This shot from Vauxhall Bridge shows that the majority of the fencing between Cumberland Road and the railway line has been removed. This is to be replaced and strengthened to prevent a metrobus going through the fence in the event of a collision.
Down at Sugar Quay/Whapping Wharf, the first phase of the new housing is nearly completed. This features a walkway that connect Gaol Ferry Bridge to Museum Square.
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!
The small open passenger wagon, based on a ‘Conflat’, is currently outside the workshop for some maintenance.
The advantage of basing this vehicle on a container wagon is that the whole passenger ‘tub’ can be lifted off, making access easier. Another flat wagon has been brought up to accommodate the tub. It’s handy having huge cranes about the place!
Well, that’s the end of the 2015 operating season on the BHR. Plenty of exciting updates to come, with the ongoing metrobus and Whapping Wharf/Sugar Quay developments, and M Shed’s own projects.
Here’s a photo of a scene that won’t be repeated again, the old Butterfly Junction halt with ‘Judy’ on the passenger train.
Photo courtesy Tim Symons
The last operating weekend of the season is this coming Saturday and Sunday on the BHR, before the winter shut down begins. M Shed museum will be open as normal.
The steam tug Mayflower will also be giving rides.
One of the electric cranes is open to visitors from 11am-4pm today, if you want to go up in the cab and see the controls!
The above diagram (available via the MetroBus website) shows the intentional junction for the guided busway with Cumberland Road, and the re-routing of the harbour railway as a result. The large sweeping curve into Butterfly Junction is gone and replaced with a halt alongside the Bond Warehouse, whilst the ‘Barn’ is retained.
This was the view this morning, the platform in the final stages of removal, and the pointwork rails removed.
The track has been removed as far as the foot crossing to the chocolate path.
Track lifting is well under way at Butterfly Junction, just the pointwork rails and the sleepers remaining in the station area. These photos also show the vegetation clearance that has taken place.
Ashton Avenue Bridge is now closed for refurbishment, along with the former trackbed. No doubt the rails still on the bridge will be coming out shortly.
A different scene over at SS Great Britain Halt, where the buffer stop has been moved from the end of the line here. I believe that this is to be used as the basis for a small shed, which should come in useful if the branch along the New Cut is closed while MetroBus is under construction.
Another excellent video of the crane dance, from masscranedance.org
It’s been a while since the last Throwback Thursday post, so here’s an extra special event from the BHR’s history.
In 1983, for the Bristol Wine Fair, some special trains were run from Bristol Temple Meads on to the harbour line. The motive power was Stanier “Black 5′ No. 5000, part of the National Collection. It is pictured both on the BHR and at Temple Meads in company with ex-GWR ‘King George V’.
I believe that, as with the coal trains, the special ran at high tide to reduce the stress on the riverbank.
These pictures appear here courtesy of Paul and John Stanford, with thanks.
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.
Bristol Harbour Railway Blog 