Last night the BHR was host to another of the popular photo charters organised by 30742 Charters and M Shed Museum.
This time it was a night shoot on the quayside, where Portbury shared the limelight with the museum’s Bristol lorry.
Here’s a video posted by Martin Creese on the 30742 facebook page:
and a couple of snaps from the evening from the same page:
Work on Henbury’s 10 year overhaul is progressing well.
The boiler has now been lifted from the frames (courtesy of Crane 32 with shunting assistance from Portbury). The boiler has been placed on a trolley and taken back to the engine shed, while the frames were lifted and turned 90 degrees, then placed on a temporarily-laid piece of track so they could be pushed into the workshop. The cab and other items are also inside.
During certain running days, visitors to M Shed can see work taking place and even make a donation to the overhaul. There are photographs of the boiler lift on display to show the process.
The above sequence shows the lift.
Above: The boiler, cab, frames and tank all separated out.
Meanwhile, Portbury is running the scheduled services. This weekend is the last operating weekend of the season, with trains running from M Shed and alternating down the branch to Vauxhall Bridge and the quayside line to SS Great Britain.
Here are a few shots of Portbury at work last weekend.
Last weekend, Portbury was one of the visiting guest engines at the Avon Valley Railway’s ‘Industrial Roots’ gala. Also in attendance were Manning Wardle ‘Charwelton’ (from the Kent and East Sussex Railway), as well as ‘Austerity’ tank ‘Sapper’ and Polish-built TKh ‘Karel’.
Here are a few pics and vids from various places on the internet. Highlights included goods trains, and a quadruple header at the end of the day!
Adam Ashford captured these photos and video.
YouTube user SDJR7F88 got this smashing video:
Kenny Felstead got this nice snap of Portbury on the climb up to Bitton.
Stalwart loco ‘Portbury’ is set to go on a small outing, on the weekend of 15th and 16th October, to the BHR’s neighbours, the Avon Valley Railway at Bitton.
The AVR is hosting its traditional end of season gala, also featuring Polish Ferrum TKh 4015 and Hunslet Austerity WD 132 ‘Sapper’.
Sister loco to Portbury, Avonside No.1798 is based at the Avon Valley and is currently undergoing major restoration.
Here’s a couple of photos of Portbury, snapped by the intrepid George Aldridge a few weeks ago.
An old friend has returned to Bristol, and will be operating this weekend!
There’s plenty going on at M Shed at the moment. Henbury is in the shed being dismantled for overhaul.
If you are visiting M Shed and would like to make a donation to help Henbury steam again, there is a donation box in front of the viewing window. All donations are welcome!
The TOAD brake van, meanwhile, is outside the workshop receiving new boards and a lick of paint on the door.
Much further down the line, Ashton Avenue Bridge is inside its cocoon, being repaired for use by MetroBus.
Henbury’s tank has now been lifted off and is pictured here stored on a handy flat wagon on the quayside.
The harbourside is looking rather festive with the cranes’ booms lit up!
Up North at Beamish, ‘Portbury’ has been given a glowing review, along with the hire period extended into 2016. These photos were published on the Beamish Transport Online blog, taken during a sudden flurry of snow!
What a nice weekend! The weather was good and the crowds turned out to both the Docks Heritage Weekend, and on Saturday evening, the Crane Dance. The dance, featuring live music and choreographed lighting and movement, was devised by Laura Kriefman and was a collaboration between:
M Shed, Underfall Yard, RSVP Bhangra, The Balmoral, Bristol Pilot Gig Club, Bristol Channel Social Rowers, Watershed, Studio 360.
Here’s a few clips:
Jamie Corbin put together this timelapse of the crane dance:
In the daytime, there were dockside loading and unloading demonstrations, actors from the Show of Strength Theatre Company, mosaics, the steam crane in operation, rides on the tug John King, and the chance to drive Judy for £10, and more…
Here’s an example of one of the mosaics made by Mosaic Madness
The steam crane had quite an unusual load…
Henbury was on display in the yard. She is in need of 149 new boiler tubes for her overhaul and any and all donations towards this are very welcome!
This delightful Bristol bus was busy ferrying people between M Shed and Underfall Yard.
After a particularly cold and wet summer, the weather has taken a turn for the better, giving us some glorious days and incredible sunsets.
Here’s a (bad camera phone quality) snap I took of the golden sunset glimpsed beneath the Cumberland Road bridge.
Up North, Portbury has been kept busy at Beamish. In this photo reproduced from the Beamish Museum facebook page, she is seen in the company of WW1-era Gordon Highlanders re-enactors at the Agricultural Show event.
Back in Bristol, there have been multiple engineering projects in the railway’s environs. The Metrobus development has cleared a large area of land at Butterfly Junction and Ashton Meadows, and new drainage has been installed.
One of the most conspicuous developments has been the ongoing repair work to Prince Street Bridge. This is adjacent to the platform at M Shed and has involved the construction of a large temporary bridge. The girders on the swing bridge are corroded and need replacing, so it will be closed to all traffic for 6 months.
Also pictured is Kaskelot, a Bristol-based ship, taking the usual mooring point of Balmoral while the latter was at sea.
