Kelston railway station

Kelston for Saltford
General information
Location	Kelston, Bath and North East Somerset England
Grid reference	ST688671
Platforms	2
Other information
Status	Disused
History
Pre-grouping	Midland Railway
Post-grouping	London, Midland and Scottish Railway London Midland Region of British Railways
Key dates
1 December 1869	Opened
1 January 1949	Closed

Railways in the Bristol area
Cross Country Route Thornbury branch line Yate South Wales Main Line New Passage Pier Westerleigh Junction New Passage Halt Cross Hands Halt South Wales Main Line via Severn Tunnel Pilning Severn Beach Coalpit Heath Severn View Industrial Park Winterbourne Chittening Industrial Estate Bristol Parkway Patchway Smoke Lane Industrial Estate Ram Hill Colliery Chittening Platform Hallen Halt Avonmouth Docks Henbury St Andrews Road Charlton Halt Avonmouth (BPR&P) North Filton Platform Avonmouth (Royal Edward) Stoke Gifford depot Avonmouth Docks Westerleigh Goods Depot Avonmouth Avonmouth Light Railway Filton Junction Avonmouth Docks Filton Portway Park & Ride Filton Abbey Wood Shirehampton Horfield Sea Mills Ashley Hill Clifton Down Tunnel Mangotsfield (1845–1869) Clifton Down Mangotsfield (1869–1966) Redland Staple Hill Montpelier Fishponds Hotwells Halt Warmley Hotwells Narroways Hill Junction Stapleton Road sidings Grey line represents Stapleton Road boundary of Bristol Oldland Common unitary authority area Avon Valley Railway Lawrence Hill Waste depot Bitton Bristol St Philip's Barton Hill Depot St Mary Redcliffe tunnel Avon Riverside Bristol Temple Meads Bristol Temple Meads Princes' Wharf Kelston Bristol Harbour Railway St Philip's Marsh T&RSMD SS Great Britain East Depot Bristol Docks (North) Bedminster Bristol Docks (South) Parson Street CREATE Centre Mangotsfield to Bath line South Liberty Lane Depot Ashton Gate St Anne's Park Clifton Bridge Brislington Nightingale Valley Halt Long Ashton Ham Green Halt Bristol–Exeter line Pill Whitchurch Halt Portbury shipyard Keynsham Royal Portbury Dock Bristol & North Somerset Rly Portbury Shipyard Saltford Portbury Great Western Main Line (1954–1964) Portishead Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Light Railway (1879–1954) Portishead Portishead Pier

Kelston was a small railway station about four miles west of Bath on the Midland Railway's Mangotsfield and Bath Branch Line.

History

Kelston Station was opened in 1869 when the Midland Railway opened its Mangotsfield to Bath branchline. The station was located a short distance across some fields from the village of Kelston and closer to the village of Saltford on the other side of the River Avon, which it was connected to by a footpath that ran alongside the railway on the bridge over the river. For many years the station was known as "Kelston (for Saltford)", although Saltford had its own station on the Great Western Main Line.
The station generated little traffic apart from race days at Bath Racecourse, which could be reached by a three-mile trek over the fields, mostly uphill, or regatta days at Saltford.
The station closed at the end of 1948, although the line remained open for passenger traffic until March 1966 and for goods to Bath Gasworks until 1971.

The station was destroyed by fire in 1882.

Services

The station was served by local trains between Bristol St Philips or Bristol Temple Meads and Bath Green Park via Mangotsfield and Bitton.

Preceding station		Disused railways		Following station
Bitton Line closed; station open		Midland Railway Mangotsfield and Bath Branch Line		Weston (Bath) Line and station closed

Future

The Avon Valley Railway plans to reopen Kelston station as part of their southern extension to Bath.

Preceding station	Proposed Heritage railways			Following station
Avon Riverside		Avon Valley Railway		Bath Newbridge

References

• Somerset Railway stations by Mike Oakley, Dovecote Press, Wimborne, 2002.