THE clock was turned back to 1966 for a day at a special event to mark 60 years since the end of passenger trains on the railway line through Bitton.
Avon Valley Railway held a commemorative event, called The People and Their Protest, which saw Bitton station transformed into the scene of a dramatised confrontation between demonstrators and Dr Richard Beeching, the former chairman of the British Railways Board.
It was Dr Beeching’s infamous report of 1963, The Reshaping of British Railways, that recommended the closure of the Mangotsfield and Bath branch line, which included passenger services Bristol Temple Meads to Bath Green Park.
Local stopping passenger services between Bristol and Gloucester on the line ended in January 1965, and the final British Rail services to Bath ran on March 6, 1966, with the line officially closing the following day.
The Avon Valley Railway’s event on March 8 this year saw trains running between Bitton, Oldland Common and the Avon Riverside halt, on the preserved section of the line that was revived by rail enthusiasts following a campaign to bring trains back, launched in 1972 by the Bristol Suburban Railway Society.
Trains running on the day carried the old British Rail carriage window labels listing the stations served by the old line: Bristol Temple Meads, Fishponds, Staple Hill, Mangotsfield, Warmley, Oldland Common Halt, Bitton and Bath (Green Park).
Hundreds of visitors stepped back in time, with children paying just 20p to travel – the equivalent price of a ticket from 1966.
Re-enactors from the Kingswood Players acted the parts of Dr Beeching and a group of angry protesters.
Avon Valley Railway trustee Joseph Dean said: “With it being 60 years since our railway closed under British Rail, we really wanted to do something special to mark the anniversary, so after months of planning, The People and Their Protest was born.
“We wanted to shift focus from just railway operation to include both community and social perspectives, attempting to capture the emotions and characters of the time.
“Working alongside the Kingswood Players, we managed to recreate 1966 for the day, with protesters swarming Bitton station and onboard our trains, interacting with the general public, and handing out sheets to fill in and flyers to wave.
“They were joined by Dr Richard Beeching, preparing to close the railway, which certainly caused some drama. These interactions even led to passengers giving Dr Beeching some (slightly inappropriate) choice words!
“There was one unplanned moment of our passengers literally queuing to take photos with both Beeching and our fantastic re-enactors, which was great to see.
“The comments from the public throughout were overwhelmingly positive, which was greatly appreciated by all of us.”
The event also saw the unveiling of a new sign at Avon Riverside station, remembering the closure of the line and reaffirming Avon Valley Railway Heritage Trust’s commitment to restore the railway to the outskirts of Bath.
Representatives of South Gloucestershire and B&NES councils attended the event.
The Avon Valley Railway has more special events taking place in April.
Details can be found at www.avonvalleyrailway.org.