Share memories of Henbury Loop railway line
RAIL enthusiasts and Bristol residents are being invited to share their memories of the Henbury Loop railway line, which went out of service in 1964.
It is part of a campaign – spearheaded by Bristol North West MP Charlotte Leslie, pictured – to bring the loop back into use as part of the Bristol Metro.
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Under current plan put forward by the West of England Partnership, the city's Metro rail system would have a spur at Henbury, meaning trains would return the way they came.
Ms Leslie says this is a huge missed opportunity and places like Henbury and Filton need to be connected to Shirehampton and large employment areas like Avonmouth.
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Now she wants residents to tell their stories by submitting photos, home movies, memorabilia and also taking part in interviews.
She said: "The Henbury Loop was an integral part of Bristol's rail network in the past and it needs to be part of it in the future.
"It would be great to hear stories from people who used the loop and those who worked on it.
"The city needs this fully functioning Henbury Loop otherwise we run the risk of having a half-baked rail system which is not fit for purpose in the 21st century.
"With Henbury being a vital link for Cribbs and all the seemingly inevitable development in Filton, the city will come to a halt without a proper rail network.We managed to have a proper Henbury Loop line in the past – we should have one for our future."
Ms Leslie has been in discussions with mayor George Ferguson about the need for the loop and Government ministers have indicated they are willing to support investigation into work to make it happen.
If you have memories to share, please email henburyloop@charlotte leslie.comor write to Charlotte Leslie MP, Henbury Loop Campaign, 5 Westfield Park, Bristol BS6 6LT.
There is also a petition at www.henburyloop.bristolpetitions.com.
2 Comments
by Bert_Hindle
Monday, January 21 2013, 12:48PM
“What has the Rt Hon. Charlotte Leslie calculated the cost of restoring the Henbury Loop to be and would that meet Green Book criteria?
Whilst I agree with her entirely that Bristol needs a true turn-up-and-go metro rail system (alla S-Bahn) with 10 minute frequencies before people leave their cars at home, it needs to be extensive and properly organised.....and it needs a LOT of money. The Henbury Loop conversion alone would probably run to high 8-figure, possibly 9-figure sum to separate it from conflicting movements (mostly freight).
All in all, Bristol transport requires a capital investment of at least £1bn (which is still peanuts compared to how much is spent in London, the SE and Manchester) to mitigate gridlock.
If Ms Leslie would like help from the public, I'd suggest rather than acquiring sentiments from yesteryear, she organises a public lobby group made up of experts and local councillors to go to Westminster and explain the challenges.
The Henbury Loop cannot be viewed in isolation (in fact, it really wouldn't serve that many people as it stands) - we need to look at the overall demographics and build a system based on need and what will generate a net benefit on investment, not on what we can afford from a meagre budget. First and foremost, we need to look to mainland Europe for inspiration, where they more often than not get public transport right!”
by fatboy67
Monday, January 21 2013, 11:15AM
“It never was called the Henbury loop line. This is just a term dreamed up by MP'S. The line is actually called the Avonmouth line. The line was a single line for many years untill the creation of the bulk handling terminal when the line was doubled.”