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!

Brake Van Rides with Pannier 1369 – 1 day only!

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If you’d like the chance to ride behind GWR Pannier Tank No. 1369 on the Bristol Harbour Railway, there will be a one-time chance to do so.
To celebrate RAIL200, on Friday 14th March 2025, 1369 will be running short trips with the newly-outshopped Toad Brake Van up to Vauxhall Bridge and back on the branch. There may be the opportunity to dismount at Vauxhall Bridge and take photos.
Places are limited to 10 people per trip and the price is £10 per person for 1 round trip (cash or card, payable on the day).
Spaces are on a first-come, first-serve basis on the day and the first trip will be at 11am. There will be approximately 4 trips on the day (depending on demand and staffing).
1369 will be returning to the South Devon Railway soon so this may be the only chance to travel behind it and a rare opportunity to ride on the New Cut Branch.
Please note that as the Toad is the only passenger vehicle on this service, it will be difficult to provide wheelchair access due to the width of the doors.

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:

Photo Charter with 1369

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On Monday, 1369 once again took to the harbourside to star in a photo charter in central Bristol, organised by 30742 charters.
Here are some photos from the day, thanks to Bob Edwardes and David Stagg.

Training Day

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Recently the BHR did a training weekend for the operating staff and volunteers. This started with a session in the classroom going over rules, conduct, risks and procedures.

Then it was out to the engine shed for a briefing on train movements and safe working practice. Then each person took it in turns to stop traffic and wave the locomotive (1369) across the crossings. This was followed by a demonstration and practice on points in the yard, then understanding how to call a locomotive onto a train, operation of hand brakes, shunting pole and the correct protocol for coupling/uncoupling including vacuum hoses.

At the end of the day there was some shunting required to get the Toad back to the shed in order for the work on its underframe to be completed and the springs refitted.

Thanks to Katie Richards and Bob Edwardes for the photos.

A Pannier in the Port Again!

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As Henbury is currently away at the South Devon Railway, in return the BHR has Collett pannier tank No.1369 on loan. It arrived earlier this week, straight from a guest appearance at the Battlefield Railway’s winter gala. Thanks to Bob, Katie and Jay for these photos.

After the trailer was lined up on the quayside and the loco winched down, Larry did the honours of towing it to the Buttery, with the crane assisting on the way to the shed.

There is a photo charter planned with 1369 and hopefully it’ll make a few appearances in steam.

Sulphuric Acid Tanker – Refurbished

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The ‘tarting up’ of the tanker has been completed by the weekday volunteering team.
The Coles having been fixed at the weekend meant the tanker could be manoeuvred onto the running line yesterday. Katie was on hand to take these photos.

With the wagon re-railed, the lid could be craned into place. This wasn’t removed during the previous restoration but it has enabled some remedial work to be done inside the tank.
Bruce did the honours of tightening up the new/refurbished securing hooks.

All done! A nice quick win for the team and proof if proof be need be that the team can turn around wagon overhauls in good time.

Henbury Holiday, Coles Controls and Toad TLC

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Henbury is currently on vacation down at the South Devon Railway. Unfortunately it missed its guest appearance at the winter gala partially due to a weeping washout plug. Hopefully the SDR engineers can work their magic on it while its at Buckfastleigh.
Bob Edwardes and I got some photos of Henbury and the SDR fleet over the course of the gala,

Back at M Shed, the Coles has been having issues with its control switches. Tis was traced to eroded contacts. These were replaced with NOS contacts (never throw anything away) and after some fettling, seems to have worked, with the crane being able to move again.

The TOAD’s refurbished springs are due back soon, and the shed space will be required, so there have been a few work sessions at cleaning up the underside (which may not have been touched in decades). Plenty of scraping, grinding, brushing, rust treatment and onto primer. Some volunteers almost managed to get more paint on themselves than the van…
There was also maintenance to do on Larry the Loader and John King the tug.
Thanks to Katie and Bob for the photos!

#WhistleUp200

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On the 1st January 2025 at 12 noon, whistles across the heritage rail world sounded in celebration of 200 years of train travel.
In 1825, the Stockton and Darlington Railway brought together some new-ish engineering, some novel ideas on funding and some different legal thinking to create something that was far more than the sum of its parts.
With grand plans for railways to link towns and cities, not just mines and rivers. Railway ‘Mania’ was born.
1863 saw the Mayoress, Mrs Sholto Vere Hare lay the first rail for the Bristol Harbour Railway. Originally designed to connect the Floating Harbour to Temple Meads for goods, the line officially opened in 1872. Now, 153 years later the railway is still in use, operated by M Shed’s dedicated volunteer team to provide passenger rides along Bristol’s historic dockside.

With Henbury out on loan and Portbury under overhaul, the honours were done by the trusty compressor with two whistles, the larger of which is from GWR Castle Class No. 7015 Carn Brea Castle.