Portishead

To Parson Street Junction: Quays Avenue
To Portishead Pier: Bristol & Portishead Pier & Railway Station

History

The original Portishead Station opened on the 18th April 1867. It closed on the 4th of January 1954 when Portishead Power Station was extended by building on railway land.

The second Portishead station, which opened on the day the first one closed, was designed by H E Cavenagh and cost £250,000 to build. It closed to passengers on the 7th September 1964. The new station was the Western Region's first since the war. Freight continued to use the line until the 30th march 1981 although the occasional Freightliner train used the line beyond that date.

1800s

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  A broad gauge engine and crew at the original Portishead station.

1960s

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  A view of Portishead station from 1960. A DMU waits for work. © John Thorn
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  A closer look at the DMU. The coal wagons in the background supplied Portishead Power Station with fuel. © John Thorn

1970s

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  During the last days of the Class 31 'Toffee Apples', 31019 and 31005 visited Portishead with a tour. October 1977. © Peter Rendall

1980s

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  1017 brings the Somerset & Avon Hastings Demu Railtour to Portishead on 12.10.85. © Martin Potter
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  The end of the line on that day. © Martin Potter

2004

22.5.04

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  Abandoned bridges on the approach to the station site.
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  General dereliction. Lighting poles and rotten wooden sleepers.
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  The end of the run round loop. This is looking back towards Bristol.
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  More bridges across the brook. I think this one carried a line to a cement terminal.
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  A third bridge. I think this one carried the main line into Portishead proper.
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  Standing on a huge pile of dirt aimed at keeping travellers off-site, this is the view back towards Bristol and shows the bridges across the brook. The lighting poles (a previous pic) are just visible. (far left and in front of one of the warehouses)
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  Past the bridges this chunk of land is reserved for a possible future station.
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  A Waitrose supermarket has been built on the station site.
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  Housing now occupies the site of the original Portishead terminus, replacing a power station which stood here. At one time the power station kept a steady supply of coal trains running between Portishead and Radstock.
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  A couple of photos taken on 5.1.05 that show the last remains of the once quite extensive Portishead Docks railway system. The building behind is the Coastguard.
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  Beyond this spot everything had been bulldozed down several feet and all track lifted.