The green diesel shunter eases wagons onto the wharf earlier this morning.
A familiar sight has returned to the harbour in the shape of the MV Balmoral, back from dry dock with fresh paint shining in the morning sun.
This bank holiday weekend, both ‘Henbury’ and ‘Portbury’ were in operation, with ‘Henbury’ on regular passenger duties, while her Bristol-built stablemate was to be found in the yard, where members of the public could have a go at driving it!
Pictures courtesy of Adrian Croshaw
This coming Fathers Day (Sunday 15th June), ‘Portbury’ will be on driver experience duties once more, as part of the ‘Fathers Day: A Grand Day Out’ offer from M Shed. At just £35, you can treat Dad to driving both a steam loco and two of the dockside cranes!
On Friday, ‘Henbury’ had prepared the yard by shunting most of the stock into the New Cut siding.
Henbury with a warming fire lit ahead of this bank holiday weekend’s services. Construction of the Sugar Quay development continues in the background, whilst in the foreground, the new square with map of Bristol inlaid, and new lighting overhead, is visible.
From the 24-27th May 1996, Bristol Harbour was host to the International Festival of the Sea. This was a huge event featuring many guest ships and attractions, and of course the BHR played a part. A shining and fully-lined out ‘Henbury’ was joined by LB&SCR E1 class 0-6-0T No.B110, then based at the East Somerset Railway (Now being restored to service on the Isle of Wight as No.W2 ‘Yarmouth’). The two locos operated a shuttle service between the station at Ashton Meadows and the Bristol Industrial Museum with 3 loaned coaches.
The following pictures appear with the kind permission of Geoff Hartland.
Number 110 was built at Brighton Works in 1877 and named ‘Burgundy’. It was withdrawn in 1927 and sold to a colliery in Rugeley, which resulted in it being the only member of its class to survive scrapping, being sold into preservation in 1963. It was in service on the ESR between 1993 and 1997, when it was withdrawn early due to firebox problems. She is now on display at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway’s ‘Train Story’ exhibition, and will be restored in due course.
With the first running weekend of the year just around the corner (5-6th April), the two steam locos were out in the open to be inspected. Henbury has had new seals fitted over the winter, and Portbury is nearing the end of her running-in period.
The curtailed siding at M Shed has been re-filled.
A little gif from last year of Portbury shunting the goods stock.
Here are a few more pics and vids from Henbury’s trip to Midsomer Norton.
The following are from the Somerset and Dorset Railway’s web site:
This video was posted by YouTube user Steam trains by XxBec3509
M Shed’s Peckett ‘Henbury’ is in operation this festive season, at the Midsomer Norton headquarters of the Somerset and Dorset Railway Heritage Trust.
Henbury was previously based at Radstock station on the S & D for a short while, as seen here:
http://www.sdrt.org/trust/history/radstock_images/index.htm
Henbury was in operation 14th/15th December (In conjunction with the ‘Santa at the Station’ special event), and again on 21st-22nd, before returning to Bristol.
Youtube user swearingkevo uploaded this footage of Henbury tackling the gradient.
as did Youtube user andy collett
The following images appear here with the kind permission of the Somerset and Dorset Railway Heritage Trust.
Storming out of Midsomer Norton in rather sunnier conditions, during the 2nd operating weekend.
The visit has been well-received, and even made the local news.
Rob Skuse has added a great set of pics and video clips to the M Shed Working Exhibits Facebook Page, click on the photos to see the whole set!
A little known and lesser-spotted member of the M Shed Collection is Fox, Walker and Company 0-6-0ST Locomotive Number 242.
Built in 1874, it is the oldest of the three steam locomotives, being 43 years older than ‘Portbury’ (and 63 years older than ‘Henbury’!) and enables the museum to represent all the major engine builders in the Bristol area.
Fox, Walker and Company was taken over by Thomas Peckett in 1880 and became Peckett and Sons, the builders of ‘Henbury’ and her sisters.
242 was the first locomotive to arrive in the museum’s collection. It was donated by the National Coal Board in 1962, having previously worked at Mountain Ash Colliery in Wales, where it was No.3.
These two photographs were spotted for sale on ebay, unfortunately only the thumbnails were available to view online. They show 242 while still at Mountain Ash.
This photo is copyright Malcolm Williams and was found on steamlocomotive.info
It shows NCB Mountain Ash No.3 in detail before departing for Preservation.
Prior to the preserved BHR opening in 1978, she, along with ‘Henbury’ and ‘Portbury’, was to be found at Radstock Station. This was the hub of the initiative to re-open a section of the famous S and D route, spearheaded by the Somerset and Dorset Railway Trust. As previously mentioned, the SDRT moved to Washford station on the WSR in 1976.
Geoff Cryer took these pictures of 242 in the shed at Radstock in September 1975.
Source: http://www.geoffspages.co.uk/raildiary/radstock.htm and http://www.geoffspages.co.uk/monorail/gc01.htm
When the Radstock project was disbanded, Number 242 went to Bitton (on what is now the Avon Valley Railway) between 1977 and 1986, when she returned to Bristol and was stored in L Shed.
As preparations were made for Bristol Industrial Museum’s conversion into M Shed Museum, the locomotive was made ready to move to another secure location.
Larry the Loader tows 242 out of the workshop.
Photo courtesy Rob Skuse
Source: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.198379386934483&type=1
As for the future, at nearly 140 years old, there are no current plans to return 242 to steam. Her current storage space may be repurposed due to planned development, so a move might be on the cards. Watch this space…
Avonside No. 1764 ‘Portbury’ was built in 1917 for the war effort, destined to work at the Portbury shipyards. The end of the war in 1918 meant the shipyard never actually built a vessel.
She eventually moved into the fleet of shunters based in Avonmouth and worked there until replaced by diesels.
Here are a few photos from across the internet of her life in preservation.
In the early 1970s, all three of the BHR’s steam locomotives were to be found at Radstock station in Somerset. This was part of a preservation effort to save and operate a section of the Somerset and Dorset Railway.
Here she is outside the shed, looking rather forlorn.
Source: http://www.geoffspages.co.uk/raildiary/radstock.htm
and another pic inside the shed next to 7F 53808
Portbury sharing space in Radstock Shed
Unfortunately, the project at Radstock was unsuccessful and the Somerset and Dorset Railway Heritage Trust relocated to Washford on the West Somerset Railway.
‘Henbury’, ‘Portbury’ and No. 242 found their way to the Bristol Harbour Railway, opened in 1978.
‘Portbury’s restoration was completed in Bristol and she was in brought into operation on the BHR.
Here she is in lined blue livery back in 1992.
Original source:
http://www.geolocation.ws/v/W/File%3APortbury%202.jpg/-/en
and in operation in 1996
Source: http://bit.ly/1erjN1L
After another overhaul, she emerged in 2001 in a livery akin to the one she first wore, the initials ‘I W & D’ stand for ‘Inland Waterways and Docks’.
Source: http://www.bristoljpg.co.uk/2004/portbury.jpg
Now, in 2013, this livery has been adapted to more accurately represent her 1917 condition – note the lack of nameplate (She was not named ‘Portbury’ until her time at Avonmouth Docks) and the black wheels.
