User groups excel as Breich is reprieved

I am always impressed by the excellent work carried out by some of the country’s Rail User Groups. Success can be achieved - witness the recent reprieve for Breich station, which has a train at 0804 to Edinburgh, and a call in the 1756 back on Mon-Sat.

Polesworth, Norton Bridge and (more recently) Pilning, had footbridges removed to lessen the cost of electrification. The fate of Breich was to be even worse - total closure.

Norton Bridge closed, Polesworth was left with a train in one direction (a useless 0723 to Crewe), and Pilning almost as bad. Breich seemingly had less chance of survival, owing to having stations within two miles either side - Fauldhouse and Addiewell.

However, it has been reprieved, will be improved, and will probably have additional services in May 2019 when Shotts electrification is completed.

When I used to travel to/from Cardiff University (using the Somerset & Dorset from Bournemouth!), Pilning still had a car transport service through the Severn Tunnel, which ceased in 1966 when the Severn Bridge opened.

For the past 11 years it has only had services on Saturdays. And for the last year, only in one direction: 0833 and 1334, with the latter likely to become 1534 from January 2018.

I gave more detail in RAIL 811’s The Fare Dealer, and more recently mentioned its website ( www.pilningstation.uk). I discussed possible improvement with Great Western Railway, but a spokesman told me he saw no commercial case for additional calls, quoting the ‘cost of stopping’ (which to me is nonsense).

Not to be deterred, the group’s campaign has three interesting links, including a video and an online clothes store selling ‘Footbridge4Pilning T-shirts’. These are at http://piln.in/song, http://piln.in/shop and http://piln.in/sign.

The group also made a presentation to the West of England Combined Authority regarding lighting. It’s on the website under the ‘Tell me more/What We Do’ tabs. I greatly admire their dedication.