Mangotsfield and Bath branch line

In the 1960s these trains, and the daily "Pines Express", became famous among railway enthusiasts, as did the station at Bath, by then named "Green Park".

At first the Bath station was a temporary building west of the River Avon, but in 1870 the extension was opened to the splendid terminus at Queen Square in the city; the Great Western Railway had opened its main line between London and Bristol in 1840, and had its own Bath station on the other side of the city.

[2][page needed] The branch connected with the Bristol to Gloucester line at Mangotsfield by a triangular junction allowing through running direct from the north towards Bath.

The station was very extensive with four wide platforms and large canopies, to cater for considerable passenger interchange volumes.

From Mangotsfield the line descended with a ruling gradient of 1 in 121, east and then south-eastwards with stations at Warmley, Oldland Common and Bitton; all of those settlements were in those days remote from the suburban areas of Bristol.

After nationalisation of the railways in 1948, it was no longer appropriate to refer to "Midland station" and the title Bath Green Park was applied from 18 June 1951.

[1][page needed] An east chord line, forming a triangle, was made at Mangotsfield, enabling trains to run direct between Bath and Gloucester; this opened in 1873.

This line opened on 20 July 1874; allying itself with the Midland company, the Somerset & Dorset Railway used the Bath passenger station and goods facilities.

The route of the former railway has remained largely intact, although the former rural villages have become absorbed into a developing conurbation incorporating Bath and Bristol.

At Bath, the passenger station remains intact, and is in use as a retail and exhibition space; a major supermarket (Sainsbury's) and its car park occupy the railway lands immediately to the west of the river bridge.