March comings and goings

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!

A Pannier in the Port – 1996

Back in 1996, ex-GWR pannier tank 1369 (Now based at the South Devon Railway) paid a visit to Bristol Harbour.
The Weymouth Docks shunter, last survivor of the 1366 class, was reminiscent of panniers formerly used on the harbour lines.

Here are a collection of photos from the visit. All photographs are copyright of their respective owners, a huge thank you goes out for allowing them to be reproduced here.

gordon-edgar-gwr-1369-1
1369 on the shed road while ‘Henbury’ stands by.
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/12a_kingmoor_klickr/5809563945/
Copyright Gordon Edgar


Performing a runpast with the goods.
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dorneyphoto/10691844086/in/photostream/
Copyright Ian Silvester ( http://www.dorneyphoto.com/ )


Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8523292@N03/4081645814/sizes/z/in/photostream/

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8523292@N03/4081645892/sizes/z/in/photostream/

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8523292@N03/11090871735/in/photostream/

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8523292@N03/4080884331/sizes/z/in/photostream/

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8523292@N03/11090975914/in/photostream/
Above images are all Copyright Geoff Hartland

The charter featured Ashton Avenue Swing Bridge, still available for use at the time. The area behind the loco is the current site of Butterfly Junction Halt. In 1996 there was a run-around loop in place at Ashton Meadows.
The swing bridge’s deteriorating condition meant that it was taken out of use in the late 1990s, and the track on the South side of the New Cut was lifted to make way for new housing (The houses do not occupy the permanent way, but the trackbed was used for site offices and vehicle parking during construction).