The branch was joined at Ashley Hill junction, just beyond Narroways Hill, by a line which left the Midland main line at Kingswood Junction, south-west of Fishponds station.

The greatest engineering feature of the branch was a mile-long tunnel underneath Clifton Down.

The section through the tunnel from Clifton Down station to Sneyd Park Junction, where it connected to the Bristol Port Railway, opened to goods traffic in 1877 and to passenger trains on 1 September 1885.

c. xi) of 25 May 1871, and the Midland Railway (Additional Powers) Act 1890 of 25 July 1890.

The connection to the Midland Railway closed in 1965, and the thirteen arch viaduct over the River Frome valley was demolished in 1968.