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December 2011
`The Weston, Clevedon & Portishead Railway’,by Paul Gregory, 6th December 2011
25 members and friends gathered on Tuesday 6th December to hear a fascinating presentation by Paul Gregory about a local railway which almost none of us will ever have known, although its former trackbed has played a key part in shaping Weston’s roads and development.
Paul, who is Secretary of the WC & P Group, explained that it had been launched in November 2006 to cater for those interested in the Railway. The Group is dedicated to the preservation of the WC&P Railway as far as is practicable, and has over 100 members spread across many countries around the world. It meets six times a year, twice each in Portishead, Clevedon and Weston.
The Group has taken a strong interest in the former route and trackbed of the Railway. It has undertaken a thorough Route Survey to ascertain what remains, and Paul explained it hoped to persuade local councils and landowners to preserve as much as possible for posterity. For a railway which closed in 1940 there is perhaps more still visible in some places than many people realise but the Society would like to see it marked by interpretation boards, plaques, and marker posts.
To emphasize this, Paul took us on a journey along the line, using an excellent selection of old but very clear photographs digitally restored, interspersed by modern day views to show us what remains to be seen of the line today, some seventy years or so after the line was closed and lifted. The locomotives and rolling stock of the line were also described and illustrated.
Paul told us that to help promote a greater knowledge of the railway, Interpretation boards were to be unveiled by John Penrose MP on 9th December (three days after the meeting) at the former Ashcombe Road station site, near to Milton Road in Weston. The lane leading to the station was also to be named Colonel Stephens Way, with assistance from the Colonel Stephens Society and the approval of the local council. Separately, a replica of Broadstone Halt Shelter had also been built, attracting local publicity, and was currently housed at Oakham Treasures, near Gordano.
The Group had also produced a commercially available DVD about the Railway, and a booklet describing the former stations on the line, illustrated with Pictures and maps. The Society had also sought to speak to those still alive who knew or worked on the WC&P, to record for posterity their memories and anecdotes of how it actually was.
Our thanks go to Paul for an evening which really brought the railway to life, helping us to understand more about this long lost local line and its interesting past, and the work of the Group. Those wanting to find out more about its past or the WC&P Group can do so at the excellent website about the former Railway and its route, with separate pages about the Group and its activities:
Following Paul’s presentation, as this was the December meeting those present enjoyed the customary Christmas buffet.
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