The Severn Beach Line declined over the latter half of the twentieth century, with passenger numbers falling significantly.

Services had decreased to 10 per day each direction by 2005, but have since increased to a train every 30 minutes to Bristol and hourly to Severn Beach.

The northern "down" platform, adjacent to the "Down Main" line, is bidirectionally signalled, allowing it to be used by terminating trains and those heading towards Bristol.

[7] Facilities at the station are minimal – there is a wooden canopy and bench seating on the northern platform, with a small metal shelter on the southern.

The line, which is not electrified, handles less than 5 million train tonnes per year, has a loading gauge of W6 and a route availability of 7.

With no prospect of a proper dock being funded without a connection to the national rail network, the Clifton Extension Railway (CER) was approved.

[19] The Great Western initially offered six trains per day each direction between Avonmouth Dock and Bristol Temple Meads.

A 60 feet (18 m) turntable was constructed in December 1903; with a signal box, known as Avonmouth Dock Passenger, installed at the end of the platform.

Dedicated goods staff were employed from the start of 1904, with that year also seeing the installation of a run-around loop for the terminal platform.

[19] Positions included stationmaster; booking clerks; posters; and outdoor porters, who took goods to ships in the docks.

Over the course of the war, Avonmouth Dock Joint handled 35,000 animals, mainly horses and mules, en route to the depot.

July 1917 saw the introduction of platform tickets, to capitalise on people using the station to bid farewell to friends heading overseas, or to welcome those returning.

[19] After the war, construction of the Bristol Portway along the Avon Gorge necessitated the closure of the line from Sneyd Park Junction to Hotwells, with trains along it ceasing on 3 July 1922.

To compensate for the loss of service, the Great Western provided an additional four trains daily from Avonmouth Dock to Bristol and six return.

A year later in 1963, the Beeching report suggested the complete withdrawal of services along the line, but ultimately only those beyond Severn Beach or via Henbury were withdrawn.

[19] From 17 July 1967 all staffing was withdrawn from stations along the line, including Avonmouth, with tickets issued by the train guard.

The signal box was closed in January 1969, and in September 1973 the wooden level crossing gates were replaced by automatic lifting barriers.

[18]: 50 [25] British Rail was split into business-led sectors in the 1980s, at which time operations at Avonmouth passed to Regional Railways.

[21]: 42 When the railway was privatised in 1997, local services were franchised to Wales & West, which was succeeded by Wessex Trains, an arm of National Express, in 2001.

[26][27] Following action by Friends of Severn Beach Railway and a string of protests, services had increased to 10 per day in each direction by 2005, with Bristol City Council providing a subsidy to Wessex Trains.

[55][56] There is an aspiration for half-hourly services, with trains towards Bristol terminating alternately at Portishead and Bath Spa, however due to the large sections of the Severn Beach Line which are single-track, and to the congested main line from Temple Meads, such frequency is not currently feasible.

[57][58] The enhancement scheme was given the go-ahead in July 2012 as part of the City Deal, whereby local councils would be given greater control over money by the government.

[59] There are also calls for the reopening of the Henbury Loop Line, which could allow a direct service from Avonmouth to Bristol Parkway.