Whapping Wharf Development

Posted on June 2, 2014 by corwinb

As the housing at Sugar Quay is going up…

… Other buildings are coming down. The former coal office (Latterly the office for the car park managers) has been demolished, along with the partially-collapsed roof of the building on the right.

See this photo from February 2013 for a comparison

Over on the shed road, the old goods platform has been renovated and the entire wall treated to new paint. The remnants of the platform roof have been removed.

Compare this last photo with the view back in 2009

Likewise, this view back toward the shed has changed so much, and is due to change again, as the access road is to be built and will need to cross the two yard tracks.

This shot of the Ruston, taken from the same location, is about a year old.

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.

Locomotive No.3 – (Fox, Walker and Company No. 242)

Posted on December 3, 2013 by corwinb

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.

: Copyright Geoff Cryer

: Copyright Geoff Cryer

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…

End of Season – 2013

Posted on November 3, 2013 by corwinb

Today was the last day of operation for the M Shed working exhibits. ‘Portbury’, the steam tug ‘Mayflower’, and the steam crane were all in service.

Portbury was given a clean before collecting the passenger train.

I spent the morning on the train – mostly trying to keep seats dry in between showers!

The afternoon was spent dismantling the fence and gateway across the shed road, this is where the new access road is going to go. The point nearest the camera (To the now defunct line around the back of M Shed) is coming out and being replaced with plain rail and concrete sleepers.

This cake was the best thing I’ve seen this year, made by Emily.

At the end of the day, ‘Portbury’ pulled the goods rake out from the long siding and coupled the NE brake van to the passenger train…

..before heading back to the shed.

Services begin again in Easter, but there’s a lot of work to do in between now and then, so keep checking back for updates!

M Shed pre-rebuild, an aerial view

Posted on August 9, 2013 by corwinb

Google maps’ view of the area around M Shed is now outdated, but does give an interesting insight into how the landscape around the railway has and continues to evolve. I cobbled together a few images to give a bigger picture.
You can see how M and L shed were formerly much more separate, with rail access to the workshops in L shed behind.
Also visible are the old reclamation yards to the South, now a building site for Umberslade’s housing project.
The end of the loop where the temporary ‘barn’ was constructed is to the West side of the picture.

M Shed Working Exhibits Facebook Page

Posted on August 7, 2013 by corwinb

To see even more updates and pictures not only from the BHR but also the other working exhibits at M Shed, including the steam and electric cranes, tug ‘John King’, fire boat ‘Pyronaut’ and more, it’s well worth checking out the facebook group on the following link:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/198001523638936/

(You will need a facebook account to see this page)

Bristol Harbour Railway Blog

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

Category Archives: M Shed