Let The Train Tke |The Strain (1)

A Gain From The Train? (mini blog)

As fbb was researching the Redcliffe Meccano flyover in Bristol ...

... he came across the above headline. "What does it mean?" he mused, "Are the stops for multiple services being moved from Temple Gate at the foot of the station approach ramp?"

Surely, this mega lay-by has only just been "improved"?

It is well placed for onward connections southbound.

In the picture above you can see he tower that marks the passenger entrance to the station. So maybe no change there.

Surely the plan is not to banish buses from the station approach ramp?

Currently you would exit the station from under the tower and just a short toddle on your right there will be frequent buses to the city centre.

There is shelter from the rain as well! It is an ideal way to get from station to shops and urban buses, or even to the bus station for country routes. This map shows routes 8, 9 and 72 though the city centre.

The 8 is "frequent" ...

...with the 9 and 72 adding a further 15 minutes worth to the mix.

Frequencies are slightly less on Saturdays and ever lesser on Sundays, but still more than adequate.

So are these useful and very obvious buses being thrown out in favour of the taxis in the iconic Bristol Blue livery ...

... as in glassware, especially sherry bottles?

Very nice sherry!

Surely no planner would even think of breaking this intermodal link for whatever aesthetic or operational reason?

Unbelievably that is exactly what is being proposed!

At first sight, the stops are being moved to here ...,

... a new road to the north and showing part of the station infrastructure on the left. To get from your No 8 bus, you will need to walk towards the camera as above and well beyond ...

... to the very end of the buildings now on your right. Here there is a side entrance to the station ...

... very much a "back door" compared with the current forecourt entrance is which is on the right (picture below), the platforms straight ahead and veer left a bit.

It would be a much longer walk to/from the buses (in the rain!) and far less obvious. Looking out from the "back door" is even less inviting.

How's that for a gateway to a proud city? Buses will be thataway then about 100 yards to the left after leaving the station environs!

Maybe fbb has been over pessimistic. There is a grand plan, which he will address in tomorrow's blog - a plan which, if it is ever implemented (i.e. paid for) will dramatically change how Temple Meads station works.

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Meanwhile, good news technologically speaking. No 3 son dialed in to the blogging laptop and found fbb'd arrows. And here they are back top left of the screen where they should be but where they weren't.

So all is well.

fbb did ask about what went wrong, to which "technical support" replied helpfully (?), "Stuff happens. It's Windows."

So now we know.

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  Next Brunel's heritage blog : Weds 4 June