Locomotives
There are currently 4 locos based on the railway as part of the museum’s collection, as well as a self-propelled crane.
Portbury – S3 / IW&D No.34 (Avonside No. 1764)
Portbury at the Create Centre
Technical Information
Wheel arrangement: 0-6-0ST
Makers: Avonside Engine Co. Ltd., Filwood Road, Fishponds, Bristol.
Year of manufacture: 1917
Works number: 1764
Type: B4
Cylinders: Two 14.5 in. (368 mm.) bore x 20 in. (508 mm.) stroke.
Boiler pressure: 160 pounds per sq. in.
Bunker capacity: 1 ton (1,016 kg.)
Watertank capacity: 850 gallons/ 3.8 tons (3,864 litres/ 3,856 kg.)
Tractive effort: 13,800 pounds (6,260 kg.) at 80% boiler pressure
Click here for a full history of PORTBURY
Browse all the blog posts featuring Portbury here
Henbury – S9 (Peckett No. 1940)
Henbury in ex-works condition, 1996
Technical Information
Wheel arrangement: 0-6-0ST
Makers: Thomas Peckett & Sons, Atlas Locomotive Works, St. George, Bristol 5.
Year of manufacture: 1937
Works number: 1940
Type: FA
Cylinders: Two 15 in. (381 mm.) bore x 21 in. (532 mm.) stroke
Boiler Pressure: 180 pounds per sq. in.
Tractive effort: 16,000 pounds at 85 per cent boiler pressure
Weight in Working Order: 36 tons
Worked at Avonmouth docks her whole life, and has always been owned by Bristol City Council. First steam loco to run on the preserved BHR back in 1978.
Click here for a full history of HENBURY
Browse all the blog posts featuring Henbury here
“Coffee Pot” No.3 (Fox, Walker and Company No. 242)
Out in the open, May 2014 (Michelle Scoplin)
Wheel arrangement: 0-6-0ST
Built: 1874
Click here for a more detailed description and history of this loco with pictures
Browse all the blog posts featuring the Fox Walker here
The Bug (Ruston)
The Ruston diesel shunter
Builder’s Number: 418792
Year Built: 1959
Wheel arrangement: 0-4-0DM
‘The Bug’ (An unofficial but affectionate name) is an invaluable loco, running works trains and stock movements, as well as shunting on non-operating days.
Donated to the museum by British Gas, having worked at the Seabank Gas works in Avonmouth.
Browse all the blog posts featuring ‘The Bug’ here
Coles Self-Propelled Crane
The crane pushes a coal wagon into the yard
Capacity: 4 Tons
Number: 14090
An extremely useful piece of equipment, capable of shunting a wagon or two, it would be very hard to run the railway without it, as seen most recently when laying the track to the relocated ‘barn’.
Rolling Stock
The railway has approximately 20 items of rolling stock, all examples of those which would have seen use in the docks. They are often used to store and move materials around site. This is not an exhaustive list, but will be added to as and when time allows
The Passenger Train
This is made up of three vehicles; a 4 wheel wagon, a bogie wagon, and the Toad brake van.
The Toad – Photo by Juliet Eden
The ‘Toad’ is a ubiquitous GWR design.
Built: 1939, Swindon Works
Works Number: 17391
Type: AA21
This example has been on the BHR since the museum opened in 1978. It is used regularly on passenger trains, which are propelled by the locomotive for the journeys toward SS Great Britain and the Create Centre. The train’s guard rides on the open veranda to assist the loco crew in seeing the route ahead.
The van is especially useful on rainy days, featuring creature comforts such as a roof and a stove!
In the winter of 2017-2018, the van has been given an overhaul. The frames have been repainted, and the body has had rotten wood repaired, and a fresh coat of paint. The TOAD now sports a Bristol allocation on its side.
The two open carriages
The two open wagons have both been fitted with seats and lockable doors, essential for passenger operation.
Ex-Bogie Bolster E/Turbot, built 1961
The bogie wagon started life as a BR Bogie Bolster E, later rebuilt as a TURBOT ballast wagon at Shildon in 1982. This wagon now has a new body with 2 doors, lots of seats and space for wheelchairs/pushchairs.
BR B 506002 Container Flat, built 1959, converted for passenger use
The 4 wheel wagon is built on a BR CONFLAT A (Container wagon). It was brought into use on the BHR around 2006.
Previously, the third passenger vehicle was a private owner plank wagon ‘W.Vincent & Co.’, this is currently in use as the coal truck.
Portbury in blue with the ‘W.Vincent’ truck, fitted with seats and in use on the passenger train
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- MOGO Van
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- Ex-MoS Sulphuric Acid Tank Wagon, built 1940
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- ex-PBA tank wagon chassis in use as a flat wagon
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- ex-MoD LYR wagon, unfixed blue sides
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- PBA 61110, ‘Hybar’ open wagon with hood
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- GWR ‘Starfish’ ballast wagon, built 1936 (Swindon)
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- W.Vincent and Co. Wagon, currently the coal truck
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- MoD ‘Highfit’, AD 46281, built 1963
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- LSWR BD 27 Mineral Wagon, built 1921
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- BR WGB 4043 Pallet Van
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- NE 186630 Goods Van, LMSR design
Former residents:
Many items of rolling stock are being restored by the team at M Shed.
See all updates on the Sulphuric Acid Wagon here.
See all updates on the TOAD brake van here.
See all the updates on the MOGO here.
Bristol Harbour Railway Blog 
Hi
Do you still have LMS brake van 297147 on your books? It was nowhere to be seen when I last visited.
Hello Mike, I believe the van is currently in storage under cover.
Brings back nice memory mike farrell ex eng Forman r t z
is LMS brake van 297147 12foot or 14 foot wheelbase. i recently saw a picture of the van stating that it was from d1919 built 1938 this seems incorrect. i own 295516 ( 14 foot w/b d19400) i was wondering if this is from the same class .By a coincidence my van is pictured in RJ Esserys book LMS wagons vol 1. secondly have you got any recent pics of the van . mike
Hello Mike, unfortunately I haven’t been able to access the storage location where the van is for some time, will try and get some more up to date photos soon.
I have a nice picture of ‘The Bug’ from around 1987 if you’re interested?
Hello Nathan, yes please! It is quite camera shy so that would be excellent. Please would it be possible to send to railwaymanianet@gmail.com along with how you would like to be credited and any other info you would like to include? Many thanks.
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Just wondering if your TOAD still has it’s sanding gear? I seem to remember it being fitted last time I came for a ride, but couldn’t see it in the TOAD I saw today while walking past.
Cheers!
Hi Bob, I think the sandboxes have been removed, as the guard and 2nd person stand where they would have been.
Mike Sugden – I have a picture of an LMS brake van on the Derwent Valley Light Railway and to the best of my knowledge it is 295516 which reading the above belongs to you. Is this correct and have you any more information about its history please.
HI David just found your enquiry, 295516 was at the DVLR until 2016 when i moved it to AFRS ( SCUNTHORPE STEEL WORKS) . IT has been part of the railways brake van set carrying passengers since 2018 . The van was purchased by Albert Draper for scrapping in 1973 but was used by the HLPG as a mess room while work was being carried out on black 5 5305 at Neptune street. The van moved to DaRiycoates in 1975 with the loco. With the demise of the HLPG I managed to purchase the van from a haulage company in 1995 when it was moved to the DVLR.