I well remember the line from Fishponds to Temple Meads, and travelled on it many times from 1950 to 1953. Kingswood Junction was not only for passenger trains but latterly was solely used for freight. It was also where a short industrial line led to Pecketts where hundreds of small locomotives were built. Thanks for posting.
1:53 shows a very interesting photo of Fishponds Rd bridge. It shows Eastville park stretching all the way to the embankment of Clifton Extension before Muller Rd was built, or New Rd as it was first called, before being named after George Muller. To the extreme right is the very elaborate original water fountain, all that remains today is the plinth.
Lovely to see the photos at Kingswood Junction which evoked many memories. We would walk down the steep path from the sharp bend in Ridgeway Road, over a small river (which was more like an open sewer) and back up the other side to the pedestrian crossing. There were chickens too near the crossing. Once over the other side we would trainspot. We also had a "den" at the back at this spot. Memories too of placing halfpenny coins on the line for the trains to flatten almost to the size of a penny!
Hello Phil. We used to walk down to Kingswood Junction from Speedwell School lunchtimes to watch the up Devonian. We also put pennies on the line. Happy days. Regards Dave.
Your "small river" is Combe Brook, much of which is culverted. It flows into the River Frome just south of Eastville Sluices (Napier Road / New Stadium Road), where the Northern Stormwater Interceptor takes storm water from the Frome and empties it into the Avon in the Avon Gorge below Black Rocks quarry and Clifton Observatory.
I have very similar memories Phil, living just on the other side of Fishponds Road. Also placed coins on the line under Ridgeway Road. Used to trainspot nearby, sitting on the railway bank. Loved cycling up and down the coal tips, watch short trains going to Pecketts, walking through the tunnel footpath to Knapps Lane. Between 1949 and 1952.
Very interesting. I travelled on the Severn Beach line in the late 60s/early 70s, and recall clearly the weekend they singled the route. I did not go over the 13 arches. They had gone by the time I first travelled in the area.
Really enjoyed the video. I liked the picture of the "Western" pulling a goods train past the remains of the bridge over the old GWR. I remember those from my school days. Is Ashley Hill Junction and Ashley Down Station one and the same? There's interest in re-opening Ashley Down Station which I use to pass on my way to school. Also enjoyed the picture of Montpelier Station and the old bridge crossing Station Road to what I think were coal sidings. I think they became a scrap yard which is now gone.
Those people stood on the platform at Fishponds would be amazed to know that all this time later, the choices of public transport for a journey to Clifton would be so much less, and only option available being by bus via the centre.
Yes I remember these arches well, my elder brother took me to see them being demolished. The one over the river stubbornly refused to come down at the first attempt!
Great video. My grandparents lived in Eastville and we could look across the valley to the line just north of Kingswood Junction. I can just about remember seeing trains on the line.
