Henbury’s Last Day

Posted on July 20, 2014 by corwinb

It’s the second day of the Bristol Harbour Festival, and compared to Saturday’s thunderstorms, the weather is positively delightful.

Peckett ‘Henbury’ comes out of traffic today as her 10-year boiler certificate is due to expire. She’s been a long time stalwart of the Bristol Harbour Railway from the very beginning.

These images are from ‘Henbury’s second to last operating day, and appear here with the kind permission of Juliet Eden. You can see more of Juliet’s fantastic photos on her website: http://julieteden.com/mdashshed

Portbury on ‘Driver for a fiver’ (Juliet Eden)

Henbury (Juliet Eden)

On the quayside (Juliet Eden)

‘MOGO’ Van Restoration – 1

Posted on July 17, 2014 by corwinb

One of the railway’s goods wagons is currently having a bit of TLC. This van has previously been the victim of graffiti tagging, and while the worst was quickly cleaned off, the remnants were still visible.

It’s Bristol Harbour Festival this weekend! The railway will be in operation both days. Various ships are arriving at the docks, including this tugboat.

Driver for a fiver

Posted on June 22, 2014 by corwinb

A little animated gif of Henbury propelling the passenger train past Portbury, on ‘driver for a fiver’ duties, in the yard.

You still have the chance to drive Portbury on the next two operating weekends this year! After that, Henbury’s boiler ticket will expire and she will be withdrawn, with her stablemate taking over passenger duties.

TBT – Steam meets diesel on the wharf

Posted on June 12, 2014 by corwinb

Source: http://bristol-rail.co.uk/wiki/File:Wapping_Railway_Wharf7.jpg
Copyright Mike Radford

In this photo found on the Bristol Railway Archive, ‘Henbury’ complete with full yellow end and bufferbeam, meets ‘Western Pride’ on Whapping wharf circa 1981.
The diesel loco is standing on what is now the long siding in the yard. This photo also illustrates the industrial backdrop of the early days of the Harbour Railway, quite a contrast to the contemporary view.

Ruston on the quayside

Posted on June 11, 2014 by corwinb

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.

Come and drive ‘Portbury’!

Posted on May 26, 2014 by corwinb

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’, the square, and Sugar Quay

Posted on May 23, 2014 by corwinb

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.

TBT – Southern E1 at the Festival of the Sea

Posted on April 24, 2014 by corwinb

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.

Hudswell Clarke D1171 ‘Western Pride’

Posted on April 3, 2014 by corwinb

‘Western Pride’ was a former Port of Bristol Authority loco, and from the 1970s to 1987, it took loaded coal wagons from Ashton Meadows to Wapping Wharf sidings and the Coal Depot (Western Fuels) there, and returned empty wagons to the sidings.
As loaded coal wagons left overnight had a tendency to get vandalised, there was a secure storage compound at the coal depot, where the loco and wagons were stored overnight.

Western Fuels ex PBA 0-6-0 D1171 standing at Wapping Wharf, July 1979 (Courtesy Kevin Redwood)

D.1171 made her last trip along the BHR in May 1987, on an overnight move to the coal depot at Filton. She has since been sold into preservation, and after a period in store outside at MOD Long Marston (As seen in this picture by Cliff Jones Photography), restoration has begun, as seen here (March 2013):

Image is property of Mike Cottam and appears here as a direct link to his flickr page

Spring is here….

Posted on March 30, 2014 by corwinb

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.

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An unofficial blog site about the BHR and industrial railways in Bristol

Category Archives: Locomotives and Stock