Here is an evocative picture of steam under the hammer beam roof of Brunel's trainshed at Bristol Temple Meads. Taken in the early sixties, you can almost smell the hot oil and steam as the locomotive stands at the head of a train in one of the two centre roads. At present this is a car park but soon to see trains again.” Copyright Sid Sponheimer
Chris Osment of Rail West has kindly provided more information concerning the scene featured in the above picture. Many thanks Chris.
Well, partly right, partly wrong :- The train is indeed standing in the original ‘old’ station at Bristol, but that part is no longer a car-park. It was refurbished some years ago and is now (or at least was) a ‘posh’ exhibition centre.
The photographer is standing in the extension that was added when Bristol TM was re-built in the 1870s and it is that part which remained in use as a car-park and should become a station again – but first they have to demolish the 1970 Bristol panel signal-box which is in the way of relaying the track!
In the picture you can see the ‘join’ between the two parts by the change in the roof. A wall was put up between the two parts many years ago to separate them prior to the refurbishment of the Brunel part.
Well, partly right, partly wrong :- The train is indeed standing in the original ‘old’ station at Bristol, but that part is no longer a car-park. It was refurbished some years ago and is now (or at least was) a ‘posh’ exhibition centre.
The photographer is standing in the extension that was added when Bristol TM was re-built in the 1870s and it is that part which remained in use as a car-park and should become a station again – but first they have to demolish the 1970 Bristol panel signal-box which is in the way of relaying the track!
In the picture you can see the ‘join’ between the two parts by the change in the roof. A wall was put up between the two parts many years ago to separate them prior to the refurbishment of the Brunel part.