Category Archives: The Route

We’re Going Back Up The Branch! (I)

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The long journey back to the Bonded Warehouses at Ashton Avenue Bridge took another step in the right direction last weekend.
The last train ran here in 2015, when the station was closed to make way for the Metrobus route over the bridge. Since then, progress has been hampered firstly by the delay in building the bus route, followed by the collapse of the wall along the New Cut in 2020. This has now been fixed, but Vauxhall Bridge was then closed for refurbishment for 2 years, which has resulted in the track under the bridge being blocked by scaffolding.


The railway has been stockpiling assets to return down the branch, with multiple deliveries of concrete sleepers over the past year.

Staff and volunteers have been putting the time in, prepping the area around the station now that the contractors have moved out. Track that had been stored alongside A Bond has been pulled out, sleepers sorted into no-hopers vs. reusable ones, and roughly laid along the trackbed.

Last Saturday we were able to take another step forward. More sleepers were moved into position and lined up from the stub of track remaining on the West side of the slip, then Larry dragged two 60-foot rails out of the pile and with much lifting, levering and a gentle tap from the bucket, managed to drop the rails into the chairs.

It may only be one track panel so far, but it gave an immense feeling of satisfaction and progress. The next one is likely to be another 60-footer. The aims here are to build a single line from the railhead to the platform in the first instance, for works trains. This will be followed by relaying the area outside A Bond to allow access to the Barn and the run-round loop. There is some re-grading to be done as the platform area is much higher than the running line, and the old railhead is lower than the new yard, so will need to be built up.
Several passers-by had positive comments while we were working, with the best one being “Does this mean we’re getting our train back?”

Whilst the trackwork was going on, the jungle that had grown in front of the shed was cut back, revealing the track underneath! Also a rare view of the Fox, Walker steam locomotive, LMS Brake Van and Ruston inside the shed. This was the victim of a break-in which resulted in every window being smashed and all the side panels taken off and thrown on the floor. Another fixer-upper!

Bringing Back the Branch

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A few blog posts recently have covered the acquisition of loads of second-hand concrete sleepers. This is all in aid of bringing the New Cut branch back in to use.
It’ll soon be 10 years since the track was lifted at Butterfly Junction to make way for the Metrobus Guided Busway.

The return was delayed as in early 2020, the ongoing subsidence of the New Cut wall came to a head as the wall, the Chocolate Path and the Railway all collapsed into the Cut.


The wall has since been fixed, but then came the refurbishment of Vauxhall Bridge (halfway down the branch) which requires a large amount of scaffolding blocking the track.

The current railhead at the new section of wall, with a fenced-off Vauxhall Bridge in the background.

The aim is to be ready to commence tracklaying and sleeper replacement as soon as possible, to return trains to the station at ‘A’ Bond warehouse.
To this end, volunteers and staff, along with Larry the trusty loader, have been working down at A Bond to position the platform and track, sort through the materials and work out what is re-usable and what needs refurbishment. Hauling track out of the undergrowth is part of the challenge!
The platform has been shot-blasted and repainted to protect it.
Thanks to Chris and Katie for these photos.

Hopefully this work shows a statement of intent to the public that the branch is on its way back.

Back on the Wharf, a huge amount of hedge trimming and lineside clearance has taken place along the curve to Cumberland Road Bridge, requiring use of the Coles Crane and cage, seen here returning to the shed at the end of a running day.

The next step was the clearance of the ash pile next to the pit, which was getting rather tall. This required use of the grab and the Vincent wagon. The ashes are being used to create a walking route for trackworkers and shunters alongside the running line, where there was previously very limited clearance. Ash paths were a staple of the steam-era railway environment as there was so much of it around. More sorting and moving of sleepers and chairs was also done. The crane’s new clear acrylic roof and windscreen are very useful for this work.

More to come as work progresses….

More trackwork and first running weekend of the year

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Last weekend more preparation for the relaying of the New Cut branch to A Bond warehouse took place along with track maintenance ahead of the first running weekend of the year this coming Saturday and Sunday.

The sleepers were unloaded on to one of the flat wagons earlier in the week. The Coles Crane was to be used but needed to be on the East side of the wagon, so Larry was used to push the truck up the quayside and enable the Coles to couple up. The Coles then propelled the wagon up the branch to the siding alongside Cumberland Road bridge.

We put our cargo handling and crane direction training as seen at Docks Heritage Weekend to good use. Using the brothers (dual chain hooks) enables 2 sleepers to be loaded at a time and stacked neatly on the siding.

With that done and the wagon returned to the yard, in the afternoon the team were jacking and packing sleepers on the running line by the steam crane, as well as slewing the rails to ease the curve either side of the rail join. This required multiple jacks and a lot of sweat!

HENBURY will be in steam tomorrow morning so come on down and enjoy a train ride in the sunshine.

Henbury, back at work already

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Henbury was steamed up this week and put to work straight away, shunting the well wagon and flat loaded with sleepers up the branch. The Coles Crane unloaded all these ‘new to us’ concrete sleepers on to Cumberland Siding.
Just visible in one of the photos is the new lid for the coal wagon. These are to prevent unwanted access, protect the contents of the wagon and are designed to resemble wagon sheets whilst also being sturdy enough to resist the elements in the long term.
Thanks to Chris for these photos.

Volunteers and staff are working hard to get this done on top of regular maintenance. At the same time, the other well wagon was unloaded of redundant and life-expired wooden sleepers. Jobs like this go to show how much the wagon fleet is still needed by the railway to continue operating, so they are not just museum pieces, they are also working items of rolling stock.
This has freed up the two well wagons to receive another two lorry loads of concrete sleepers and chairs in the next few weeks.

March comings and goings

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There have been arrivals and departures at the BHR recently.
We said goodbye to pannier 1369 after three very successful events (two photo charters organised by 30742 Charters and one brake van running day). 1369 was a popular engine with visitors and it was nice to crew something different for a change. It’s back to its home at the South Devon Railway, from where ‘Henbury’ also returned. It had been hoped for the Peckett to star at the SDR’s winter gala but sadly this was not to be due to mechanical issues.
The rigours of continuous running over a long period are quite different to shunting up and down the quayside.
Thanks to Bob Edwardes for the photos of the two green locomotives swapping places, Larry and the Coles Crane doing the honours of shunting on the quayside.

In the same week, two wagons were readied to receive a load of concrete sleepers, recently purchased for the upcoming task of track renewal, especially on the New Cut Branch (currently blocked half way due to repair work at Vauxhall Bridge).
Thanks to Bruce for the photos of the loading process taken from the drivers cabin of the crane!

Hoping to share some of the wonderful photos and videos that people took over the course of No. 1369’s stay soon!

Last chance to have your say on Western Harbour development

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The public consultation for the proposed Western Harbour redevelopment of Cumberland Basin and its surrounding area closes on 9th March, so there are only a few days remaining to have your say on the current proposals.

Western Harbour Website

Link to consultation

How does this affect the Bristol Harbour Railway?
The current proposals do make a point of reinstating the railway along the New Cut (closed since the development of Metrobus on the site of Butterfly Junction). However, the proposed end of the line stops short of the BHR’s intended new terminus (for which ballast has been laid but trains are yet to run to) alongside the bonded warehouse.
The BHR’s storage shed ‘the barn’ and the buildings around it are to be demolished under the new proposals in favour of apartment blocks.
A link to the proposal video is below:

Have Your Say on the Western Harbour Redevelopment – Last Chance!

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The Western Harbour / Harbour Hopes project encompasses the redevelopment of land around the Cumberland Basin, including the Bonded Warehouses and the Western end of the Railway itself. The consultation for this closes this Friday (April 22nd).
If you feel that it is important to retain the Bristol Harbour Railway’s planned station and Western terminus, you can let the planners know here:

CLICK HERE for the link to the HARBOUR HOPES consultation.

Personally I feel it would be excellent to have the UK’s only standard gauge city-centre steam railway linking two of the most exciting urban regeneration areas (Western Harbour and Wapping Wharf), providing a genuine transport link on running days as well as serving as both an educational and entertainment amenity with a ‘living history’ link to Bristol’s heritage.

In the consultation, question 6 allows you to submit your own comments. If anyone is interested, these are my hopes for the Harbour:
“As a local resident, the key thing that means a great deal to me is the integration of the Bristol Harbour Railway into the Western Harbour development.
The BHR has not been able to use the station on this site for several years (due to Metrobus construction and river wall repairs) but is soon to make a return.
I feel that the opportunity for the UK’s only standard gauge city-centre steam railway to directly connect two of the most exciting urban regeneration projects (Western Harbour and Wapping Wharf) is not to be missed.
The railway is operated by volunteers who take great pride in their work and there is a real community spirit to the operation which can be built upon.
On operating days it can provide a genuine transport link whilst at the same time a link to Bristol’s industrial heritage, entertaining and educating at the same time.
It would be a great shame to lose this opportunity if the railway line were to be built upon. I believe the railway management should be brought on-board in advising how the integration could work.”