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 was on display at Stuart’s exhibition at the Wesley Centre, Portishead Methodist Church, on 1,2,3,4, and 8 and 9 May 2009 and the original is sold.

The previously unpublished photo on right shows Terrier No 4 Portishead pulling a train from Portishead passing the Constitutional Club and approaching the Triangle crossing.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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Photo above shows the Constitutional Club. The line ran alongside it to the left. Looking in the Portishead direction.

Photo above shows the route of the line alongside the Constitutional Club. View looking towards station. See also Then & Now

Photo above shows Clevedon Triangle where trains would run across the picture from left to right. See also Then & Now