Bristol to Exeter line
Encyclopedia
The Bristol to Exeter line is a major branch of the Great Western Main Line
in the southern United Kingdom
and runs from Bristol
, to Exeter
, from where it continues as the Exeter to Plymouth line
. It was one of the principal routes of the pre-1948 Great Western Railway
which were subsequently taken over by the Western Region of British Railways
and are now part of the Network Rail
system.
with Isambard Kingdom Brunel
as the engineer. The section from Bristol to Bridgwater
was opened on 14 June 1841 and it was completed to Taunton on 1 July 1842. It was initially operated by the Great Western Railway
as an extension of their line from London Paddington station and formed part of the broad gauge
trunk route to Penzance
on which through trains were run from 1867, but in the same year the section between Highbridge
and Durston was reconstructed as a mixed gauge
line to accommodate local gauge traffic. The remainder of the line was laid with mixed gauge by 1 June 1875 and broad gauge trains ceased operation on 20 May 1892.
The Bristol and Exeter Railway took over its own operations from 1 May 1849 but amalgamated
with the Great Western Railway on 1 January 1876.
On 1 July 1906 the Langport and Castle Cary Railway line was opened which enabled London to Taunton trains to run on a shorter route instead of the "Great Way Round" through Bristol. The Great Western Railway was nationalised into the Western Region of British Railways
on 1 January 1948 and the Bristol to Taunton Line is now part of Route 13 of the Network Rail
system.
at Bristol Temple Meads
to the Reading to Taunton Line
at Taunton
, Somerset
. Passenger services are operated by First Great Western
and CrossCountry
.
(including the suburb of Bedminster) – Nailsea
– Backwell
– Yatton
– Weston-super-Mare
(including the suburb of Worle
)
On leaving Bristol Temple Meads
the line passes through suburban Bedminster
and Parson Street railway station
s. This section of the route has three tracks and, as far as Bedminster, the centre track is reversible to give some flexibility for regulating trains in the Temple Meads area. After passing through a short, deep cutting at Parson Street, the Portbury branch line
diverges on the right.
The line climbs westwards up past Long Ashton
village and under the A370 road
to enter a cutting with Flax Bourton
tunnel at the summit. The remains of Flax Bourton railway station are near the tunnel. The line drops down to Nailsea and Backwell railway station
, which is situated on a road bridge between Backwell
on the left and Nailsea
over the low hill on the right. It then continues past the isolated church at Chelvey (left) to Yatton railway station
. This was once a busy junction station with branches to Clevedon (right) and Wells (left); the latter is now a footpath and cycleway as far as Cheddar
.
Beyond Yatton the line runs across the low-lying North Marsh with level crossing
s at Hewish and Puxton, where an old signal box
is retained to supervise the two level crossings. The line passes beneath the M5 Motorway
approaching Puxton and then comes to Worle railway station
on the outskirts of Weston-super-Mare
. A short distance beyond the station is Worle Junction where a single-track branch diverges to the right to serve Weston Milton
and Weston-super-Mare railway station
s. There is a crossing loop at Weston-super-Mare, beyond which the single track continues to rejoin the main line at Uphill Junction.
– Highbridge
– Burnham-on-Sea
– Bridgwater
– Taunton
The line has now swung round to head south. At Uphill
there is a short, deep cutting crossed by a high brick bridge built by Brunel, known locally as 'Devil's Bridge'. Beyond this lie the remains of Bleadon and Uphill railway station (right). Passing across the Somerset Levels
the line comes to the site of Brent Knoll railway station with the isolated hill that it was named for close by on the left. The next open station is Highbridge and Burnham
; this is situated in Highbridge
but also serves co-joined Burnham-on-Sea
. The Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway
used to cross the line on the level just north of the station; their locomotive works were on the site of the industrial units visible to the left as the line passes through the station.
More level ground brings the line to Bridgwater railway station
with the only operational goods yard on the whole line, which is mainly used for waste traffic from Hinkley Point
Power Station. Beyond the station, on the right, used to be the carriage works of the Bristol and Exeter Railway but the site is now lost beneath modern industrial units. The line now crosses over the River Parrett
on the Somerset Bridge and then passes below the M5 again.
The Bridgwater and Taunton Canal
now joins on the right for most of the way to Taunton
. At Durston the former Yeovil branch line joins from the left. A short cutting brings the line to Cogload Junction
; the line towards Taunton climbs up here and crosses above the Reading to Taunton Line
which it then joins to complete the journey to Taunton, passing Creech St Michael and the former junction of the Chard branch line on the left. The final run into Taunton sees the River Tone
appear alongside on left and the canal passes beneath line to join the river at Firepool, behind the site of the former goods yard on the same side.
– Tiverton and Willand
– Exeter
The line leaves Taunton with the abandoned engine shed
on the left, and passes the engineer's depot at Fairwater Yard on the same side. The former Norton Fitzwarren railway station
is the location of two serious collisions and a fatal train fire. The West Somerset Railway
diverges on the right and work is under way to provide new facilities here for this heritage railway
which includes relaying track for a short distance along the old Devon and Somerset Railway
that formed a third route in between the main line and the West Somerset. On the left of the line an embankment marks the remains of the Grand Western Canal
.
After passing over Victory Crossing
at Bradford-on-Tone, the line starts to climb upwards. It passes through the remains of Wellington station and then under the A38 road
at Beambridge, which was the site of the line's terminus while work was underway to excavate the Whiteball Tunnel at the top of Wellington Bank. It was coming down here that City of Truro became the first locomotive to exceed 100 mph (160 km/h).
Through the tunnel and into Devon
, the M5 motorway
comes alongside on the left and the line arrives at to Tiverton Parkway
, the railhead for much of north Devon thanks to the A361 road
that joins the motorway next to the station. A short distance further is Tiverton Loops, the site of the former Tiverton Junction railway station.
The motorway service station on the left marks the site of Cullompton railway station, and then the line passes the remains of Hele & Bradninch and Silverton railway stations. At Stoke Canon the old Exe Valley Railway used to join from the right, and then the railway sweeps through the valley of the River Culm
to where it joins the River Exe
near Cowley Bridge Junction. Here the Tarka Line
from Barnstaple
joins on the right and the line then passes (on the same side) Riverside Yard and an old transhipment shed. Until 20 May 1892, when the former Great Western Railway
lines that we are travelling on were converted from the broad gauge
, the shed was used to transfer goods between broad gauge wagons and the standard gauge
wagons used by the London and South Western Railway
to Yeovil and Barnstaple. Passing over the wide Red Cow level crossing
, the line comes to Exeter St Davids railway station
.
Most services on the route are operated by First Great Western
. Local trains generally operate from Taunton to Cardiff Central
and from Weston-super-Mare to Bristol Parkway
, combining to give a half-hourly service to the main stations between Weston-super-Mare and Bristol Temple Meads throughout much of the day. A number of other through trains are also operated, mainly to and from London Paddington station; a few services continue towards Penzance
. Local trains are formed mainly from Class 150
two-car DMU
s and Class 143
twin-railbuses. London services are operated using High Speed Train
sets.
The other operator on the route is CrossCountry
, which provides trains between Scotland
or Manchester Piccadilly and Paignton
, Plymouth
or Penzance. Trains are formed of Class 220
and Class 221
units, although a few High Speed Trains appear on the route on summer Saturdays.
Heritage trains often operate on the route on rail tours and summer weekends for several years have featured regular steam-hauled Torbay Express
services.
at Bristol. A local signal box at Puxton supervises the two level crossing
s at Hewish and Puxton, and an emergency panel at Weston-super-Mare railway station
can take control of the section from Hewish to Uphill Junction if required. The route is not electrified.
The single-track Weston-super-Mare branch line is considered to be a cause of delay in the area and Network Rail plans to double the eastern portion of this in 2009. Consideration is also being given to reinstating the third platform at Weston-super-Mare subject to third-party funding becoming available.
Great Western Main Line
The Great Western Main Line is a main line railway in Great Britain that runs westwards from London Paddington station to the west of England and South Wales. The core Great Western Main Line runs from London Paddington to Temple Meads railway station in Bristol. A major branch of the Great...
in the southern United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and runs from Bristol
Bristol Temple Meads railway station
Bristol Temple Meads railway station is the oldest and largest railway station in Bristol, England. It is an important transport hub for public transport in Bristol, with bus services to various parts of the city and surrounding districts, and a ferry service to the city centre in addition to the...
, to Exeter
Exeter St Davids railway station
Exeter St Davids station is the most important of seven National Rail stations in the city of Exeter in southwest England. Today the station is owned by Network Rail and operated by First Great Western.-History:...
, from where it continues as the Exeter to Plymouth line
Exeter to Plymouth Line
The Exeter to Plymouth line is a central part of the trunk railway line between London Paddington and Penzance railway stations in the southern United Kingdom. It is a major branch of the Great Western Main Line and runs from Exeter, to Plymouth, from where it continues as the Cornish Main Line...
. It was one of the principal routes of the pre-1948 Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
which were subsequently taken over by the Western Region of British Railways
Western Region of British Railways
The Western Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992...
and are now part of the Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
system.
History
The line was built by the Bristol and Exeter RailwayBristol and Exeter Railway
The Bristol & Exeter Railway was a railway company formed to connect Bristol and Exeter.The company's head office was situated outside their Bristol station...
with Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel, FRS , was a British civil engineer who built bridges and dockyards including the construction of the first major British railway, the Great Western Railway; a series of steamships, including the first propeller-driven transatlantic steamship; and numerous important bridges...
as the engineer. The section from Bristol to Bridgwater
Bridgwater railway station
Bridgwater railway station serves Bridgwater in Somerset, England. It is on the Bristol to Taunton Line and is operated by First Great Western. Originally built to the designs of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the station is now a Grade II* listed building.-History:...
was opened on 14 June 1841 and it was completed to Taunton on 1 July 1842. It was initially operated by the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
as an extension of their line from London Paddington station and formed part of the broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
trunk route to Penzance
Penzance railway station
Penzance railway station serves the town of Penzance, Cornwall, UK. The station is the western terminus of the Cornish Main Line from London Paddington station. The current journey time to or from London is about five hours....
on which through trains were run from 1867, but in the same year the section between Highbridge
Highbridge and Burnham railway station
Highbridge and Burnham railway station is situated on the Bristol to Taunton Line in the town of Highbridge in Somerset, England and also serves neighbouring Burnham-on-Sea...
and Durston was reconstructed as a mixed gauge
Dual gauge
A dual-gauge or mixed-gauge railway has railway track that allows trains of different gauges to use the same track. Generally, a dual-gauge railway consists of three rails, rather than the standard two rails. The two outer rails give the wider gauge, while one of the outer rails and the inner rail...
line to accommodate local gauge traffic. The remainder of the line was laid with mixed gauge by 1 June 1875 and broad gauge trains ceased operation on 20 May 1892.
The Bristol and Exeter Railway took over its own operations from 1 May 1849 but amalgamated
Consolidation (business)
Consolidation or amalgamation is the act of merging many things into one. In business, it often refers to the mergers and acquisitions of many smaller companies into much larger ones. In the context of financial accounting, consolidation refers to the aggregation of financial statements of a group...
with the Great Western Railway on 1 January 1876.
On 1 July 1906 the Langport and Castle Cary Railway line was opened which enabled London to Taunton trains to run on a shorter route instead of the "Great Way Round" through Bristol. The Great Western Railway was nationalised into the Western Region of British Railways
Western Region of British Railways
The Western Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992...
on 1 January 1948 and the Bristol to Taunton Line is now part of Route 13 of the Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
system.
Bristol to Taunton
The Bristol to Taunton section is a main line linking the Great Western Main LineGreat Western Main Line
The Great Western Main Line is a main line railway in Great Britain that runs westwards from London Paddington station to the west of England and South Wales. The core Great Western Main Line runs from London Paddington to Temple Meads railway station in Bristol. A major branch of the Great...
at Bristol Temple Meads
Bristol Temple Meads railway station
Bristol Temple Meads railway station is the oldest and largest railway station in Bristol, England. It is an important transport hub for public transport in Bristol, with bus services to various parts of the city and surrounding districts, and a ferry service to the city centre in addition to the...
to the Reading to Taunton Line
Reading to Taunton line
The Reading to Taunton line also known as the Berks and Hants is a major branch of the Great Western Main Line that diverges at Reading, running to Cogload Junction near Taunton, where it joins the Bristol to Exeter line....
at Taunton
Taunton railway station
Taunton railway station is a junction station on the route from London to Penzance, from London Paddington station. It is situated in Taunton, Somerset, England and is operated by First Great Western...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
. Passenger services are operated by First Great Western
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
and CrossCountry
CrossCountry
CrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva...
.
Bristol to Weston-super-Mare
Communities served: BristolBristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
(including the suburb of Bedminster) – Nailsea
Nailsea
Nailsea is a town in the unitary authority of North Somerset within the ceremonial county of Somerset, England, approximately to the southwest of Bristol and about to the northeast of the seaside resort of Weston-super-Mare. The nearest village is Backwell, which lies south of Nailsea on the...
– Backwell
Backwell
Backwell is a suburban village and civil parish in Somerset, England. It falls within the Unitary Authority of North Somerset and has a population of 5,455.It is south west of Bristol, on the A370 to Weston-super-Mare...
– Yatton
Yatton
Yatton is a village and civil parish within the unitary authority of North Somerset, which falls within the ceremonial county of Somerset, England. It is located south-west of Bristol. Its population in 2001 was 9,176...
– Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare is a seaside resort, town and civil parish in the unitary authority of North Somerset, which is within the ceremonial county of Somerset, England. It is located on the Bristol Channel coast, south west of Bristol, spanning the coast between the bounding high ground of Worlebury...
(including the suburb of Worle
Worle
Worle is a village in North Somerset that is now totally absorbed by the seaside town of Weston-super-Mare. Despite this, Worle pre-dates Weston and was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. In the book, it is said that Worle was owned by Walter of Douai, and consisted of and valued at 6.5...
)
On leaving Bristol Temple Meads
Bristol Temple Meads railway station
Bristol Temple Meads railway station is the oldest and largest railway station in Bristol, England. It is an important transport hub for public transport in Bristol, with bus services to various parts of the city and surrounding districts, and a ferry service to the city centre in addition to the...
the line passes through suburban Bedminster
Bedminster railway station
Bedminster railway station is on the Bristol to Taunton Line and serves the suburb of Bedminster in Bristol, England. It also serves the area of Windmill Hill.-History:The Bristol and Exeter Railway was opened on 14 June 1841...
and Parson Street railway station
Parson Street railway station
Parson Street railway station serves the western end of Bedminster in Bristol, England. It also serves other surrounding suburbs including Bishopsworth and Ashton Gate, along with Bristol City FC.-History:...
s. This section of the route has three tracks and, as far as Bedminster, the centre track is reversible to give some flexibility for regulating trains in the Temple Meads area. After passing through a short, deep cutting at Parson Street, the Portbury branch line
Portishead Railway
The Portishead Railway was a branch line railway running from Portishead in Somerset to the Great Western Main Line in Bristol, England. It was constructed in the 1860s by the Bristol & Portishead Pier and Railway, which was incorporated to build a pier and a broad gauge link to the Bristol and...
diverges on the right.
The line climbs westwards up past Long Ashton
Long Ashton
Long Ashton is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England. It falls within the Unitary Authority of North Somerset, a few miles south west of the city of Bristol. The parish has a population of 4,981...
village and under the A370 road
A370 road
The A370 is a primary road in England running from Bristol to Weston-super-Mare and on to East Brent in Somerset. A more direct route from Bristol to East Brent is the A38.-Route:...
to enter a cutting with Flax Bourton
Flax Bourton
Flax Bourton is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England. The parish, with a population of 659, is situated within the Unitary Authority of North Somerset, on the edge of Nailsea Moor on the A370 road south west of Bristol city centre....
tunnel at the summit. The remains of Flax Bourton railway station are near the tunnel. The line drops down to Nailsea and Backwell railway station
Nailsea and Backwell railway station
Nailsea and Backwell railway station is a station on the Bristol to Taunton Line. It is located in the village of Backwell and close to the town of Nailsea in North Somerset, England...
, which is situated on a road bridge between Backwell
Backwell
Backwell is a suburban village and civil parish in Somerset, England. It falls within the Unitary Authority of North Somerset and has a population of 5,455.It is south west of Bristol, on the A370 to Weston-super-Mare...
on the left and Nailsea
Nailsea
Nailsea is a town in the unitary authority of North Somerset within the ceremonial county of Somerset, England, approximately to the southwest of Bristol and about to the northeast of the seaside resort of Weston-super-Mare. The nearest village is Backwell, which lies south of Nailsea on the...
over the low hill on the right. It then continues past the isolated church at Chelvey (left) to Yatton railway station
Yatton railway station
Yatton railway station serves the village of Yatton in North Somerset, England. It is west of Bristol Temple Meads railway station on the Bristol to Taunton Line.-History:...
. This was once a busy junction station with branches to Clevedon (right) and Wells (left); the latter is now a footpath and cycleway as far as Cheddar
Cheddar
Cheddar is a large village and civil parish in the Sedgemoor district of the English county of Somerset. It is situated on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills, north-west of Wells. The civil parish includes the hamlets of Nyland and Bradley Cross...
.
Beyond Yatton the line runs across the low-lying North Marsh with level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
s at Hewish and Puxton, where an old signal box
Signal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
is retained to supervise the two level crossings. The line passes beneath the M5 Motorway
M5 motorway
The M5 is a motorway in England. It runs from a junction with the M6 at West Bromwich near Birmingham to Exeter in Devon. Heading south-west, the M5 runs east of West Bromwich and west of Birmingham through Sandwell Valley...
approaching Puxton and then comes to Worle railway station
Worle railway station
Worle railway station serves Worle in North Somerset, England. The station is south east of Bristol Temple Meads on the Bristol to Taunton Line.It is close to the junction of the M5 motorway and A370 road...
on the outskirts of Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare is a seaside resort, town and civil parish in the unitary authority of North Somerset, which is within the ceremonial county of Somerset, England. It is located on the Bristol Channel coast, south west of Bristol, spanning the coast between the bounding high ground of Worlebury...
. A short distance beyond the station is Worle Junction where a single-track branch diverges to the right to serve Weston Milton
Weston Milton railway station
Weston Milton railway station serves the Milton and Locking Castle areas of Weston-super-Mare in North Somerset. It is situated on a loop off the Bristol to Taunton Line- History :...
and Weston-super-Mare railway station
Weston-super-Mare railway station
Weston-super-Mare railway station serves the town of Weston-super-Mare in North Somerset, England. It is situated on a loop off the main Bristol to Taunton Line....
s. There is a crossing loop at Weston-super-Mare, beyond which the single track continues to rejoin the main line at Uphill Junction.
Weston-super-Mare to Taunton
Communities served: Weston-super-MareWeston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare is a seaside resort, town and civil parish in the unitary authority of North Somerset, which is within the ceremonial county of Somerset, England. It is located on the Bristol Channel coast, south west of Bristol, spanning the coast between the bounding high ground of Worlebury...
– Highbridge
Highbridge, Somerset
Highbridge is a small market town situated on the edge of the Somerset Levels near the mouth of the River Brue. It is in the County of Somerset, and is approximately north west of Taunton, the county town of Somerset. Highbridge is in the District of Sedgemoor, being situated approximately north...
– Burnham-on-Sea
Burnham-on-Sea
Burnham-on-Sea is a town in Somerset, England, at the mouth of the River Parrett and Bridgwater Bay. Burnham was a small village until the late 18th century, when it began to grow because of its popularity as a seaside resort. It forms part of the parish of Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge...
– Bridgwater
Bridgwater
Bridgwater is a market town and civil parish in Somerset, England. It is the administrative centre of the Sedgemoor district, and a major industrial centre. Bridgwater is located on the major communication routes through South West England...
– Taunton
Taunton
Taunton is the county town of Somerset, England. The town, including its suburbs, had an estimated population of 61,400 in 2001. It is the largest town in the shire county of Somerset....
The line has now swung round to head south. At Uphill
Uphill
Uphill is a village on the edge of Weston-super-Mare in North Somerset, England.-History:There is evidence of a port at Uphill since Roman times, probably for the export of lead from the Mendip Hills...
there is a short, deep cutting crossed by a high brick bridge built by Brunel, known locally as 'Devil's Bridge'. Beyond this lie the remains of Bleadon and Uphill railway station (right). Passing across the Somerset Levels
Somerset Levels
The Somerset Levels, or the Somerset Levels and Moors as they are less commonly but more correctly known, is a sparsely populated coastal plain and wetland area of central Somerset, South West England, between the Quantock and Mendip Hills...
the line comes to the site of Brent Knoll railway station with the isolated hill that it was named for close by on the left. The next open station is Highbridge and Burnham
Highbridge and Burnham railway station
Highbridge and Burnham railway station is situated on the Bristol to Taunton Line in the town of Highbridge in Somerset, England and also serves neighbouring Burnham-on-Sea...
; this is situated in Highbridge
Highbridge, Somerset
Highbridge is a small market town situated on the edge of the Somerset Levels near the mouth of the River Brue. It is in the County of Somerset, and is approximately north west of Taunton, the county town of Somerset. Highbridge is in the District of Sedgemoor, being situated approximately north...
but also serves co-joined Burnham-on-Sea
Burnham-on-Sea
Burnham-on-Sea is a town in Somerset, England, at the mouth of the River Parrett and Bridgwater Bay. Burnham was a small village until the late 18th century, when it began to grow because of its popularity as a seaside resort. It forms part of the parish of Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge...
. The Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway
Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway
The Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway – almost always referred to as "the S&D" – was an English railway line connecting Bath in north east Somerset and Bournemouth now in south east Dorset but then in Hampshire...
used to cross the line on the level just north of the station; their locomotive works were on the site of the industrial units visible to the left as the line passes through the station.
More level ground brings the line to Bridgwater railway station
Bridgwater railway station
Bridgwater railway station serves Bridgwater in Somerset, England. It is on the Bristol to Taunton Line and is operated by First Great Western. Originally built to the designs of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the station is now a Grade II* listed building.-History:...
with the only operational goods yard on the whole line, which is mainly used for waste traffic from Hinkley Point
Hinkley Point
Hinkley Point is a headland on the Bristol Channel coast of Somerset, England, five miles north of Bridgwater and five miles west of Burnham-on-Sea, close to the mouth of the River Parrett....
Power Station. Beyond the station, on the right, used to be the carriage works of the Bristol and Exeter Railway but the site is now lost beneath modern industrial units. The line now crosses over the River Parrett
River Parrett
The River Parrett flows through the counties of Dorset and Somerset in South West England, from its source in the Thorney Mills springs in the hills around Chedington in Dorset...
on the Somerset Bridge and then passes below the M5 again.
The Bridgwater and Taunton Canal
Bridgwater and Taunton Canal
The Bridgwater and Taunton Canal is a canal in the south-west of England between Bridgwater and Taunton, opened in 1827 and linking the River Tone to the River Parrett. There were a number of abortive schemes to link the Bristol Channel to the English Channel by waterway in the 18th and early 19th...
now joins on the right for most of the way to Taunton
Taunton railway station
Taunton railway station is a junction station on the route from London to Penzance, from London Paddington station. It is situated in Taunton, Somerset, England and is operated by First Great Western...
. At Durston the former Yeovil branch line joins from the left. A short cutting brings the line to Cogload Junction
Cogload Junction
Cogload Junction is a railway junction in Durston, Somerset, England. It is where the 1906-opened London to Penzance Line via Castle Cary joins the original line that runs via Bristol...
; the line towards Taunton climbs up here and crosses above the Reading to Taunton Line
Reading to Taunton line
The Reading to Taunton line also known as the Berks and Hants is a major branch of the Great Western Main Line that diverges at Reading, running to Cogload Junction near Taunton, where it joins the Bristol to Exeter line....
which it then joins to complete the journey to Taunton, passing Creech St Michael and the former junction of the Chard branch line on the left. The final run into Taunton sees the River Tone
River Tone
The River Tone is a river in Somerset, England, which is about long. It rises at Beverton Pond near Huish Champflower in the Brendon Hills, and is dammed at Clatworthy Reservoir. The reservoir outfall continues through Taunton and Curry and Hay Moors, which are designated as a Site of Special...
appear alongside on left and the canal passes beneath line to join the river at Firepool, behind the site of the former goods yard on the same side.
Taunton to Exeter
Communities served:TauntonTaunton
Taunton is the county town of Somerset, England. The town, including its suburbs, had an estimated population of 61,400 in 2001. It is the largest town in the shire county of Somerset....
– Tiverton and Willand
Willand
Willand is a village in Mid-Devon, England, within the area. It is about north of Exeter and north of Cullompton. In 1991 the population was 3750 although recently this has grown considerably...
– Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
The line leaves Taunton with the abandoned engine shed
Motive power depot
Motive power depot, usually abbreviated to MPD, is a name given to places where locomotives are stored when not being used, and also repaired and maintained. They were originally known as "running sheds", "engine sheds", or, for short, just sheds. Facilities are provided for refuelling and...
on the left, and passes the engineer's depot at Fairwater Yard on the same side. The former Norton Fitzwarren railway station
Norton Fitzwarren railway station
Norton Fitzwarren railway station is an untimetabled station on the West Somerset Railway in Somerset, England. It was built in 2009 about north of the site of the old station that served the village of Norton Fitzwarren from 1873 until 1961...
is the location of two serious collisions and a fatal train fire. The West Somerset Railway
West Somerset Railway
The West Somerset Railway is a railway line that originally linked and in Somerset, England.It opened in 1862 and was extended from Watchet to by the Minehead Railway in 1874. Although just a single track, improvements were needed in the first half of the twentieth century to accommodate the...
diverges on the right and work is under way to provide new facilities here for this heritage railway
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
which includes relaying track for a short distance along the old Devon and Somerset Railway
Devon and Somerset Railway
The Devon and Somerset Railway was a branch line from near in Somerset to in North Devon. It was operated from the outset by the Bristol and Exeter Railway which became part of the Great Western Railway on 1 January 1876.-History:...
that formed a third route in between the main line and the West Somerset. On the left of the line an embankment marks the remains of the Grand Western Canal
Grand Western Canal
The Grand Western Canal ran between Taunton in Somerset and Tiverton in Devon in the United Kingdom. The canal had its origins in various plans, going back to 1796, to link the Bristol Channel and the English Channel by a canal, bypassing Lands End...
.
After passing over Victory Crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
at Bradford-on-Tone, the line starts to climb upwards. It passes through the remains of Wellington station and then under the A38 road
A38 road
The A38, part of which is also known as the Devon Expressway, is a major A-class trunk road in England.The road runs from Bodmin in Cornwall to Mansfield in Nottinghamshire. It is long, making it one of the longest A-roads in England. It was formerly known as the Leeds — Exeter Trunk Road,...
at Beambridge, which was the site of the line's terminus while work was underway to excavate the Whiteball Tunnel at the top of Wellington Bank. It was coming down here that City of Truro became the first locomotive to exceed 100 mph (160 km/h).
Through the tunnel and into Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, the M5 motorway
M5 motorway
The M5 is a motorway in England. It runs from a junction with the M6 at West Bromwich near Birmingham to Exeter in Devon. Heading south-west, the M5 runs east of West Bromwich and west of Birmingham through Sandwell Valley...
comes alongside on the left and the line arrives at to Tiverton Parkway
Tiverton Parkway railway station
Tiverton Parkway railway station is on the London to Penzance Line, from London Paddington station; it is operated by First Great Western. The "Parkway" name signifies that the station is a distance from Tiverton town itself: it is actually located in the civil parish of Burlescombe, near...
, the railhead for much of north Devon thanks to the A361 road
A361 road
The A361 is a major road in England and at is the longest 3 digit A road in the UK. It runs south from Ilfracombe on the north Devon coast to Barnstaple, turning south-east to Tiverton then, after a break , north east from Taunton in Somerset through Street and Glastonbury, past Frome and then...
that joins the motorway next to the station. A short distance further is Tiverton Loops, the site of the former Tiverton Junction railway station.
The motorway service station on the left marks the site of Cullompton railway station, and then the line passes the remains of Hele & Bradninch and Silverton railway stations. At Stoke Canon the old Exe Valley Railway used to join from the right, and then the railway sweeps through the valley of the River Culm
River Culm
thumb|Old stone bridge with pedestrian refuges over River Culm at Culmstock The River Culm flows through Devon, England. It rises in the Blackdown Hills at a spring - - near Culmhead and flows west through Hemyock, then Culmstock to Uffculme...
to where it joins the River Exe
River Exe
The River Exe in England rises near the village of Simonsbath, on Exmoor in Somerset, near the Bristol Channel coast, but flows more or less directly due south, so that most of its length lies in Devon. It reaches the sea at a substantial ria, the Exe Estuary, on the south coast of Devon...
near Cowley Bridge Junction. Here the Tarka Line
Tarka Line
The Tarka Line is a railway line from Exeter to Barnstaple in Devon, England. The line follows the River Creedy, River Yeo and River Taw for some of its route...
from Barnstaple
Barnstaple railway station
Barnstaple railway station is the terminus of a long branch line, known as the Tarka Line, north west of Exeter St Davids, in Devon.It was known as Barnstaple Junction from 1874 to 1970 as it was the junction between lines to , , and Exeter-History:...
joins on the right and the line then passes (on the same side) Riverside Yard and an old transhipment shed. Until 20 May 1892, when the former Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
lines that we are travelling on were converted from the broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
, the shed was used to transfer goods between broad gauge wagons and the standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
wagons used by the London and South Western Railway
London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
to Yeovil and Barnstaple. Passing over the wide Red Cow level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
, the line comes to Exeter St Davids railway station
Exeter St Davids railway station
Exeter St Davids station is the most important of seven National Rail stations in the city of Exeter in southwest England. Today the station is owned by Network Rail and operated by First Great Western.-History:...
.
Services
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
. Local trains generally operate from Taunton to Cardiff Central
Cardiff Central railway station
Cardiff Central railway station is a major railway station on the South Wales Main Line in Cardiff, Wales.It is the largest and busiest station in Wales and one of the major stations of the British rail network, the tenth busiest station in the United Kingdom outside of London , based on 2007/08...
and from Weston-super-Mare to Bristol Parkway
Bristol Parkway railway station
Bristol Parkway railway station is situated in Stoke Gifford in the northern suburbs of Bristol, England. It is part of the British railway system owned by Network Rail, and is managed by First Great Western....
, combining to give a half-hourly service to the main stations between Weston-super-Mare and Bristol Temple Meads throughout much of the day. A number of other through trains are also operated, mainly to and from London Paddington station; a few services continue towards Penzance
Penzance railway station
Penzance railway station serves the town of Penzance, Cornwall, UK. The station is the western terminus of the Cornish Main Line from London Paddington station. The current journey time to or from London is about five hours....
. Local trains are formed mainly from Class 150
British Rail Class 150
The British Rail Class 150 "Sprinter" diesel multiple units were built by BREL from 1984-87. A total of 137 units were built in three main subclasses, replacing many of the earlier first-generation "Heritage" DMUs.- Background :...
two-car DMU
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
s and Class 143
British Rail Class 143
The British Rail Class 143 is a diesel multiple unit, part of the Pacer family of trains introduced between 1985 and 1986. They originally worked in the North-East of England but were later transferred to Wales and South-West England....
twin-railbuses. London services are operated using High Speed Train
High Speed Train
There are three types of trains in Britain that have been traditionally viewed as high speed trains:* Advanced Passenger Train - Tilting trains which never entered into regular revenue-earning service....
sets.
The other operator on the route is CrossCountry
CrossCountry
CrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva...
, which provides trains between Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
or Manchester Piccadilly and Paignton
Paignton railway station
Paignton railway station is the railway station serving Paignton in Devon, England. It is the terminus of the Riviera Line from Exeter and is also an interchange between National Rail services and the preserved Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway.-History:...
, Plymouth
Plymouth railway station
Plymouth railway station serves the city of Plymouth, Devon, England. It is situated on the northern edge of the city centre close to the North Cross roundabout...
or Penzance. Trains are formed of Class 220
British Rail Class 220
The Class 220 Voyager are a class of diesel-electric high-speed multiple-unit trains built by Bombardier Transportation in 2000 and 2001....
and Class 221
British Rail Class 221
The Class 221 Super Voyager is a class of British diesel-electric multiple-unit express trains built by Bombardier Transportation between 2001 and 2002, entering service on 12 April 2002....
units, although a few High Speed Trains appear on the route on summer Saturdays.
Heritage trains often operate on the route on rail tours and summer weekends for several years have featured regular steam-hauled Torbay Express
Torbay Express
The Torbay Express is a named passenger train operating in the United Kingdom.-Great Western Railway:Historically, the Torbay Express name was applied to services operated by the Great Western Railway from London Paddington to Torquay and Paignton....
services.
Infrastructure
The route has a line speed limit of 100 mph with local variations; trains from Bristol to Taunton are described as travelling in the 'down' direction. It is constructed to Route Availability 8 and freight loading gauge W8. It has Multiple Aspect Signals (MAS) and Track Circuit Block (TCB) controlled from the panel signal boxSignal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
at Bristol. A local signal box at Puxton supervises the two level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
s at Hewish and Puxton, and an emergency panel at Weston-super-Mare railway station
Weston-super-Mare railway station
Weston-super-Mare railway station serves the town of Weston-super-Mare in North Somerset, England. It is situated on a loop off the main Bristol to Taunton Line....
can take control of the section from Hewish to Uphill Junction if required. The route is not electrified.
The single-track Weston-super-Mare branch line is considered to be a cause of delay in the area and Network Rail plans to double the eastern portion of this in 2009. Consideration is also being given to reinstating the third platform at Weston-super-Mare subject to third-party funding becoming available.
See also
- Disused railway stations (Bristol to Exeter Line)
- Disused railway stations (Exeter to Plymouth Line)Disused railway stations (Exeter to Plymouth Line)There are eleven disused railway stations between Exeter St Davids and Plymouth Millbay, Devon, England. At eight of these there are visible remains.-Background:...