Recent Society Events - Visit to the Temple Meads Old Railway Station, Bristol, Saturday 12th April 2008.

Further info

On 12th April 2008 fourteen Society members and friends visited the Brunel Old Station at Temple Meads for an hour long guided tour of the station, arranged through the British Empire and Commonwealth Museum (BECM), who occupy the site.

We were shown behind the scenes at the Museum and visited the Boardroom used by Brunel, the Trainshed and, a first for most of the party, visited the vaults beneath the station and the current Temple Meads covered station car park.

The party heard about the construction and history of the site and station, the part which Brunel played and its importance to the Great Western Railway. With the closure of the BECM expected at the end of September, the future for the site is uncertain, and whilst, of course, the building is listed, its future use and any access arrangements for tours such as these are not know- hence the Society visit at this time.

Two more “Brunel Tour” dates for public visits are planned before closure later in the year; with their recent publicity in “Steam Railway” magazine these are expected to fill quickly.

A fascinating tour and it is to be hoped that whoever the future owners of the station site are, the public will still be able to gain occasional access to the former station so that they can gain a better understanding of its history and importance.

Background to the Old Station

Designed by Brunel, Bristol’s original station was built in 1841 and is Grade 1 listed. It is the world’s oldest surviving purpose-built railway terminus.

The station complex consists of an engine shed behind the offices that face the street and a train shed beyond. Both are supported on brick arched vaults.
Cast iron columns support the drawing office that spans three of the five tracks in the engine shed. This is where most of the GWR’s schemes were designed.

The old train shed and it’s more recent extension finally closed to active use in 1965, and were used as a covered car park for many years. Part of the old station area was restored for some public tours in 1985- the GWR 150 celebrations, and the station site then became “The Exploratory” hands on science centre from 1989- 1999. However, it was not until the opening of the British Empire & Commonwealth Museum (BECM) on 26th Sept 2002 that many other parts of the building were restored and used for the first time in forty years. With the arrival of the BECM, the former Brunel train shed, the Boardroom and some of the other rooms have been available for hire for meetings, conferences and special events, bringing in revenue. In 2006, occasional tours of the site commenced. 

Some of the lower rooms under the train shed are now used as a Café, and also a Children’s day Nursery “Buffer Bears”, with an external play area on a removable cover over the former Bristol Tramways tracks/depot visible from the current station approach.
  
About the British Empire & Commonwealth Museum

Opened in September 2002 the museum presents, in 16 galleries, the history of the Empire and Commonwealth from all sides, from viceroy to freedom fighter, explorer to aborigine. A balanced story is presented, explaining the opinions of the colonisers and colonised alike. It not only covers maritime, military and technical triumphs of the empire, but also examines issues of racism, economic exploitation and slavery. In 2009 the Museum will relocate to London, so in advance of this move it is expected to close to the public in Autumn 2008.

Further info

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