Subject to final business case approval, construction work had been expected to start in April/May 2022 and take around two years to complete. In November 2022, the Department for Transport gave planning permission for the line to be reopened. In February 2023, VolkerFitzpatrick was appointed as primary contractor for the rebuilding of stations at Portishead and Pill. Operations The freight-only route carries DB Schenker, Freightliner and GB Railfreight services. The major freight flows along the line are bulk coal and newly delivered vehicles. All services are operated by Class 66 or Class 70 locomotives. See also Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Light Railway, a standard gauge light railway which operated between Weston-super-Mare and Portishead Notes Citations References Portishead Railway Group, 2006. "History of the Portishead Railway." Accessed 2006-04-15. Transcript of House of Commons debate on reopening the railway, 24 January 2005 External links Portishead Railway Group Photographs of the Portishead Railway from BBC Bristol Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways Rail transport in Bristol Closed railway lines in South West England 7 ft gauge railways Railway lines opened in 1867 Railway companies disestablished in 1885 British companies disestablished in 1885 Railway companies established in 1867