Gloucester railway station
Encyclopedia
Gloucester railway station (formerly known as Gloucester Central station) serves the city of Gloucester
in England. The station was originally built as the terminus of the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway
in 1840, but the arrival of the (broad gauge) Bristol and Gloucester Railway
and Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway
in 1844, and then conversion to a through station for the South Wales Railway
in 1851 resulted in a very complex layout. Subsequent closures and rationalization have left Gloucester with a station that is located off the main Bristol-Birmingham line, meaning trains that call at Gloucester usually have to reverse. Only trains that continue along the Gloucester to Newport Line
do not have to reverse.
, which was a standard gauge line opening 4 November 1840. This line from Cheltenham was built by the Birmingham and Gloucester railway on a formation built by the Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway
(see below). The first station was a terminus built on land near the cattle market. This was seen as a temporary structure to be replaced by a more permanent structure nearer the docks when more finance was available, but this never happened and this structure determined the site of the station today.
The Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway
(C&GWU) opened a broad gauge
line from Swindon
to Gloucester on the 8 July 1844, and built their station adjacent and to the north of the Birmingham and Gloucester station
. The line from Gloucester to Cheltenham
was upgraded to mixed gauge so that the C&GWU could share tracks to Cheltenham, which meant trains had to reverse at Gloucester.
At the same time as the C&GWU opened, the Bristol and Gloucester Railway
also opened a broad gauge line from Bristol to Standish Junction a few miles south of Gloucester, and shared the tracks of the C&GWU into Gloucester station. In 1845, the Midland Railway
, which had already bought the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway
, also absorbed the Bristol and Gloucester Railway
. Similarly, the Great Western Railway
had taken over the C&GWU, which resulted in a jointly-owned (MR & GWR), mixed-gauge station from which trains ran on shared mixed-gauge track both northwards and southwards from Gloucester.
In 1847, the GWR opened the Cheltenham Loop line which completed the triangle junction east of the station. This allowed GWR trains to avoid the reversal at Gloucester, but so as to allow GWR passengers to access Gloucester, a link line was built to a station on the loop called the Gloucester T station. Carriages were detached from trains at the T station, turned on turntables and taken into the main Gloucester station. This operation was not very successful and so was abandoned, along with the loop line, in 1851. Hereafter, GWR trains from London to Cheltenham continued to reverse at the main station, a practise that continues to this day.
On the 19 September 1851, the Gloucester and Dean Forest Railway and the South Wales Railway
opened a line south westwards from Gloucester towards the Forest of Dean
, Chepstow
and South Wales. A new, 2-platform through station was built immediately north of the existing station, although this was rebuilt in 1855 with a longer, single platform after it was found the original station was too small.
On 22 May 1854, the Midland Railway
opened a new, standard gauge railway between Gloucester and Standish Junction, thus avoiding running on the ex-CGWU line into Gloucester. This new line paralleled the old route as far as Tuffley, before swinging into Gloucester and looping back onto the main Bristol to Birmingham line (the Tuffley loop). The MR also rebuilt the old 1840 station, lengthening platforms and adding new buildings, but because this was still a terminus and the Tuffley loop headed eastwards, trains still had to reverse in and out of the station. This anomaly was not sorted out for another 40 years until the MR opened a new station on 12 April 1896, south-east of the existing station, on the Tuffley loop. The old station was demolished to be replaced by sidings, and the new MR station was linked to the GWR station by a 250-yard long covered footbridge.
In 1901, the Cheltenham Loop, now known as the Gloucester avoiding line, was re-instated primarily for goods traffic, but also for passengers from 1908. Between 1914 and 1920, the GWR station was expanded with a second long platform north of the running lines, 2 centre tracks for through movements and bay platforms. The 2 main platforms were also split in two with a scissors crossing in the middle. In 1951, the Western station was renamed Gloucester Central and the Midland station renamed Gloucester Eastgate
to avoid confusion.
By the mid-1960s, plans were floated to rationalise the stations - the 1914 upside platform at Gloucester Central was reduced to a parcels-only platform and Gloucester Eastgate
was reduced to 2 platforms. There was also a proposal for an entirely new station on the triangular junction east of the existing stations, to avoid the troublesome reversals, but this wasn't taken further. Even then, Gloucester Eastgate
was seen as a hindrance because the Tuffley loop line had 5 level crossings causing a lot of traffic problems. Therefore, in 1975, Gloucester Eastgate
and the Tuffley loop line were closed and all operations were concentrated at Gloucester Central. This station was redeveloped and re-opened in 1977 with new station buildings and an extended platform at 1977 ft, long enough to take two Inter-City 125 trains then being introduced to the Western Region. In 1984, the 1914 parcels platform was bought back into use at a passenger platform and a new footbridge was opened to provide access.
Gloucester's second station, Gloucester Eastgate
, was connected via covered footbridge until that station closed in 1975, due to level crossings affecting the city's road traffic. Eastgate station provided sharply curved through platforms on the Bristol-Birmingham (former Midland Railway) Line, avoiding the current problems with trains having to reverse.
in Great Britain
, just behind Colchester
(620m, 2034 ft). This platform was lengthened as part of the 1977 rebuilding work and was intended to handle two Inter-City 125 trains at the same time. These trains were just coming into service on the Western Region
London Paddington
to Cheltenham
services at this time and all services were handled by the same platform.
The ticket office just inside the station entrance is open for most the day, seven days a week. Snacks and drinks are served in the café on platform 2.
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
in England. The station was originally built as the terminus of the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway
Birmingham and Gloucester Railway
The Birmingham and Gloucester Railway is a railway route linking Birmingham to Gloucester in England.It is one of the world's oldest main line railways and includes the famous Lickey Incline, a dead-straight stretch of track running up the 1-in-37 gradient of the Lickey Ridge...
in 1840, but the arrival of the (broad gauge) Bristol and Gloucester Railway
Bristol and Gloucester Railway
The Bristol and Gloucester Railway opened in 1844 between Bristol and Gloucester, meeting the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway. It is now part of the main line from the North-East of England through Derby and Birmingham to the South-West.-History:...
and Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway
Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway
The Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway was a broad gauge railway that linked the Great Western Railway at Swindon, Wiltshire, with Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England...
in 1844, and then conversion to a through station for the South Wales Railway
South Wales Railway
The South Wales Railway was a broad gauge railway that linked the Gloucester and Dean Forest Railway with Neyland in Wales.-History:The need for the railway was created by the need to ship coal from the South Wales Valleys to London, and secondly to complete Brunel's vision of linking London with...
in 1851 resulted in a very complex layout. Subsequent closures and rationalization have left Gloucester with a station that is located off the main Bristol-Birmingham line, meaning trains that call at Gloucester usually have to reverse. Only trains that continue along the Gloucester to Newport Line
Gloucester to Newport Line
The Gloucester to Newport Line is a railway line that runs along the bank of the River Severn in the United Kingdom from Gloucester to Newport....
do not have to reverse.
History
The railway development at Gloucester was very complex involving four different railway companies and five distinct railway stations. The first company onto the scene was the Birmingham and Gloucester RailwayBirmingham and Gloucester Railway
The Birmingham and Gloucester Railway is a railway route linking Birmingham to Gloucester in England.It is one of the world's oldest main line railways and includes the famous Lickey Incline, a dead-straight stretch of track running up the 1-in-37 gradient of the Lickey Ridge...
, which was a standard gauge line opening 4 November 1840. This line from Cheltenham was built by the Birmingham and Gloucester railway on a formation built by the Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway
Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway
The Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway was a broad gauge railway that linked the Great Western Railway at Swindon, Wiltshire, with Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England...
(see below). The first station was a terminus built on land near the cattle market. This was seen as a temporary structure to be replaced by a more permanent structure nearer the docks when more finance was available, but this never happened and this structure determined the site of the station today.
The Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway
Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway
The Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway was a broad gauge railway that linked the Great Western Railway at Swindon, Wiltshire, with Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England...
(C&GWU) opened a broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
line from Swindon
Swindon
Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...
to Gloucester on the 8 July 1844, and built their station adjacent and to the north of the Birmingham and Gloucester station
Birmingham and Gloucester Railway
The Birmingham and Gloucester Railway is a railway route linking Birmingham to Gloucester in England.It is one of the world's oldest main line railways and includes the famous Lickey Incline, a dead-straight stretch of track running up the 1-in-37 gradient of the Lickey Ridge...
. The line from Gloucester to Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
was upgraded to mixed gauge so that the C&GWU could share tracks to Cheltenham, which meant trains had to reverse at Gloucester.
At the same time as the C&GWU opened, the Bristol and Gloucester Railway
Bristol and Gloucester Railway
The Bristol and Gloucester Railway opened in 1844 between Bristol and Gloucester, meeting the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway. It is now part of the main line from the North-East of England through Derby and Birmingham to the South-West.-History:...
also opened a broad gauge line from Bristol to Standish Junction a few miles south of Gloucester, and shared the tracks of the C&GWU into Gloucester station. In 1845, the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
, which had already bought the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway
Birmingham and Gloucester Railway
The Birmingham and Gloucester Railway is a railway route linking Birmingham to Gloucester in England.It is one of the world's oldest main line railways and includes the famous Lickey Incline, a dead-straight stretch of track running up the 1-in-37 gradient of the Lickey Ridge...
, also absorbed the Bristol and Gloucester Railway
Bristol and Gloucester Railway
The Bristol and Gloucester Railway opened in 1844 between Bristol and Gloucester, meeting the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway. It is now part of the main line from the North-East of England through Derby and Birmingham to the South-West.-History:...
. Similarly, the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
had taken over the C&GWU, which resulted in a jointly-owned (MR & GWR), mixed-gauge station from which trains ran on shared mixed-gauge track both northwards and southwards from Gloucester.
In 1847, the GWR opened the Cheltenham Loop line which completed the triangle junction east of the station. This allowed GWR trains to avoid the reversal at Gloucester, but so as to allow GWR passengers to access Gloucester, a link line was built to a station on the loop called the Gloucester T station. Carriages were detached from trains at the T station, turned on turntables and taken into the main Gloucester station. This operation was not very successful and so was abandoned, along with the loop line, in 1851. Hereafter, GWR trains from London to Cheltenham continued to reverse at the main station, a practise that continues to this day.
On the 19 September 1851, the Gloucester and Dean Forest Railway and the South Wales Railway
South Wales Railway
The South Wales Railway was a broad gauge railway that linked the Gloucester and Dean Forest Railway with Neyland in Wales.-History:The need for the railway was created by the need to ship coal from the South Wales Valleys to London, and secondly to complete Brunel's vision of linking London with...
opened a line south westwards from Gloucester towards the Forest of Dean
Forest of Dean
The Forest of Dean is a geographical, historical and cultural region in the western part of the county of Gloucestershire, England. The forest is a roughly triangular plateau bounded by the River Wye to the west and north, the River Severn to the south, and the City of Gloucester to the east.The...
, Chepstow
Chepstow
Chepstow is a town in Monmouthshire, Wales, adjoining the border with Gloucestershire, England. It is located on the River Wye, close to its confluence with the River Severn, and close to the western end of the Severn Bridge on the M48 motorway...
and South Wales. A new, 2-platform through station was built immediately north of the existing station, although this was rebuilt in 1855 with a longer, single platform after it was found the original station was too small.
On 22 May 1854, the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
opened a new, standard gauge railway between Gloucester and Standish Junction, thus avoiding running on the ex-CGWU line into Gloucester. This new line paralleled the old route as far as Tuffley, before swinging into Gloucester and looping back onto the main Bristol to Birmingham line (the Tuffley loop). The MR also rebuilt the old 1840 station, lengthening platforms and adding new buildings, but because this was still a terminus and the Tuffley loop headed eastwards, trains still had to reverse in and out of the station. This anomaly was not sorted out for another 40 years until the MR opened a new station on 12 April 1896, south-east of the existing station, on the Tuffley loop. The old station was demolished to be replaced by sidings, and the new MR station was linked to the GWR station by a 250-yard long covered footbridge.
In 1901, the Cheltenham Loop, now known as the Gloucester avoiding line, was re-instated primarily for goods traffic, but also for passengers from 1908. Between 1914 and 1920, the GWR station was expanded with a second long platform north of the running lines, 2 centre tracks for through movements and bay platforms. The 2 main platforms were also split in two with a scissors crossing in the middle. In 1951, the Western station was renamed Gloucester Central and the Midland station renamed Gloucester Eastgate
Gloucester Eastgate railway station
Gloucester Eastgate railway station was a station in Gloucester, England, used by trains from Birmingham to Bristol. Originally the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway used a terminus station roughly on the site of the current Gloucester station car park.-History:In 1896 a new through station was...
to avoid confusion.
By the mid-1960s, plans were floated to rationalise the stations - the 1914 upside platform at Gloucester Central was reduced to a parcels-only platform and Gloucester Eastgate
Gloucester Eastgate railway station
Gloucester Eastgate railway station was a station in Gloucester, England, used by trains from Birmingham to Bristol. Originally the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway used a terminus station roughly on the site of the current Gloucester station car park.-History:In 1896 a new through station was...
was reduced to 2 platforms. There was also a proposal for an entirely new station on the triangular junction east of the existing stations, to avoid the troublesome reversals, but this wasn't taken further. Even then, Gloucester Eastgate
Gloucester Eastgate railway station
Gloucester Eastgate railway station was a station in Gloucester, England, used by trains from Birmingham to Bristol. Originally the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway used a terminus station roughly on the site of the current Gloucester station car park.-History:In 1896 a new through station was...
was seen as a hindrance because the Tuffley loop line had 5 level crossings causing a lot of traffic problems. Therefore, in 1975, Gloucester Eastgate
Gloucester Eastgate railway station
Gloucester Eastgate railway station was a station in Gloucester, England, used by trains from Birmingham to Bristol. Originally the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway used a terminus station roughly on the site of the current Gloucester station car park.-History:In 1896 a new through station was...
and the Tuffley loop line were closed and all operations were concentrated at Gloucester Central. This station was redeveloped and re-opened in 1977 with new station buildings and an extended platform at 1977 ft, long enough to take two Inter-City 125 trains then being introduced to the Western Region. In 1984, the 1914 parcels platform was bought back into use at a passenger platform and a new footbridge was opened to provide access.
Gloucester's second station, Gloucester Eastgate
Gloucester Eastgate railway station
Gloucester Eastgate railway station was a station in Gloucester, England, used by trains from Birmingham to Bristol. Originally the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway used a terminus station roughly on the site of the current Gloucester station car park.-History:In 1896 a new through station was...
, was connected via covered footbridge until that station closed in 1975, due to level crossings affecting the city's road traffic. Eastgate station provided sharply curved through platforms on the Bristol-Birmingham (former Midland Railway) Line, avoiding the current problems with trains having to reverse.
Description
At 602.69 metres (1977 ft. 4 ins.) Gloucester has the second longest railway platformRailway platform
A railway platform is a section of pathway, alongside rail tracks at a train station, metro station or tram stop, at which passengers may board or alight from trains or trams. Almost all stations for rail transport have some form of platforms, with larger stations having multiple platforms...
in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, just behind Colchester
Colchester railway station
Colchester or Colchester North is the main railway station for Colchester in Essex, England. It is on the former Great Eastern Railway main line from London Liverpool Street to Norwich and is a junction for the line to Walton-on-the-Naze and Clacton-on-Sea, which diverges southwards from the main...
(620m, 2034 ft). This platform was lengthened as part of the 1977 rebuilding work and was intended to handle two Inter-City 125 trains at the same time. These trains were just coming into service on the Western Region
Western Region of British Railways
The Western Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992...
London Paddington
Paddington station
Paddington railway station, also known as London Paddington, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex.The site is a historic one, having served as the London terminus of the Great Western Railway and its successors since 1838. Much of the current mainline station dates...
to Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
services at this time and all services were handled by the same platform.
The ticket office just inside the station entrance is open for most the day, seven days a week. Snacks and drinks are served in the café on platform 2.
Services
The station is served by several operators.- Arriva Trains WalesArriva Trains WalesArriva Trains Wales is a train operating company, owned by Arriva, that operates urban and inter urban passenger services in Wales and the Welsh Marches...
operates an hourly local service (with an hourly gap every three hours during off-peak periods) between MaestegMaesteg railway stationMaesteg railway station is one of two railway stations that serve the town of Maesteg in South Wales. The 1992 built station is located in the centre of the town, adjacent to the Somerfield Supermarket store and on former sidings.-History:...
, Cardiff CentralCardiff Central railway stationCardiff Central railway station is a major railway station on the South Wales Main Line in Cardiff, Wales.It is the largest and busiest station in Wales and one of the major stations of the British rail network, the tenth busiest station in the United Kingdom outside of London , based on 2007/08...
, and Cheltenham SpaCheltenham Spa railway stationCheltenham Spa railway station is in Gloucestershire, England, on the Bristol-Birmingham main line. It is managed by First Great Western and is about one mile from the town centre.-History:...
. - CrossCountryCrossCountryCrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva...
operates an hourly Cardiff Central - Nottingham service with 1 Nottingham-bound and 2 Cardiff-bound trains in the early morning plus 1 in each direction in the late evening stopping at LydneyLydney railway stationLydney railway station is a railway station serving the town of Lydney in Gloucestershire, England. It is located on the Gloucester-Newport line. Passenger services are provided by Arriva Trains Wales, with an hourly Maesteg/Cardiff Central-Cheltenham Spa service...
, Chepstow, CaldicotCaldicot railway stationCaldicot railway station is a part of the British railway system owned by Network Rail and is operated by Arriva Trains Wales. Caldicot is a small town in Monmouthshire, south Wales...
and Severn Tunnel JunctionSevern Tunnel Junction railway stationSevern Tunnel Junction railway station is a small railway station on the western side of the Severn Tunnel at Rogiet, Monmouthshire, Wales. It lies at the junction of the South Wales Main Line from London and the Gloucester to Newport Line....
. They also serve the city as part of their Cross-Country operations - only one train in each direction per day currently calls. On Mondays to Fridays, the northbound service calls at 20:46 and stops only at Cheltenham and Birmingham, and the southbound service calls at 22:06 and is the service from EdinburghEdinburgh Waverley railway stationEdinburgh Waverley railway station is the main railway station in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. Covering an area of over 25 acres in the centre of the city, it is the second-largest main line railway station in the United Kingdom in terms of area, the largest being...
to . (There is a proposed station to be located on the main Bristol to Birmingham line just north of the branch into Gloucester). Instead, passengers for Gloucester have to change at Cheltenham Spa for a connecting service. Gloucestershire Parkway, if now built, would be moved to the rear of Waterwells with a new station built at TuffleyTuffleyTuffley is one of the 15 wards associated with the City of Gloucester.The ward in non-parished and situated near Robinswood Hill toward the South of the City.The ward has many services, including schools, shops, and parks.-Origins:...
for Gloucester-Bristol Temple Meads traffic. - First Great WesternFirst Great WesternFirst Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
operates an hourly service to SwindonSwindon railway stationSwindon railway station is in the town of Swindon, Wiltshire, England. The station entrance is on Station Road, to the south of the line.It is approximately from the central bus station and the town centre...
via the Golden Valley LineGolden Valley LineThe Golden Valley Line is a railway line from Swindon to Cheltenham in the UK.The line was originally built as the Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway in the 1840s...
with 2-hourly extensions to London Paddington. They also operate an hourly WestburyWestbury railway stationWestbury railway station serves the town of Westbury, Wiltshire, England. The station is managed by First Great Western.The station is a major junction, serving the Reading to Plymouth Line with services to and from Penzance and London Paddington, the Wessex Main Line with services to and from...
& Bristol to Gloucester service, which has 2-hourly extensions to Cheltenham, WorcesterWorcester Shrub Hill railway stationWorcester Shrub Hill railway station is one of two railway stations serving the city of Worcester in Worcestershire, England. It is managed by London Midland, and it is also served by First Great Western....
& Great MalvernGreat Malvern railway stationGreat Malvern railway station serves the line between Worcester and Hereford. It is situated close to the centre of Great Malvern, England. It is one of two stations serving the town of Malvern, the other being Malvern Link station...
. - The London MidlandLondon MidlandLondon Midland is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Legally named London and Birmingham Railway Ltd, it is a subsidiary of Govia, and has operated the West Midlands franchise since 11 November 2007....
Worcester to Gloucester service was discontinued from the start of the December 2009 railway timetable due to low passenger usage. However there is still 1 Friday night service from Birmingham New Street to Gloucester departing at 23:04 and arriving at 00:16 which travels via . A new -Gloucester service has been proposed, and would be London MidlandLondon MidlandLondon Midland is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Legally named London and Birmingham Railway Ltd, it is a subsidiary of Govia, and has operated the West Midlands franchise since 11 November 2007....
operated. Other new services would see a direct train to Glasgow and Edinburgh originating at or Cardiff Central, and a direct service to via the Berkeley lineSharpness Branch LineThe Sharpness Branch Line was a railway in Gloucestershire, England, built by the Midland Railway to connect the port of Sharpness to the main Bristol and Gloucester Railway...
(currently freight-only).