Following The demolition of the New Passage Ferry facilities at New passage and the lifting of the railway line the GWR decided that the old Union line route could be used with a realignment and new track to form a line from Pilning to Avonmouth this was brought into use for goods traffic in February 1900.
A passenger station was opened for regular passenger traffic at Severn Beach in July 1922. A passenger service commenced between Severn Beach and Pilning in July 1928, this made it possible to have a circular service of trains from Bristol to Avonmouth, one direction via Patchway and in the other direction via Clifton Down.
A station was opened at Pilning Low Level near the site of the former Union Station, a Halt was provided at Cross Hands Pilning and New Passage (The New passage Halt was located where the Avonmouth line diverged from the Old union route to New Passage), these three were closed from November 1964.