84-592: The Cross Country Route is a long-distance railway route in England, which runs from Bristol Temple Meads to York via Birmingham New Street , Derby , Sheffield and Leeds or Doncaster . Inter-city services on the route, which include some of the longest passenger journeys in the UK such as Aberdeen to Penzance , are operated by CrossCountry . It is classed as a high-speed line because its sections from Birmingham to Wakefield Westgate and from Leeds to York have
168-400: A flagman in a nearby booth who would, on the approach of a train, wave a red flag or lantern to stop all traffic and clear the tracks. This was a dangerous job that cost the lives of gatekeepers and their spouses, their children, their pets and their livestock, due to the inability for a train to stop from a suitable distance. Gated crossings became commonplace in many areas, as they protected
252-459: A "booking boy". The other two boxes were at Bristol Temple Meads West, and controlling the movements in and out of the new Bath Road Depot , which replaced the old B&ER locomotive works in 1934. During World War II the station was bombed, which led to the destruction of the wooden spire of the clock tower above the ticket office on 3 January 1941. Gas lighting was replaced by fluorescent electric lights in 1960. Bristol Panel Signal Box
336-472: A 326-by-138-foot (99 m × 42 m) goods shed on the north side of the station adjacent to the Floating Harbour, with a small dock for transhipment of goods to barges (not seagoing ships, as the wharf was upstream of Bristol Bridge ). Wagons had to be lowered 12 feet (4 m) to the goods shed on hoists . On 11 March 1872, a direct connection to the harbour was made in the form of
420-634: A branch off the Bristol and Exeter line west of the city on 18 April 1867, the trains being operated by the B&;ER and using its platforms at Temple Meads. In 1850 an engine shed was opened on the south bank of the River Avon on the east side of the line to the B&ER station. Between 1859 and 1875, 23 engines were built in the workshops attached to the shed, including several distinctive Bristol and Exeter Railway 4-2-4T locomotives . The GWR built
504-416: A lost property office, first aid room , and CCTV . Level crossing A level crossing is an intersection where a railway line crosses a road, path , or (in rare situations) airport runway, at the same level, as opposed to the railway line crossing over or under using an overpass or tunnel . The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses
588-823: A new use in a redevelopment by the City Council, the University of Bristol and the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership . Opened in 2013 as the Engine Shed, it hosts business incubators for startups. Plans to build a 12,000-capacity arena on the former site of the Bristol Bath Road Traction Maintenance Depot , to the south of the station, were cancelled in 2018. The Great Western Main Line from London to Bristol
672-526: A pair of numbered platforms. Of those, the odd numbered platforms are at the north end of the station, while even numbers are at the south end. All platforms are signalled for trains in either direction and the flexible layout means that trains on any route can use any part of the station. Entrance to the platforms is controlled by automatic ticket gates on Platform 3, which is used by many northbound CrossCountry trains and local services to Bristol Parkway and Gloucester . The main station restaurant and bar
756-405: A purely standard gauge layout. This allowed the through station to be rebuilt with two additional platform faces. The additional railway routes put the two short 140-yard (130 m) platforms of Brunel's terminus under pressure and a scheme was developed to extend the station. An enabling Act of Parliament for a new Bristol Joint Station was passed in 1865, and between 1871 and 1878 the station
840-525: A railway station. The line was reopened for freight traffic to serve Royal Portbury Docks in 2001, and the restoration of passenger traffic is considered part of the Greater Bristol Metro scheme , which was given the go-ahead in July 2012 as part of a City Deal, whereby local councils would be given greater control over money by the government. The Metro scheme could also see the reopening of
924-753: A road in the same fashion. Other names include railway level crossing , railway crossing (chiefly international), grade crossing or railroad crossing (chiefly American), road through railroad , criss-cross , train crossing , and RXR (abbreviated). There are more than 100,000 level crossings in Europe and more than 200,000 in North America. Road-grade crossings are considered incompatible with high-speed rail and are virtually non-existent in European high-speed train operations. The types of early level crossings varied by location, but often, they had
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#17327722866731008-519: A significant risk of collisions between trains and road vehicles. This list is not a definitive list of the world's worst accidents and the events listed are limited to those where a separate article describes the event in question. Aircraft runways sometimes cross roads or rail lines, and require signaling to avoid collisions. Winston Churchill Avenue intersects the runway of Gibraltar International Airport at surface level; movable barricades close when aircraft land or take off. As of March 2023,
1092-494: A speed limit of 125 mph (200 km/h); however, the section from Birmingham to Bristol is limited to 100 mph (160 km/h) because of numerous level crossings, especially half-barrier level crossings, and the section from Wakefield to Leeds has the same limit because of a number of curves. The Birmingham–Bristol section was built as the Birmingham and Gloucester and Bristol and Gloucester Railways before joining
1176-533: A train is present, may differ from municipality to municipality. There are a number of possible arrangements: In France, cameras have been installed on some level crossings to obtain images to improve understanding of an incident when a technical investigation occurs. In England, cameras have been installed at some level crossings. In South Australia, cameras have been installed at some level crossings to deter non-compliance with signals. Designs of level crossings vary between countries. Level crossings present
1260-421: A trial basis on Saturdays only. A new station reception was opened in 2023, replacing the information desk on platform three. In 2013, it was announced that the station roof would be refurbished as part of a scheme to transform the station over the 25 years commencing 2013. In September 2021, foundations were installed for a planned eastern entrance to the station. Following the erection of scaffolding inside
1344-559: A tribute to Brunel faces the approach road to the station. On the right of the Station Approach but at a lower level is the B&ER office building designed by Samuel Fripp; the 1930s offices known as "Collett House" (named after Charles Collett ) and a disused parcels depot lie beyond. On the left is Brunel's original station building. The train shed is 72 feet (22 m) wide with a wooden box-frame roof and cast iron columns disguised as hammerbeams above Tudor arches. It
1428-613: A tunnel under the runway opened to regular traffic, and the level crossing will only be available to pedestrians, cyclists and e-scooters. The Fianarantsoa-Côte Est railway crosses the runway at Manakara Airport . It is one of the few airports in the world that crosses an active railway line. A level crossing near Gisborne , sees the Palmerston North - Gisborne Line cross one of Gisborne Airport 's runways . Aircraft landing on sealed 1310-metre runway 14L/32R are signalled with two red flashing lights on either side of
1512-606: Is a terminus platform and is used by many trains from Paddington, some local services and occasionally by CrossCountry. There is another siding beyond platform 15 that used to be the In/out Road for Bristol Bath Road TMD . This depot has been demolished. Between platforms 3/4 and 5/6 are the Up Through line and the Middle Siding, the latter is often used to stable Mark 1 carriages between Torbay Express duties in
1596-403: Is believed to be the widest hammerbeam roof in England and, along with most of the station, is a Grade 1 listed building , and forms part of a proposed Great Western Railway World Heritage Site . At the top of the slope an entrance on the left to the covered car park marks the junction between the original terminus and Fox's 1870s extension. Ahead is the turreted main station building, and to
1680-511: Is catering on all platform islands except 13–15). A passenger information office and lounge are above the subway, the British Transport Police office and cycle racks are beyond, and at the western end is Platform 4, used by only a few trains. Alongside this is Platform 2, another bay platform but not signalled for passenger trains and used only for stabling empty trains, as is the former Motorail unloading bay alongside. At
1764-484: Is located 118 miles 31 chains (118.39 mi; 190.5 km) away from London Paddington . It is an important transport hub for public transport in the city ; there are bus services to many parts of the city and surrounding districts, with a ferry to the city centre. It is the busiest station in South West England . Bristol's other major station, Bristol Parkway , is a more recent station on
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#17327722866731848-430: Is longer than platforms 5–8 but the rear of a High Speed Train on the west end platforms will block part of the east end platform. A wide variety of trains use these platforms, including to and from London Paddington and Weymouth . The final island platform is shorter and only has east-end platforms 13 and 15: 15 is used by most trains from Paddington that continue westwards to Weston-super-Mare or beyond. Platform 13
1932-581: Is managed by Network Rail . Most services are operated by the present-day Great Western Railway , with others by CrossCountry . The name Temple Meads derives from the nearby Temple Church , which was gutted by bombing during the Second World War . The word "meads" is a derivation of "mæd", an Old English variation of "mædwe", meadow , referring to the water meadows alongside the River Avon that were part of Temple parish. As late as 1820
2016-561: Is nearby. The High Level Siding beyond Platform 1 is the rump of the Bristol Harbour Railway, and Bristol Barton Hill TMD can be seen in the distance alongside Bristol East Junction (formerly South Wales Junction) where the lines to Bristol Parkway and Bath diverge. On the right of the entrance is the subway that links all the platforms, reached either by steps or lift ; it houses the main public toilets, automated teller machines (ATM) and several catering outlets (there
2100-420: Is on the left and the short Platform 1, a bay , is beyond this. This is most frequently used by Severn Beach Line trains but is long enough to handle any four-car Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU). Behind Platform 1 is a brick wall that forms part of the signal box and on this are some metal artworks created by artists with learning difficulties to celebrate Brunel's 200th anniversary in 2006; an interpretation panel
2184-584: Is well connected, and aside from its own alignment it uses parts of the South Wales Main Line , Midland Main Line , Swinton–Doncaster line , and the East Coast Main Line . Major cities and towns served along the route include: Milepost zero for the main predecessor Derby to Bristol route has always been Derby, hence a train travelling the whole route starts out going "up" then becomes "down". The Birmingham to Derby section of
2268-486: The 1968 Vienna Convention states (chapter 3, article 23b) that: This has been implemented in many countries, including countries which are not part of the Vienna Convention. Trains have a much larger mass relative to their braking capability, and thus a far longer braking distance than road vehicles. With rare exceptions, trains do not stop at level crossings and rely on vehicles and pedestrians to clear
2352-567: The Bristol Harbour Railway , a joint operation of the three railways, which ran between the passenger station and the goods yard , across the street outside on a bridge, and descended into a tunnel under the churchyard of St. Mary Redcliffe on its way to a wharf downstream of Bristol Bridge. The southern end of the tunnel can still be seen between the bottom of Guinea Street and the Ostritch public house. The footbridge across
2436-496: The Bristol and South Wales Union Railway . To accommodate the increasing number of trains, the station was expanded in the 1870s by Francis Fox and again between 1930 and 1935 by Percy Emerson Culverhouse . Brunel's terminus is no longer part of the operational station. The historical significance of the station has been noted and most of the site is Grade I listed . Temple Meads, which has 13 active platforms across eight tracks,
2520-529: The European Railway Agency (ERA). The ERA manages and is responsible for the entire data collection. The Eurostat data constitute a part of the data collected by ERA and are part of the so-called Common Safety Indicators (CSIs). Note: Since 2010, use of national definitions is no longer permitted: 2010 CSI data represent the first fully harmonized set of figures Traffic signal -controlled intersections next to level crossings on at least one of
2604-707: The Henbury Loop Line to passengers, with the possibility of services from Temple Meads to Bristol Parkway via Clifton Down and Henbury . Plans for a loop were rejected by the West of England Joint Transport Board, but in July 2015 Bristol City Councillors voted to send the decision back to the board for further discussion. On 1 April 2014, Network Rail took over management of the station from First Great Western. In December 2021, South Western Railway services to London Waterloo were withdrawn, followed by GWR services to Brighton in 2022. In 2024, direct services to Oxford were reintroduced by GWR on
Cross Country Route - Misplaced Pages Continue
2688-530: The Hitachi Super Express trains are bi-mode so can operate on diesel around Bristol and can use electricity where the electrification work is complete. The electrification plans do not extend west of Bristol, so local services will continue to be provided using diesel trains, with Class 165 / 166s cascaded from Thames Valley services scheduled to replace the 150 / 153 / 158s on local services. The Portishead branch line , which runs along
2772-655: The Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands . This plan also includes full Midland Main Line electrification and upgrades. Electrification between Westerleigh Junction (near Yate , Gloucestershire) and Bristol Temple Meads was planned as part of the 21st-century modernisation of the Great Western Main Line, but as of 2024 work has yet to progress beyond Filton East Curve, south-west of Bristol Parkway . Most long-distance services on
2856-717: The Midland Railway , the southern forerunner to the cross-country route. From Birmingham to the north-northeast, the line had three separately owned sections, namely the: From the Labour Government's nationalisation in 1948 until privatisation in 1990, the route ran through all six regions of British Rail but did not have timetabling priority in any of them. Therefore the services were poorly promoted and thus not always well-patronised. Most Derby – Nottingham local passenger trains were taken over by diesel units from 14 April 1958, taking about 34 minutes between
2940-560: The Tudor style . Train services to Bath commenced on 31 August 1840 and were extended to Paddington on 30 June 1841 following the completion of Box Tunnel . A few weeks before the start of the services to Paddington the Bristol and Exeter Railway (B&ER) had opened, on 14 June 1841, its trains reversing in and out of the GWR station. The third railway at Temple Meads was the Bristol and Gloucester Railway , which opened on 8 July 1844 and
3024-492: The B&ER built its own station at right angles to the GWR station and an "express platform " on the curve linking the two lines so that through trains no longer had to reverse. The wooden B&ER station was known locally as "The Cowshed"; but a grand headquarters was built at street level on the west side of its station in 1852–54 to the Jacobean designs of Samuel Fripp. The Bristol and Portishead Pier and Railway opened
3108-418: The GWR absorbed the B&ER in 1876 the split became GWR 5/8 and MR (later LMS ) 3/8, until nationalisation on 1 January 1948. In 1924 the goods depot was rebuilt with 15 platforms, each 575 feet (175 m) long. Large warehousing and cellar space was provided to store goods, although by this time another city centre goods depot had been opened at Canons Marsh . Between 1930 and 1935 the through station
3192-599: The Old Station. A second main-line station serving the city, Bristol Parkway , opened in 1972. It is on the northern outskirts of the conurbation close to the M32 motorway and was designed as a park and ride facility for long-distance travellers. In the late 1960s the Royal Mail built a mail conveyor at the northern end of the station, with significant aesthetic impact. This was out of use for many years following
3276-641: The United States are killed in level crossing accidents. Collisions can occur with vehicles as well as pedestrians; pedestrian collisions are more likely to result in a fatality. Among pedestrians, young people (5–19 years), older people (60 years and over), and males are considered to be higher risk users. On some commuter lines most trains may slow to stop at a station but some express or freight trains pass through stations at high speed without stopping. As far as warning systems for road users are concerned, level crossings either have "passive" protection, in
3360-523: The bulk of haulage switching to roads and the building of the M5 , M6 and M1 motorways. In the 1960s the route was considered for electrification . In the early 1980s, electrification was again discussed at length and documentation for various proposals was produced in 1981. This would have been particularly beneficial for climbing the Lickey Incline between Cheltenham and Birmingham, as many of
3444-501: The conversion of the Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth Railway to standard gauge. Mixed gauge was laid through Box Tunnel on 16 May 1875 and so standard gauge trains could run to London, although broad gauge was retained west of Temple Meads and through trains from London to Penzance and other stations in Devon and Cornwall continued to be broad gauge. Goods traffic was transhipped between
Cross Country Route - Misplaced Pages Continue
3528-487: The early diesels were under-powered. In 1977 the Parliamentary Select Committee on Nationalised Industries recommended considering electrification of more of Britain's rail network, and by 1979 BR presented a range of options that included electrifying the cross-country route by 2000. Under the governments that succeeded the 1976–79 Labour government , the proposal was not implemented. The route
3612-781: The entrance to Bathhurst Basin is on the site of the railway bascule bridge. The B&ER had a goods depot at Pylle Hill (south of the station) from 1850, and the MR had an independent yard at Avonside Wharf on the opposite side of the Floating Harbour from 1858. On 29 May 1854 the Midland Railway laid a third rail along their line to Gloucester to provide mixed gauge so that it could operate 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ( 1,435 mm ) standard gauge passenger trains while broad gauge goods trains could still run to collieries north of Bristol. Sidings at South Wales Junction allowed traffic to be transhipped between wagons on
3696-492: The far end of this track is the old Fish Dock, occasionally used for stabling engineers' on-track equipment. Beyond the end of the platform the tracks swing to the right (the west) and pass out of sight beneath Bath Road Bridge, a girder bridge that carries the A4 out of the city. The first island platform comprises platforms 5 to 8. Platform 5 is inside the main train shed while 6 is a southerly extension and 7 and 8 were added outside
3780-648: The form of various types of warning signs, or " active " protection, using automatic warning devices such as flashing lights, warning sounds, and barriers or gates. In the 19th century and for much of the 20th, a sign warning "Stop, look, and listen" (or similar wording) was the sole protection at most level crossings. Today, active protection is widely available, and fewer collisions take place at level crossings with active warning systems. Modern radar sensor systems can detect if level crossings are free of obstructions as trains approach. These improve safety by not lowering crossing barriers that may trap vehicles or pedestrians on
3864-465: The goods shed were at right angles to their original alignment; and the barge dock was filled in. Trains on the Bristol and South Wales Union and the Midland routes operated from the terminal platforms, while the GWR used the new through platforms. The capital costs of the new work were split 4/14 GWR/B&ER and 10/14 MR, and operating costs were split GWR 3/8, MR 3/8 and B&ER 2/8. Hence, when
3948-555: The line between Derby and Sheffield would be electrified as part of the Midland Main Line upgrade . However, the electrification programme was severely cut back in July 2017. As of 2023, Network Rail is working on the section between York and Church Fenton . The rest of the section between Leeds and York has electrification planned as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade , which itself is part of
4032-501: The need for animal protection diminished with time. Full, half or no-barrier crossings superseded gated crossings, although crossings of older types can still be found in places. In rural regions with sparse traffic, the least expensive type of level crossing to operate is one without flagmen or gates, with only a warning sign posted. This type has been common across North America and in many developing countries. Some international rules have helped to harmonise level crossing. For instance,
4116-484: The north of the city were withdrawn on 23 November 1964. The following year saw local services on the Midland route to Gloucester withdrawn and the Midland route to Bath Green Park via Mangotsfield was closed on 7 March 1966. St Anne's Park and Saltford on the line towards Bath survived until 5 January 1970. On 12 September 1965, the terminal platforms were closed. This allowed the platforms to be renumbered with
4200-506: The north side by an archway that used to be the main station for departing passengers; a matching arch on the other side was the arrivals gateway but was removed when the station was expanded in the 1870s. Opposite these offices are the Grosvenor Hotel and the derelict George Railway Hotel, which were built in the 1870s, on either side of the site of the Bristol Harbour Railway bridge. A modern pub named The Reckless Engineer as
4284-528: The northern outskirts of the conurbation. Temple Meads was opened on 31 August 1840, as the western terminus of the Great Western Railway . The railway, including Temple Meads, was the first to be designed by the British engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel . Soon, the station was also used by the Bristol and Exeter Railway , the Bristol and Gloucester Railway , the Bristol Harbour Railway and
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#17327722866734368-763: The order reversed (see list below). The redundant train shed became a covered car park in February of the following year, but from 1989 until 1999 the original (Brunel) part was an interactive science centre known as The Exploratory and an exhibition space. From 2002 to 2008, it housed the British Empire and Commonwealth Museum . As of 2016 , the shed, now known as the Passenger Shed, is a venue for events such as conferences and weddings. Bristol Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone , an enterprise zone with an area of 70 hectares (170 acres) centred on Temple Meads,
4452-617: The proximity of some stations) rebuilding 51 stations. At railway stations , a pedestrian level crossing is sometimes provided to allow passengers to reach other platforms in the absence of an underpass or bridge, or for disabled access. Where third rail systems have level crossings, there is a gap in the third rail over the level crossing, but this does not necessarily interrupt the power supply to trains since they may have current collectors on multiple cars. Source: US Department of Transportation. (1 mile=1.6 km) Source: Eurostat : The rail accident data are provided to Eurostat by
4536-535: The quarry from which the dolomite stone had originally been extracted was reopened in Abbots Leigh . Passenger traffic on the old North Somerset line ceased on 2 November 1959, and many more closures followed after the publication of Dr Beeching's The Reshaping of British Railways in 1963. The connection to the Bristol Harbour Railway was closed on 6 January 1964; passenger trains to Portishead were withdrawn on 7 September 1964; and most local services in
4620-405: The railroad crossing which will turn red, keeping new traffic from crossing the tracks. This is in addition to the flashing lights on the crossing barriers). After enough time to clear the crossing, the signal will turn. The crossing lights may begin flashing and the barriers lower immediately, or this might be delayed until after the traffic light turns red. The operation of a traffic signal, while
4704-471: The railway from people trespassing and livestock, and they protected the users of the crossing when closed by the signalman/gateman. In the second quarter of the 20th century , manual or electrical closable gates that barricaded the roadway started to be introduced, intended to be a complete barrier against intrusion of any road traffic onto the railway. Automatic crossings are now commonplace in some countries as motor vehicles replaced horse-drawn vehicles and
4788-470: The right a flat area marks the site of the B&ER station. The tunnel beneath this area was the route for passengers to and from the Down platform from 1878 until the station was enlarged in 1935. Outside the old station building is a statue of Brunel, moved here in 2021 but first erected in the city centre in 1982. Entering the main building, the ticket office and ticket machines are immediately ahead, and
4872-461: The roads in the intersection usually feature traffic signal preemption . In the US, approaching trains activate a routine where, before the road lights and barriers are activated, all traffic signal phases go to red, except for the signal immediately after the crossing, which turns green (or flashing yellow) to allow traffic on the tracks to clear (in some cases, there are auxiliary traffic signals prior to
4956-458: The route are operated by Class 220 / 221 Voyagers , although a few services, until recently, operated using High Speed Trains . These trains are capable of achieving 125 mph (200 km/h), compared to the previous Class 47s and Mk 2 coaching stock , which had a top speed of 95 mph (150 km/h). Bristol Temple Meads railway station Bristol Temple Meads is the oldest and largest railway station in Bristol , England. It
5040-625: The route from Temple Quay and the ferry is on the left; a newsagent is on the right, next to the platform entrance. Customer Information System screens by the entrance show arrival and departure information for all platforms, as do displays on each of the platforms . It is located 118 miles 31 chains (118.39 mi; 190.5 km) from London Paddington . There are 13 numbered platforms serving 8 tracks. The platforms are numbered from 1–15 with 2 and 14 omitted. Platforms 1, 13 and 15 do not share tracks with any other platform. Platforms 3–12 consist of five tracks that are each subdivided into
5124-518: The route has a line speed of 125 mph (200 km/h), while Birmingham to Bristol is restricted to 100 mph (160 km/h) because of a number of half-barrier level crossings . The line is not fully electrified, but some sections are overhead electrified at 25 kV AC such as Bromsgrove to Grand Junction, with further electrified sections around Leeds and the East Coast Main Line near York . Network Rail stated in 2014 that
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#17327722866735208-437: The routes approaching Temple Meads were widened to four tracks to allow more flexibility. As part of this work, four manual signal boxes were replaced by three power signal boxes, and the semaphore signals and mechanical point linkages were replaced by colour light signals and point motors. The new Bristol Temple Meads East box was the largest on the GWR, with 368 miniature levers operated by three signalmen assisted by
5292-440: The runway and a horizontal bar of flashing red lights to indicate the runway south of the railway line is closed, and may only land on the 866 metres (2,841 ft) section of the runway north of the railway line. When the full length of the runway is open, a vertical bar of green lights signal to the aircraft, with regular rail signals on either side of the runway indicating trains to stop. The runway of Ometepe Airport crosses
5376-475: The site was undeveloped pasture outside the boundaries of the old city, some distance from the commercial centre. It lay between the Floating Harbour and the city's cattle market, which was built in 1830. The original terminus was built in 1839–41 for the Great Western Railway (GWR), the first passenger railway in Bristol, and was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel , the railway's engineer. It
5460-409: The south side of the River Avon from a junction just beyond Parson Street station is proposed to be reopened. There is an aspiration of two trains per hour between Portishead and Temple Meads in peak periods, possibly calling at Bedminster and Parson Street. The line was built in the 1860s but closed to passenger traffic in 1964, leaving Portishead as one of Britain's largest towns without
5544-480: The station which was erected in the 1970s for postal traffic was demolished at Christmas 2014. In November 2016, the University of Bristol announced that it plans to build a Temple Quarter Campus to the east of the station, replacing the derelict sorting office which was formerly connected to the station by the bridge. Bristol and Exeter House has been redeveloped by TCN UK as a business hub for small and medium-sized enterprises . Part of Brunel's station has found
5628-470: The station, including the refurbishment of the subway and construction of new retail outlets. The shorter of the two 1935 platform islands had been used only for parcels traffic since the 1960s but was temporarily brought back into passenger use during this work. It was fully restored for passenger use in 2001. In August 1998, a 15-month, £7 million project commenced with work performed on the external facade, clocktower, roof and paving. As part of this work,
5712-657: The station, work on the roof began in April 2022. Although it is now possible to reach the station through the Temple Quay office development (on the site of the goods shed ) or from the Bristol Ferry Boat Company landing stage on the Floating Harbour , the traditional and main approach is from Temple Gate. Isambard Kingdom Brunel 's Tudor-style offices, later used by the former British Empire and Commonwealth Museum , face this road and are flanked on
5796-547: The summer months. The Down Through line runs between platforms 11/12 and 13. To the north of the station lies Arriva TrainCare 's Barton Hill TMD, and to the south-east of the station lies St Philip's Marsh depot which services the Great Western Railway fleet. This is accessible from both ends of Temple Meads station. Other facilities include pay phones, public Wi-Fi , a post box, photo booth, and passenger assistance such as information points, waiting rooms,
5880-405: The supporting wall in the 1930s. Platform 5 is used by trains towards Cardiff and platform 7 to Portsmouth ; platforms 6 and 8 are the main platforms for Weston-super-Mare and stations to Penzance . Between platforms 5 and 7 are the two spur sidings that are long enough to stable a single Class 153 DMU . The third island platform comprises platforms 9 to 12 and also dates from the 1930s. It
5964-481: The tracks in advance. Several accidents have occurred where a heavy load on a slow road transporter has not cleared the line in time, eg Dalfsen train crash and Hixon rail crash . At Hixon the police escort had received no training in their responsiblities. Level crossings constitute a significant safety concern internationally. On average, each year around 400 people in the European Union and over 300 in
6048-414: The tracks, while signalling trains to brake until the obstruction clears. However, they cannot prevent a vehicle from moving out onto the track once it is far too late for the locomotive to slow even slightly. Due to the increase in road and rail traffic as well as for safety reasons, level crossings are increasingly being removed. As of 2024 Melbourne is closing 110 level crossings by 2030 and (due to
6132-462: The transfer of Royal Mail's activities to the West of England Mail Centre at Filton and the opening of the short-lived Railnet Hub next to Bristol Parkway station in May 2000. It was finally dismantled in stages and removed between October and December 2014. In 1990/91, £2 million was spent by InterCity on a renovation of the main train shed and another £7 million on restoring some of the older areas of
6216-524: The two cities. In the 1990s most services were operated by British Rail's InterCity business unit. As part of the privatisation of British Rail, these were taken over by Virgin CrossCountry in 1997, with the Class 47 hauled Mark 2 and High Speed Train sets replaced by Class 220 and Class 221 diesel multiple units in the early 2000s. The use of the route for freight has decreased, because of
6300-464: The two different gauges. The GWR continued to operate its trains on the broad gauge, but on 3 September 1873 it opened the standard gauge Bristol and North Somerset Railway . This had a junction nearly 1 ⁄ 2 mile (800 m) from the station on the London line and so mixed gauge was extended to that point. During the following year mixed gauge track was continued beyond Bath in connection with
6384-435: The two gauges in the B&ER yard at Pylle Hill. The B&ER converted the line to Taunton to mixed gauge by 1 June 1875, but the remainder of the line to Exeter was not done until 1 March 1876, three months after the B&ER had amalgamated with the GWR. The remainder of the lines beyond Exeter were converted to standard gauge on 21 May 1892 so the extra rails at Temple Meads fell into disuse and were removed to leave
6468-409: Was announced in 2011, and launched in 2012. Network Rail is a partner in coordinating development in the zone. In November 2012, Network Rail announced a £100 million redevelopment of the station, with two unused platforms to be opened up. Station Approach Road will be turned into a public square and the station's main entrance moved to the north side. A large bridge above the tracks at the east end of
6552-419: Was built on the site of Platform 14. When opened, it controlled 280 multiple-aspect signals and 243 motor-worked points on 114 miles (183 km) of route, the largest area controlled by a single signal box on British Rail at the time. The construction of this signal box, completed in 1970, involved the demolition of almost half of the 1870s extension to Brunel's terminus and completely blocked rail access to
6636-515: Was built to accommodate Brunel's 7 ft 1 ⁄ 4 in ( 2,140 mm ) broad gauge . The station was on a viaduct to raise it above the level of the Floating Harbour and River Avon, the latter being crossed via the Grade I listed Avon Bridge . The station was covered by a 200-foot (60 m) train shed , extended beyond the platforms by 155 feet (47 m) into a storage area and engine shed , fronted by an office building in
6720-409: Was established to be by Bristol architect Henry Lloyd under the superintendence of Francis Fox , the engineer of the B&ER. The curved wrought-iron train shed over the new through platforms was 500 feet (150 m) long on the platform wall. The goods depot was rebuilt, with the inconvenient wagon hoists replaced by a steep incline from the east end of Temple Meads, which meant that the sidings in
6804-622: Was expanded under the direction of the GWR's chief architect P E Culverhouse, in Art Deco style, both eastwards over the old cattle market and southwards on a new wider bridge across Cattle Market Road and the New Cut of the River Avon. This made room for the addition of five through-platform faces, while the removal of the narrow island platforms in the middle of the train shed allowed the main Up and Down platforms to be both widened and lengthened. All
6888-469: Was extensively rebuilt by a committee formed of the three principal railway companies that used the station. Brunel's platforms were extended by 212 yards (194 m) towards London, and a new three-platform through station was built on the site of the express platform, while the B&ER station was closed and the site used for a new carriage shed. From the 1960s, the work was usually attributed to Brunel's former associate Matthew Digby Wyatt , but in 2020 it
6972-402: Was part of electrification plans first announced by the UK government in 2009. However, because of cost overruns and delays, on 8 November 2016 the government announced that several elements of the programme would be deferred including electrification south-west of Thingley Junction near Chippenham , and between Temple Meads and Bristol Parkway . Although this left Temple Meads un-electrified,
7056-446: Was taken over by the Midland Railway (MR) on 1 July 1845. This used the GWR platforms, diverging onto its own line on the far side of the bridge over the Floating Harbour. Both these new railways were engineered by Brunel and were initially broad gauge. Brunel also designed the Bristol and South Wales Union Railway , but this was not opened until 25 August 1863, nearly four years after his death. It terminated at Temple Meads. In 1845
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