| Henbury Loop | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 The line at Henbury | |||
| Overview | |||
| Status | Operational (freight only) | ||
| Owner | Network Rail | ||
| Locale | Bristol South Gloucestershire | ||
| Termini | |||
| Stations | 5 (0 in use) | ||
| Service | |||
| Type | Heavy rail | ||
| System | National Rail | ||
| Technical | |||
| Line length | 6 miles 39 chains (10.4 km)[1] | ||
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)standard gauge | ||
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TheHenbury Loop Line, also known as theFilton to Avonmouth Line, is a railway line following the boundary betweenBristol andSouth Gloucestershire between theSevern Beach Line at Hallen Marsh Junction,Avonmouth and theCross Country Route/South Wales Main Line atFilton. It is currently only used for freight.
The line was opened on 9 May 1910, as a more direct route to Avonmouth docks, and was initially known as the Avonmouth and Filton Railway. Although the line was mainly intended for freight services, passenger services were also provided until 1915, with stations atFilton Halt,Charlton,Henbury andHallen. In 1917 a small station was opened atChittening Platform to serve a new factory. The line was fully reopened to passenger traffic in 1922. Filton Halt, Charlton and Hallen stations did not reopen, but in 1926 a new station, North Filton Platform, was opened on the site of Filton Halt. The line closed to passenger traffic on 09/05/1986.[2]
In 1971 a curve was opened to link the line to the South Wales Main Line atPatchway. This was to facilitate traffic to and from South Wales, including zoo excursions toClifton Down.[3]
 | This section needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(June 2020) |
Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways (FOSBR) and other local rail campaign groups support the reopening of the line to passengers, as well as the stations atNorth Filton andHenbury.[4][5][6][7] FOSBR suggest this would help services along theSevern Beach Line, allowing aBristol Temple Meads-Avonmouth-Bristol Parkway service, and also provide services to the north of Bristol generally, theCribbs Causeway shopping centre,[8] and the redevelopment atFilton Aerodrome.[8]South Gloucestershire Councilplanning committee recommended in 2011 that the line be re-opened for passenger services.[9]
A consultation document produced for the West of England Partnership by theHalcrow Group suggested passenger services use the line as a spur. Campaigners objected that the suggested services would not call at stations such asStapleton Road andLawrence Hill.[7]
A one-off service, operated byFirst Great Western, ran on the line on 27 July 2013.[10] The train operator hoped to use the service to demonstrate the feasibility of running services over the line, and to make the case for suitable funding.[10] and depends in part upon the four-tracking ofFilton Bank to allow more trains to operate the line fromBristol Temple Meads toFilton Abbey Wood.[11] Work on restoring four-track use on Filton Bank was completed in late 2018.
In October 2022 the opening of a new station, North Filton, on the line was pushed back to 2026.[12]
In March 2023 construction work began onAshley Down station, which, along withFilton Abbey Wood and new stations atNorth Filton andHenbury, will serve a planned new route along part of the Henbury Loop Line.[13] The new Ashley Down station opened to passenger traffic on 28 September 2024.[14]
This line has been identified by Campaign for a Better Transport as a Priority 1 candidate for reopening.[15]: 22
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