Birmingham and Bristol Railway
| Company type | Railway company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Predecessor | Birmingham and Gloucester Railway, Bristol and Gloucester Railway |
| Founded | 1845 |
| Defunct | 3 August 1846 |
| Fate | Merged into Midland Railway |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
The Birmingham and Bristol Railway was a brief-lived railway enterprise created in 1845 through the consolidation of the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway and the Bristol and Gloucester Railway. From 14 January 1845, these two railways operated collectively under this designation. Although there was an intention to formalise the merger by means of an Act of Parliament submitted alongside an MR Absorption Bill, this proposal was soon abandoned. Consequently, both entities were incorporated into the Midland Railway as of 3 August 1846. Despite its usage as a name, it never gained official recognition as a distinct company.
Origin
At Gloucester, the Bristol and Gloucester Railway intersected with the broad gauge Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway (C&GWU) on tracks equipped for mixed gauge operation. In 1843, the Great Western Railway (GWR) acquired the C&GWU, subsequently pressuring the Bristol and Gloucester line to align with GWR at Bristol, invest in the planned South Devon Railway, and convert its tracks to broad gauge. This situation raised concerns among northern railways that operated on the "narrow" gauge.
The presence of a break-of-gauge at Gloucester created considerable operational challenges, necessitating the transfer of passengers and freight between different trains.
Formation
A parliamentary commission aimed to standardise track gauge along this route. The GWR presented an offer to the directors of the Birmingham and Bristol lines; however, shareholders sought improved terms. At this point, intervention came from the Midland Railway.
According to popular accounts, Midland’s John Ellis overheard two directors of Bristol & Gloucester negotiating terms aboard a train and subsequently proposed more favourable conditions.
In 1846, the Bristol and Birmingham and Midland Railways Act sanctioned the merger into the Midland Railway. The legislation was overseen by Samuel Carter, who served as solicitor for both Midland and LNWR.
Concerned about GWR’s broad gauge expansion into the Midlands, LNWR agreed to share any potential losses with Midland; ultimately, Midland paid only a nominal fee for access to LNWR’s Birmingham New Street station.
Gauge complications continued: in 1848, Midland constructed its own line into Gloucester that bypassed GWR’s former C&GWU route and installed mixed gauge tracks extending to Bristol. By 1857, standard gauge had been adopted throughout the entire line.
References
- Maggs, C. The Birmingham Gloucester Line. Cheltenham: Line One Press, 1986. ISBN 0-907036-10-4
- Truman, P., Hunt, D. Midland Railway Portrait. Sheffield: Platform 5 Publishing, 1989