Avon Valley Railway - Bristol & Bath’s Heritage Railway
Welcome to the new website of the Avon Valley Railway Heritage Trust. We work to preserve the route and legacy of the Midland Railway’s Mangotsfield to Bath Branch, which terminated at the legendary Bath Green Park Station.
From humble beginnings in 1972, our volunteers have returned heritage trains to the Avon Valley, with operations currently focussed on Bitton Station. We have achieved a lot so far, but we’re not finished. Find out more about us, our plans and how you can help across these pages.
Steam along the Avon Valley
Join us for a ride on one of our historic steam trains across the Avon river and through the South Gloucestershire countryside. Trains operate on most weekends and some summer Wednesdays. Start your journey from Bitton station with free parking and all our facilities.
There is also a range of special events throughout the year and regular first-class dining trains.
Membership
AVRHT relies on the generosity of our members to survive. We offer a range of perks and benefits with our membership as well as the opportunity to get involved in the running of the railway as a volunteer.
Find Us.
-
Bitton Station is situated midway between the cities of Bristol and Bath, on the A431 main road, and approximately one mile from the town of Keynsham. The nearby A4174 Avon Ring Road allows easy access to and from the motorway network. Car parking spaces are available at Bitton station, and are free.
-
The nearest National Rail station to Bitton is Keynsham. Keynsham is generally served by 2 trains every hour on the Bristol to Westbury route operated by Great Western Railway with regular hourly extensions to Gloucester and Salisbury, and Weymouth every 2 hours. Trains connect with other train services to/from London, the South West, Birmingham, South Wales and further afield at either Bristol Temple Meads or Bath Spa. For timetable and fare information visit GWR.com.
The distance from Keynsham to Bitton on foot is approximately 1.5 miles: simply turn right out of the station exits and follow the road until you pick up the AVR brown tourist signs.
From Keynsham, bus service 17 runs hourly Monday to Sunday. Buses pick up from the stop on the road bridge over the station, and set down in Willsbridge.
-
The following bus services can be used to reach the Avon Valley Railway:
Service 17 Southmead Hospital - Keynsham (via Fishponds, Kingswood & Hanham): Daily (Mon-Sun) approx every 60 mins. Alight at Keynsham Road or Willsbridge Hill bus stop. Current timetable
Service 19 Bath Bus Station - Bristol Parkway Station (via Warmley, Kingswood & Downend): Daily (Mon-Sun) approx every 60 mins. Alight at Cherry Gardens bus stop. Current timetable
Service 42 Bristol City Centre – Cherry Gardens (via Lawrence Hill & Kingswood): Daily (Mon-Sun): approx every 60 mins. Alight at Cherry Gardens bus stop. Current timetable
Service 45 Bristol City Centre – Cherry Gardens (via Lawrence Hill & Hanham): Mon-Sat: approx every 30 mins, Sun: approx every 60 mins. Alight at Cherry Gardens bus stop. Current timetable
Single bus fares capped at £2 until end of 2024.
For more details on public transport services and to plan your route please visit Traveline.
-
From Bristol or Bath, you can ride along the popular Bristol & Bath Railway Path (Route 4 of the National Cycle Network). It follows the route of the original Bristol-Mangotsfield-Bath Midland mainline, part of which covers the existing route of the Avon Valley Railway, and its intended extension. Cycle parking stands are provided at Bitton Station. While the majority of the route is safe for children and adults due to its distance from roadways, we advise caution on the few road and railway crossings that exist.
For more details on the Railway Path please visit the dedicated Bristol & Bath Railway Path website.
Make a donation.
The Avon Valley Railway Heritage Trust relies on donations to keep the trains running. Help us to keep the age of steam alive and support our plans to extend the line towards Bath in the future.
Visit our Social Media
