Ashley Hill : Ashley Down (2)

 Let The Train Take The Strain

The map above shows the current state of play for trains in the Bristol area. The BLUE lines currently carry passngers, the RED lines still have track in place and in use.

The line through Yate (upper right) was part of the Midland Railway and originally ran via Mangotsfield, Staple Hill and Fishponds into The St Phillips terminus. 

St Phillips in terminal decline -1 962

There was a link across to Montpelier (shown as "2" on the map above) which carries freight to/from Avonmouth docks. St Phillips was closed with services transferred to Temple Meads; then the route from Yate southbound was closed with all trains from Birmingham diverted via Bristol Parkway and the Filton Bank.

Filton Bank, the hill up from Temple Meads to Filton, has a tale to tell.

Originally, in the very early days of Ashley Hill station, the "bank" was double track, subsequently widened to a four track route.

The track off to the right is the now singled route to Montpellier, Avonmouth and Severn Beach.

In 1984 the main line was reduced to a two track route ...

... then in 2018 it was back to a four track layout.

It is called "strategic planning": or maybe short termism?

The junction was called Narroways.

Either way, Ashley Hill station was on the westerly two tracks, usually defined as the "slow" lines. The above OS extract shows the link line from Montpelier (upper left) crossing over the Filton Bank tracks and joining the Midland lines at Mangotsfield where the station had already closed as (not) shown above.

Below is the junction near Montpelier.

... with a train approaching from Mangotsfield. Both diverging routes were double track back then with the right hand lines, as we look eastwards, curving round to Narroways Junction and on to Temple Meads.

The Junction waa provided with a brand new signal box ...

... which opened a couple of years before the line to Mangotsfield was closed completely.

It is called "strategic planning": Again!

Just to confuse us all, this junction was called Ashley Hill Junction although it had no connection whatsoever with Ashley Hill Station on the Filton Bank line.

Confused.com?

Here is an annotated map.

It shows the main locations referred to in the blog (so fat?). Just spotted a typo - should be "ManGotsfield'!

The line between Ashley Hill Junction and Mangotsfield is long gone, but Google Earth reveals some of the route ...

... and the site of the bridge over the Filton Bank line.

Mona Road, which probably predated the railway, passes under Ashley Hill Junction ...

... and continues the theme of "community adornment" as seen at Montpelier station. Here we proceed north ...

...through the tunnel ...

... and look back southbound.

Some people have the audacity to call it "art"!

We return to Ashley Hill Station for a couple of (undated) old pictures. Here a typical GWR train at the up platform (to Temple Meads) ...

... and much the same again - but with a different set of coaches.

In this case, please note the footpath running alongside the western edge of the line. This will feature in tomorrow's blog. There seems to be a surprising number of trainspotters - might this have been the very first train from the station. The public footpath looks new or refurbished even though it is outside of the station boundary.

Interestingly, there are no pictures on-line of Ashley Hill station in BR (steam or possible early diesel) days. The closure in 1964 went almost announced.

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13 more alphabetical fruits, but only 12 to answer as fbb took pity on his "congregation" and gave the a freebie for "X". It is a type of water melon with yellow flesh. So there!

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 2 Days to Go 

 Next Ashley Down blog : Weds 2nd Oct