Thornburys railway!

By Eddykent90 at 16:04 on 14/04/10

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I am a young resident of Thornbury and I believe we used to have a railway station, but it was demolished long ago. Now Thornbury is so much bigger, with more people like us who want to have daytrips out or work at Bristol/Yate could use a train station to get to Yate and even to Bristol Temple Meads. Tytherington quarry still uses the former railway track to transport things through Yate. So isn't it time we got our railway station back? I have also emailed north avon mp steve webb, who says he shall send this suggestion to the west of england partnership. I’m sure many people would use such a service and we all would benefit from it, as many have spoke about it but no action has been done yet. Please get back to me on this thought!

By Eddykent90 at 16:04 on 14/04/10
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Ironically, a revival of Thornbury's railway station was the subject of an April Fool in the Thornbury Gazette (1 April 2010). Much as I, personally, would like to see Thornbury reintegrated with the national railway network, I don’t see this happening. If I were you, I would not see too much into Steve Webb’s courteous reply. If he did not respond with enthusiastic praise for the idea, then he is not for it. The sorry plight of the 312 bus service, which was started early in 2005, primarily to connect Thornbury with Bristol Parkway, is evidence of the disinterest amongst Thornbury’s (fairly affluent) populace in public transport. Local people may voice green slogans, but they are reluctant to give up their cars.

By mwingereza at 18:57 on 15/04/10
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Oh dear if only Mr Beeching knew of the far reaching effects of closing down so much of our rail network then maybe we would have a national network to equal that of other european countries, congestion on our roads would be somebodies else's problem and the town's former branchline would be something the townsfolk of Thornbury would be taking for granted. I have been a local resident for nearly twenty five years and so have no experience of our former railway station,indeed, it would interesting to hear more from those who do remember it. Sadly there are no credible reports of the town's inclusion in a feasibility study for improving the region's rail network and all funding is being directed at existing stations. The Joint Local Transport Plan linked to the West of England partnership will give more detail. Using public transport between the towns of Yate and Thornbury isn't an option for those working office hours or in retail but as the current bus services frequency and route is decided on a commerical basis it would appear that there is insufficient demand. I can only sympathise.

By annie12 at 12:03 on 17/04/10
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I thought of our young resident when of all coincidences today I met someone who travelled to Tytherington from a village near Cam to see friends by an improbable route. After cycling to her local railway station at Cam/Dursley she caught the train to Yate and then cycled to the village. She told me that she enjoyed the experience, never having tried this journey before, although I was quietly horrified at her negotiating those bends outside the village on a bicycle! Other accounts emerged of schoolchildren cycling along the railway line from the village to school in Thornbury, albeit nearly thirty years ago. An initiative some years ago to reopen the branchline to the town with a park and ride scheme near the A38 may have failed but a ‘Greenway’ along the line, now there’s a thought. I wonder what a feasibility study of a safe cycle way between the two towns would say?

By annie12 at 20:42 on 20/04/10
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I don't know how far the demand goes for local rail links here, but I do have a problem with the 312 bus service - if only because I have been left stranded in the past when it has not turned up. My advice for local people is to take the 309 bus to Cribbs Causeway and then catch the connecting 73 bus to Parkway from there. It is a little less convenient, but if you leave that bit earlier then you should be ok.

By jmitchell27 at 17:27 on 22/04/10
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I have lived in Thornbury and surrounding area for 44 years. When we moved here the old railway buildings were still in situ, and the track was also still there, not to mention the old coal yards at the end of the track, roundabout where tesco's garage is now!. As children we used to walk the length of the line from just where the office buildings are on the little roundabout...right the way through to the A38. There were two tunnells but the one under the A38 had been closed in. Of course in later years the new road went through and the footpath runs where the railway line did.
Many of the old people in Tytherington remember the railway line very well and used the trains all the time. Not sure when they stopped running for passengers and changed to freight for the Quarry but now and then there is a special day trip run for invited guests from Tytherington Quarry to......not sure where?
Shame the line couldnt be opened again as it could be used for travelling to Bristol/Bath and many other places. It is still in use today but for quarry purposes. Apparently stone was brought to Tytherington Quarry from the Channel tunnel excavation.

By marlyn at 00:07 on 19/05/10
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Surely now with plans to make a new power station at oldbury, the branch line to Tytherington would be most beneficial? If the line was extended through Thornbury to link Oldbury and maybe even Berekley, it could use the railway to provide all raw materials to that site more efficiently. I have to say, I'm glad I'm not a lorry driver going down those narrow country lanes to provide such produce to that no-where site! Oh and yes, on that same line why not place a few stations for passengers? I would definitely use such a service to get to Yate or Bristol rather than the bus!

By Eddykent90 at 01:28 on 11/11/10
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