History
The first attempt to build a railway line in this part of North Somerset took place in 1882, when an Act was obtained incorporating the Radstock, Wrington & Congresbury Junction Railway. However, sufficient capital could not be raised, and the company was dissolved in 1886.
In 1896, an application was made for a Light Railway Order under the Light Railways Act 1896 for railway from Congresbury to Blagdon, with a short branch to Blagdon Waterworks. The statutory enquiry was held on 20 May 1897. There were no objections, and the scheme was supported by the Bristol Waterworks Company, who were about to start constructing a reservoir and pumping station at Blagdon. The Great Western Railway undertook to finance, construct and operate the line.
The Order was confirmed on 18 March 1898, and the line opened to traffic on 4 December 1901.
The railway carried passengers for 30 years until 1931. Passenger traffic was vulnerable to competition from buses and of the stations on the line, only Wrington was conveniently situated for the village it purported to serve.
Freight service continued along the length of the line until 1950, when the section between Wrington and Blagdon was closed fully. Freight services continued from Congresbury to Wrington until June 1963; Congresbury itself retained passenger services until later in 1963, when it closed with the rest of the Yatton to Witham line.
Read more about this topic: Wrington Vale Light Railway
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