The Avonmouth Line. History and Working

Description

The Avonmouth Line – History and Working describes the railway built between the northern suburbs of Bristol and the docks constructed at the mouth of the River Avon, from its inception in 1865. It describes how a short passenger line was first constructed, running from a station in the Avon Gorge at Hotwells to the new Docks. The Midland Railway and then the Great Western Railway took advantage of the rising popularity of the Avonmouth docks, and additional routes were constructed at Kingswood Junction on the Bristol-Gloucester line, and from a junction with the Great Western at Pilning.

Contents include:

•The beginnings of the line as the ‘Bristol Port Railway and Pier
•Its development into a major railway system with the arrival of the GWR and the MR ‘Clifton Expansion’
•The docks lines at their height of use, with marshalling yards and passenger stations
•The docks lines during wartime
•Post 1950s run-downs and attempts to close the line
•The line in 2018
•Duties and memories of the staff who worked the line