Portishead to Bristol railway: public invited to find out more with work set to start

Major work to restore the railway between Portishead and Bristol begins this spring, and the public are invited to find out more at two drop-in sessions.

Everyone is welcome to attend the events anytime between 3.30pm and 7.30pm, where members of the project team will be on hand to answer questions:
- Thursday 26 March, Somerset Hall, Portishead
- Tuesday 31 March, Community Centre, Pill

Invitations will be posted to residents near the railway in Portishead and Pill.

The restoration of the Portishead Line, which was closed in 1964, is funded by the Department for Transport, the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority and North Somerset Council. It will be delivered by Network Rail with trains operated by GWR.

With new stations at Portishead and Pill, the line will connect more than 50,000 people back to the railway and provide a greener and quicker alternative route to Bristol. It's set to unlock £43 million of growth for the local economy every year by connecting communities to jobs, skills and leisure across the region. Eight million car journeys could be removed from the roads by 2044 with an additional two million seats per year added to the rail network.

The restored railway will provide an hourly direct train from Portishead to Bristol Temple Meads in around 25 minutes. The route runs along one of the most scenic stretches of railway in the country, under the Clifton Suspension Bridge and through the Avon Gorge. The Portishead Line is planned to connect directly onto the Henbury Line via Bristol Temple Meads, connecting to two more new stations being built: North Filton, serving Brabazon and the arena, and Henbury.

Main construction is scheduled to begin in April when work compounds will be set up near Harbour Road in Portishead, Monmouth Road in Pill and off the A369 Portbury Hundred near Sheepway.

Preparatory work began last autumn to remove trees to create the space for site compounds, car parks, the two new stations at Portishead and Pill, and the railway line itself. Utility diversions are currently underway in Portishead, with some temporary traffic lights in use.

Extensive ecology work has taken place to ensure species living near the railway are protected, such as toads, reptiles, badgers and bats. Rare whitebeam trees have also been planted in the Avon Gorge.

Councillor Mike Bell, leader of North Somerset Council, said: “Residents of Portishead and Pill have been asking for a reopened rail line for many years, so I’m delighted that we’re soon to start work and can now invite residents to find out more about the line and the opportunities it’s set to offer their communities. The reopened Portishead to Bristol Temple Meads line will provide connections into the national rail network which will enable significant investment into the area, helping local communities to thrive. This is a project that stands to be transformative for the region, so it’s full steam ahead with our partners at the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, Department for Transport, Network Rail and Great Western Railway.” 

Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said: “The return of the railway between Bristol and Portishead has been long promised. With all of us working together in this new chapter for the West, we’re finally going to deliver it – cutting travel times in half for local people, helping unlock sites for new homes, and boosting the country’s fastest growing regional economy. Our new Transport Vision has rail at its heart, including new stations at Pill and Portishead, with wider ambitions for more frequent services and low-emission trains as part of a transport network you can trust. Trains on the Portishead Line will directly travel onto the Henbury Line at Temple Meads, helping connect communities across the West to the new Aviva Arena at Brabazon, Bristol, and North Somerset.”

Lord Hendy, Rail Minister, said: “Reopening the Portishead to Bristol line has been talked about for decades, and thanks to Government investment we’re finally getting it done. Previously cut off passengers will have a rail service for the first time in over 60 years opening up new opportunities and supporting jobs, economic growth, and communities in Portishead, Pill and the surrounding area.”

Marcus Jones, Network Rail Western Route Director, said: “After years of hard work by so many people, we’re almost ready to begin bringing the railway back to life. The railway will transform travel in the region and we're looking forward to welcoming everyone to come and learn about our plans.”

Joe Graham, GWR’s business assurance and property director, said: “We’re delighted that work is set to start this spring on restoring the rail link for trains to run between Portishead and Bristol. These aren’t just new train services – they’re vital economic lifelines reconnecting communities and businesses across the region. This project validates our belief that reliable rail services are essential for local and national growth. We’ve worked closely with the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, North Somerset Council and Network Rail to reach this stage and look forward to operating train services for Pill and Portishead."

Sadik Al-Hassan, MP for North Somerset, said: "I'm incredibly excited about the work Network Rail, the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, North Somerset Council and I have done to organise these events for residents in Pill and Portishead. We'll be sharing details of the new railway and the progress we're making to deliver them. My special thanks to Mayor Helen Godwin and Councillor Mike Bell for their support in getting this project off the ground.”

We asked GWR quite early on whether it was possible to terminate local services at Bristol Parkway, and got a firm 'no'. I seem to remember the factors were junction capacity, platform capacity, and the undesirability of establishing a service pattern which would have to be unpicked when Brabazon and Henbury open.

SWR have issued a tender to fit USB C sockets at every seat on their class 158 and 159 trains

  Emergency engineering work to stabilise an embankment near Axminster took place over the weekend of 17/18 January, with all Exeter-bound services terminating at Crewkerne and bus substitutions onwards to Exeter. We know that the work was essential but have to question the decision not to run shuttle services between Honiton and Exeter. Once again communication from SWR was poor – with timetables only available 24 hours in advance and (we think) a very weak excuse given for the inability to run a shuttle between Honiton and Exeter – it was simply not possible to change train crew rosters!
We had a meeting with SWR’s timetable planners on 20 February and now understand more about the difficulties of train service operation west of Yeovil. The lack of crew signing-on facilities at Exeter, together with the difficulty in gaining access to GWR’s fuelling/train servicing there, severely restricts the ability to operate little more than a basic service at present – and when the line is closed further east, support for the Axminster – Exeter section is difficult. GWR have no spare stock (or servicing facilities) to support SWR when the line is closed further east. That needs to change – and makes the plans for Devon Metro (item 6 in our Vision above) even more critical.

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So at one end of the scale, that leaves 4 people who HAVE shelled prawns on a train and at teh other end 33 out of 36 of you have helped others at the station or on a train - and I a so proud of our members for doing that.

Spring-like warmth to peak on Wednesday with 18C forecast

Spring is just around the corner, but for some of us it feels like it has started already.

Tuesday was the warmest day of the year so far but the temperature on Wednesday could be even higher.

A change to mild south-westerly winds from the Atlantic has given temperatures a boost.

While the number of flood warnings has fallen, the rain has not gone away, however.

The recent milder air has been a welcome change from the earlier cold and very wet weather.

The switch came over the weekend with each home nation recording their highest temperature of the year so far.


Maximum temperatures on Wednesday compared with the average

(BBC weather article continues)

Gatwick rail delays after train hits obstruction


Thameslink and Southern trains are delayed by up to 40 minutes as a result of the obstruction

Rail services through Gatwick Airport are being disrupted after a train hit an obstruction on the tracks.

Rail operators Thameslink and Southern first reported the issue at about 06:00 GMT on Tuesday, stating that an obstruction had been struck by a train near Salfords station in Surrey.

The train companies said trains running to, from or through Gatwick Airport may be cancelled, delayed by up to 30 minutes or revised, while services that were running may use alternative platforms at some stations.

A spokesperson said a train had correctly gone through a signal and hit the object, knocking the train's shoe gears off - which help the train get power from the electric third rail. The spokesperson added that another train was to pull it away from the affected area.

Thameslink said its services between Three Bridges and Bedford had been suspended until further notice, with alternative Thameslink services available between Brighton and Bedford. In addition, trains are now starting to call at Earlswood and Salfords stations following the cancellation of northbound services.

Trains will call at the stations in the southbound direction to an amended timetable, so passengers can change at Redhill, the firm said. Ticket acceptance has been put in place on alternative routes between East Croydon and Gatwick Airport, and on local buses. Disruption is expected to last until 15:30 GMT.


People have been asked to remain on trains if they become stranded

The operators added that it was aware that some services had become stranded between stations, and asked passengers on those services to remain on board and listen to announcements.

A Thameslink spokesperson said: "Please don't leave the train unless you are asked to do so. Other trains may still be moving in the area, and the track is also a very hazardous environment. Operators are doing all that they can to get our services moving once again; they do ask passengers to remain inside the train and under no circumstances attempt to self-evacuate. This will cause further delays."

Elsewhere, Southern services between Eastbourne and Lewes were being delayed by up to 10 minutes due a signalling problem at Polegate station.

So was I.  I haven't travelled extensively on the railways - but particularly in my commuting days, I used the train five times a week, for over a decade. No accidents in all that time, there or otherwise. 

Turns out they uploaded the wrong timetable 
Looks like its being split to run out of two depots and guessing one depots services were missing.
The correct timetable is now uploaded along with a message clarifying.
But still it really doesnt inspire confidence!

DISRUPTION TUESDAY 24 FEB 2026

5Z21 0622 Plymouth to Newquay
175002 seems to have sat down at Goonbarrow Junction since 1200 - then showing a 43 minute late running
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:V89020/2026-02-24/detailed#allox_id=2


A check on RTT shows nothing at either Par, St Blazey or Newquay that would cause "congestion"

17:05 Didcot Parkway to Evesham due 18:24 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.

18:51 Evesham to Oxford due 19:50 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.

Hospital consultant suspended over train sex acts


Dr Mark Elias engaged in sex acts in "full view" of other passengers

A senior hospital consultant who was caught engaging in sexual activity in front of fellow passengers in the middle of a train carriage has been suspended from practice for six months.

Dr Mark Elias, a consultant radiologist at The Christie specialist cancer hospital in Manchester, admitted outraging public decency and was previously handed a suspended prison sentence in February 2025. He was referred to the General Medical Council (GMC) and an independent tribunal imposed the ban on 30 January.

Elias is not "currently working" at the hospital and is not being paid while he serves his suspension, a spokesperson for The Christie NHS Foundation Trust said.

The Christie also said it had "carried out due dilligence" and had found no evidence of problems with Elias's clinical practice. It also found no evidence that patient safety had been put at risk.

A panel convened by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service stopped short of striking Elias off the register after hearing of his "remorse and insight". It also took into account testimonials from his colleagues, who said retaining his expertise in radiology and nuclear medicine was "essential".

The tribunal heard that Elias and a friend had spent the evening of 29 September 2024 drinking in bars around Manchester's Gay Village before attending a cabaret show. They then caught a train back to Chester.

They were subsequently spotted by a conductor on CCTV cameras, performing sex acts in the middle of a carriage "in full view" of other passengers. They were confronted by the conductor and stopped.

Both men admitted the offence at Chester Magistrates' Court and were given eight-week prison sentences, suspended for 12 months, as well as being ordered to complete rehabilitation activities.

The tribunal heard Elias claimed he had been "spiked" and had inhaled a "smoky substance" in a bottle before the train journey home. However, the panel decided his evidence was "contradictory" and had changed during the hearing. Elias eventually withdrew the spiking claim.

Members of the panel also considered evidence about Elias's health and personal life - this was not made public.

During the case, his colleagues were called to give evidence. One of them said Elias had expressed "deep regret" and "feels he has let himself, his colleagues and his family down".

Another colleague, also a consultant, said: "I do not condone the offence that Mark committed, and am aware that it was his own flaws and bad judgement that put him in this situation he has found himself in. I believe it has been Mark's personal struggles [redacted] that has led to this offence, which in my opinion [was] totally out of character."

The tribunal said it was satisfied Elias had "demonstrated good insight into the concerns arising from his behaviour that led to his conviction". However, the tribunal also said it "recognised that Dr Elias's behaviour which led to his conviction was a result of his own recklessness of drinking an excessive amount of alcohol".

Before the hearing last month, Elias continued working at The Christie under interim conditions imposed by the GMC.

The NHS trust added: "In line with the Tribunal's decision, Dr Elias is suspended from the medical register and will not undertake clinical duties during this period. The trust respects the role of the independent regulator in maintaining professional standards and public confidence."

We're rebuilding the railway from Portishead to Bristol, with new stations at Portishead and Pill.

Main construction work begins this spring and you can learn more at our public drop-in sessions.

To help me with local planning stuff, does anyone have any data about what proportion of people headed for a festival go by train (and by bus, by car, by other means) ... if the 15,000 adult tickets on sale are all sold, how many rail passengers into the area should be planned for?  1,000, 10,000, or somewhere between??

Victims 'devastated' by train CCTV failures that allow sex offenders to go untraced


Beth Wright says she was profoundly affected by being the victim of sexual harassment on a train

Sex offenders on trains are escaping justice because of serious issues with CCTV on the rail network, a BBC investigation has revealed.

One woman who was sexually assaulted on a train told us she was "devastated" to be told that police could not trace her attacker because the incident was not captured on camera.

In hundreds of cases of alleged sexual harassment or assault, British Transport (BTP) officers in England, Scotland and Wales say they struggled to gather evidence from CCTV footage collected from trains and stations.

The Rail Delivery Group, which represents train companies, says the industry takes sexual harassment and assault cases "very seriously".

File on 4 Investigates has also been told that BTP has no control over the maintenance of CCTV cameras on the rail and London Underground networks, and that there is no legal obligation on rail operators to have working CCTV cameras on passenger trains.

We shared our findings with Claire Waxman, the Victims Commissioner for England and Wales, who is now calling for operational CCTV to be mandatory for train companies.

"I don't see how else we will keep people safe in those spaces and on public transport," she says.

(BBC article continues)

I was surprised that 15 have been involved in an accident.