To extend the railway from Clevedon to Portishead, it was necessary for the line
to cross
the busy Clevedon Triangle and to squeeze between the small River Land Yeo
and the Constitutional Club. At this spot there was also a junction with Station
Road and the GWR terminus station was very close. All of this made for a complex
3-gated crossing and the need for a man to walk in front of the train carrying a
red and a green flag. Trains were limited to 4 mph.
Also in the way of the extension were houses in Lower Queens Road. So the railway
bought numbers 18 and 20 Lower Queens Road, using number 18 as a booking office and
demolished number 20 to enable the extension to be built. The 1903 Ordnance Survey
map clearly shows the situation before the extension.
Arrangement of gates: Two gates closed off Kenn Road, one by the GWR station
building,
and the other adjacent to WH Smith. A third gate closed off Station Road. These gates
were operated from a gate keeper’s cabin. A further gate closed off Lower Queens
Road. See Detail map. For a full description see Howard Carey’s article in ‘The Colonel’
No 86, the journal of the Colonel Stephens Society.
On the right is a new (2009) original oil painting of the Triangle crossing by Stuart
Booth, Portishead-based professional artist. The painting original is sold. A postcard
of this painting can be bought from www.wcprgroup.org.uk.
The previously unpublished photo on right shows Terrier No 4 Portishead pulling a
train from Portishead passing the Constitutional Club and approaching the Triangle
crossing. Guard Jack Riddick is running alongside wearing his shiny gaiters. He may
be running to open the gate, but it could be that he was off for a quick pint while
someone else opened the gates as suggested in Christopher Redwood’s book. Photo courtesy
of Colin Bazeley.
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the busy Clevedon Triangle and to squeeze between the small River Land Yeo
and the Constitutional Club. At this spot there was also a junction with Station
Road and the GWR terminus station was very close. All of this made for a complex
3-gated crossing and the need for a man to walk in front of the train carrying a
red and a green flag. Trains were limited to 4 mph. 
building,
and the other adjacent to WH Smith. A third gate closed off Station Road. These gates
were operated from a gate keeper’s cabin. A further gate closed off Lower Queens
Road. See Detail map. For a full description see Howard Carey’s article in ‘The Colonel’
No 86, the journal of the Colonel Stephens Society. 
The previously unpublished photo on right shows Terrier No 4 Portishead pulling a
train from Portishead passing the Constitutional Club and approaching the Triangle
crossing. Guard Jack Riddick is running alongside wearing his shiny gaiters. He may
be running to open the gate, but it could be that he was off for a quick pint while
someone else opened the gates as suggested in Christopher Redwood’s book. Photo courtesy
of Colin Bazeley.
