'Royal Artilleryman' to Bristol Temple Meads, where the train reversed and was taken forward by Western no. D1015 'Western Champion'.  The Peak remained on the rear and the train returned to Crewe via Bath, Newbury, the Reading west curve, Swindon and Cheltenham.  The photographs below show the train passing Filton Abbey Wood, and at Temple Meads.

    45118 'Royal Artilleryman' accelerates through Filton Abbey Wood following a signal check, as it heads the return 'Western Wanderer' tour from Cardiff Central to Crewe. The tour reversed at Temple Meads and was taken forward by D1015 'Western Champion' via Bath, Reading West, Swindon and Cheltenham. Image credit: Stewart Jolly
    45118 'Royal Artilleryman' approaches Bristol Temple Meads at the head of the return 'Western Wanderer' tour from Cardiff Central to Crewe. The tour reversed here and was taken forward by D1015 'Western Champion' via Bath, Reading west, Swindon and Cheltenham. Image credit: Dale Robertson
    In mono, it could almost be the 1980s! Image credit: Dale Robertson
    Image credit: Dale Robertson
    Image credit: Dale Robertson
    Image credit: Dale Robertson
    D1015 awaits departure. Image credit: Dale Robertson

'The Welsh Marches Express' - On 27th August, Saphos Trains ran this tour, 05.33 Bournemouth to Shrewsbury, with steam haulage by 34046 'Braunton' from Bristol Temple Meads.  Our member Dale Robertson was on hand at Temple Meads to record 34046 waiting with its support coach after having arrived from Bishops Lydeard, followed by the arrival of the special at platforms 9 & 10 topped and tailed by class 47s 47593 & D1935.