The Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Light Railway

This book was first published in 1964, with a second, enlarged edition released in 1990. Although the text in this latest edition remains unchanged, a significant amount of new illustrative material has been added, including sixteen pages of photographs and letters. The GWR’s main line from Bristol to Exeter passed near Portishead, Clevedon, and Weston-super-Mare, but a diversion to go through these towns was considered more trouble than it was worth, Brunel’s policy being for as direct a route as possible, with places even quite close to the main line being served by branch lines. It wasn’t until the 1880s that the tramway was promoted. Construction took place in the 1890s, and the line finmally opened to Weston-super-Mare in 1897. An extension to Portishead and its conversion to a light railway followed a few years later. The book recounts in great detail the story of the line until World War II brought closure.