Portishead-Bristol line restoration gets funding boost

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A plan to reopen a rail link between Portishead and Bristol has received more than £31m in funding from the government.

The Portishead branch line shut in 1964 but is now part of a project which aims to reopen the line to passenger services by 2021.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-47853916

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I travelled on this line behind a steam loco in 1985, during the GWR150 year of celebrations.

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The reopening of the Bristol-Portishead line has been going on for years. Had they reopened it even 30 years ago, it would not have cost too much as the line was still there most of the way. Trains do still run to the Portbury dock, but the old stations at Pill and Portishead have both long disappeared. I travelled as a passenger on the Stones & Coal trip some years ago which ran along the old Bristol - Pill line and ran into the Portbury Dock. I also drove down to Portishead last week to visit Model Rail Direct, and took the old road that runs along the old track. Most of the track has been lifted and there are new roads and junctions now in place. If the planners had given the go-ahead even 30 years ago, it would not have cost £31m. Not that £31 will be enough to re-open this line. If it is re-opened, it will save a lot of cars travelling into Bristol which can only be a good thing.