FoSBR was formed in 1995 as Friends of Severn Beach Railway, to protest against the potential demise of the Severn Beach Line, a single-track branch line in Bristol. Services at the time had been reduced along the line from to, with many services replaced by buses. The first FoSBR action was on 25 September 1995, when a group of protestors met at Avonmouth railway station with buggies and bicycles, to show that buses were not a suitable replacement for trains. The group later changed its name to Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways, allowing it to keep the FoSBR acronym.
Campaigns
Severn Beach Line
FoSBR's first campaign was to get a better service on the Severn Beach Line, an important Bristol commuter line connecting to and via Clifton. The line had few services, no service at all on Sundays, and very few trains travelled the entire length of the line to Severn Beach. Following action by FoSBR and a string of protests, Bristol City Council agreed to subsidise a service of at least one train every 45mins in each direction along the line. This continued until 2007 when a 1-hour minimum service was written into the Greater Western passenger franchise. In 2007, the Council unanimously agreed to pay £450,000 per year to fund extra services from May 2008 for three years, which resulted in a 60% increase in passenger numbers along the line, and a 25% year-on-year increase between June 2009 and June 2010. Passenger numbers on the line increased by 90% over the period 2008–11, and 25% in the period 2010–11. The Council cut the subsidy paid by half, saying the extra passengers were allowing the line to support itself, which prompted criticism by FoSBR, saying the money should be used to provide evening trains and through services to and. Services along the line run at roughly three trains every two hours between Avonmouth and Temple Meads, with one extending to Severn Beach. FoSBR is campaigning for a half-hourly service, which has become feasible since the restoration of the four-track line between Temple Meads and Filton. FoSBR also campaigned for a Sunday service between Severn Beach and, the success of which was celebrated with a picnic. There are two services each Sunday – both terminate at Severn Beach during the summer, but one terminates at Avonmouth outside of summer. FoSBR support the opening of a station to serve the A4 PortwayPark & Ride scheme in Shirehampton. They argue that buses often have to deal with heavy traffic on the A4 Portway to reach the city centre, and that a rail link would be quicker and greener. FoSBR have also suggested the Severn Beach Line be electrified as part of the electrification of the Great Western Main Line. They were supported in this by Stephen Williams, the former MP for Bristol West.
FoSBR are campaigning for the Henbury Loop Line, a freight line in the north of Bristol which has not seen passenger traffic since the 1960s. This would include the reopening of and railway stations, both of which closed to passengers in 1964. FoSBR suggest this would help services along the Severn Beach Line, allowing a Temple Meads-Avonmouth- service, and also provide services to the north of Bristol generally, the Cribbs Causewayshopping centre, and the redevelopment at Filton Aerodrome. FoSBR say that local councils have committed to a feasibility study into reopening the line.
The line between and, commonly known as Filton Bank was reduced from four tracks to two in 1984 as a cost-saving measure. It was frequently congested. FoSBR were part of a successful campaign to reinstate this as a four-track railway. These works, which included the rebuilding of a viaduct at Stapleton Road, were completed in 2018.
Electrification to Weston-super-Mare
The Great Western Main Line, the major railway between London and Bristol, is due for electrification as part of a major upgrade scheme taking place in the next few years. The entire line between London Paddington, Bristol Temple Meads and was due to be electrified by 2017, as was the line between Temple Meads and Parkway. However, FoSBR are concerned that since the new electric Intercity Express Programme trains will not be able to operate beyond Bristol, direct services between London and will be discontinued. FoSBR therefore support the extension of electrification to Weston-super-Mare, and of the Severn Beach Line, to provide passengers with "better, more reliable services". FoSBR also supported the building of the Filton Triangle depot, Stoke Gifford for Intercity Express Trains, against local opposition. 550 local residents signed a petition against the depot, citing light, noise and water pollution concerns. FoSBR released a joint statement with Daniel Casey of the Green Party and Dave Wood of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers, saying that the residents' concerns were unfounded, noting several methods of noise/light/water pollution prevention that would be used, and also mentioning that the nearby motorways, Filton Airfield and night-time freight trains on the South Wales Main Line would all produce more background noise than the depot would.
MetroWest
Portishead Line
FoSBR support the reopening of the Portishead Branch Line to passenger services. The line was closed in the 1960s, but was reopened in the early 2000s for freight trains to serve Royal Portbury Docks. The track beyond is either overgrown or built over.
Awards
FoSBR hold awards ceremonies for people and organisations who have helped promote rail transport in the Bristol area.
