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Tuesday 14 Jul 2026

First look at new Portishead and Pill stations as railway restoration progresses

Region & Route:

Wales & Western: Great Western

New artist’s impressions of Portishead and Pill stations have been unveiled, in a major milestone for the £200m Portishead to Bristol railway line.  

Visitors who attended today's (Tuesday 14 July) drop-in information session at Pill Community Centre were the first to see the images earlier this afternoon. 

The new visuals offer a glimpse of the modern, accessible stations which will serve local communities when passenger services begin operating in winter 2028/29. 

The restored railway will provide an hourly direct train from Portishead to Bristol Temple Meads with journey times of around 25 minutes. The route runs along one of the most scenic stretches of railway in the country, under the Clifton Suspension Bridge and through the Avon Gorge. 

The restoration of the Portishead Line, which has been closed to passenger services since 1964, is being funded by the Department for Transport, the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority and North Somerset Council. Construction of the railway is being delivered by Network Rail, with services set to be operated by Great Western Railway (GWR). 

Niall Spencer, senior sponsor for Network Rail's Great Western route, said: 

"It's been fantastic to share these new images with the community and give people a clearer picture of what the new stations at Portishead and Pill will look like when they open. These images help bring the project to life and show the high-quality, accessible gateways we are creating for local people. 

"The enthusiasm and interest we've seen from residents has been incredibly positive. We've always said that engagement would be at the heart of this project, and drop-in events like today's are an important opportunity to listen, answer questions and keep communities informed as work progresses. 

"There's now visible progress right across the route, from bridge upgrades and site clearance to preparations for the new stations themselves. It's exciting to see this long-awaited railway taking shape and moving another step closer to reconnecting local communities with the rail network for the first time in more than six decades."

Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said:  

“It is exciting to get this first look of what the new stations for Portishead and Pill will look like.  

“I know so many people have been waiting so long for passenger trains to return to the Portishead to Bristol Temples Meads line, and it is great to see work is well underway.  

“Through this new £200 million train line, the West of England and North Somerset, alongside our industry partners, can connect more people to work, nature, and leisure.  

“Travel times between Bristol and Portishead will be halved by train services, helping the West get out of the slow lane and cutting congestion. Our record investment in more trains and better buses will get our region moving, while we continue developing mass transit plans for the longer-term.” 

Councillor Mike Bell, Leader of North Somerset Council, said: 

“These updated visuals give residents a real flavour of how the long-awaited reopened Portishead to Bristol railway line will look when it reaches completion in a few years’ time.  

“Local people have been calling out for the reopened railway for decades, so I’m delighted that we’ve started work and are now making steady towards making it happen.  

“The reopened Portishead to Bristol Temple Meads line will provide sustainable travel connections into the national rail network which will enable an estimated £43m of economic growth each year, helping local communities to thrive.  

“This is a project that stands to be transformative for the region, so it’s full steam ahead with our partners at the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, Department for Transport, Network Rail and Great Western Railway.”