2026 Season Begins This Weekend!

Posted on March 26, 2026 by corwinb

This coming weekend (28th and 29th March) is the start of the operating season on the Bristol Harbour Railway.
Over the past few weeks, volunteers have been putting in the graft to get everything ready after the winter shut-down.
The last few loads of concrete sleepers are cleared off the dockside and onto waiting wagons to be taken to the stack at SS Great Britain Halt.

The flangeways on the inlaid track have been thoroughly cleaned.

And of course, Henbury has been given a good clean and polish. The first fire was tentatively lit on the new firebars, badly needed after the old ones became warped.

Hopefully see you at the weekend for a train ride!

Docks Heritage Weekend 2025

Posted on October 19, 2025 by corwinb

On 4th and 5th October, M Shed hosted Docks Heritage Weekend (one of my favourite events of the year) with the support of Bristol Port Company and the Show of Strength Theatre Company.
This is the time when we bring the quayside back to life and give a flavour of what a working port looked like in the 1950s.
Featuring cranes lifting appropriate loads, the capstan in operation, boat trips, and this year we re-jigged things a little so that the steam engine was part of the quayside demonstrations as it shunted wagons around.
The Bristol lorry suffered a leaking radiator hose on Sunday morning which will need repairing, so Henbury did a bit more shunting on the second day. The freshly-painted MOGO van took pride of place.
The storyline of Mr. and Mrs. Purnell this year revolved around their tin wedding anniversary and involved a mop bucket and a tin of beans!
Thanks to Bob Edwardes and Adam White for taking some of these photos.

MOGO – Out in Time for Docks Heritage Weekend!

Posted on October 2, 2025 by corwinb

Looking very shiny on the quayside today was the freshly-painted GWR MOGO van, in the nick of time for Docks Heritage Weekend this Saturday and Sunday!
The volunteers have been working flat-out the past few weeks to get the van stripped, re-clad in new marine ply and primed, then painted. Some touching-up and signwriting still to do but it is looking excellent.
Compare this to the rather sorry state it was in earlier this year:

Here’s some photos from last weekend with normal train running at the same time as work went on inside L Shed:

As above, don’t forget it’s Docks Heritage Weekend on the quayside, with cranes, capstan, boats and the steam locomotive all in use with support from the Show of Strength Theatre Company.
It’s one of the best events of the year at the museum!

More MOGO overhaul progress

Posted on August 29, 2025 by corwinb

Volunteers have been beavering away on the GWR MOGO van with the intention of getting it back on the quayside in time for Docks Heritage Weekend in October.
High quality marine ply has been purchased to replace the knackered old timbers. This has been cut and test-fitted to the van to drill bolt holes, then will be removed, sealed, primed and refitted for painting.
Thanks to Bob for the images

MOGO in for Overhaul

Posted on August 6, 2025 by corwinb

The GWR-designed G34 MOGO van No. 65814 is the next vehicle to be getting the L Shed treatment, following on from the overhaul of the Sulphuric Acid Tanker and ex-GWR O18 open wagon.

The MOGO (MOtor GOods) van was designed to carry motor cars and as such is fitted with end doors and a tailgate arrangement allowing cars to be driven in and through the van. The earlier G31 had planked sides but in the last years of the GWR before nationalisation, the design changed to plywood on the G34.

W65814 had a spruce-up in 2014 and 2015 but the years outside (and the efforts of some lil’ rascals) have taken their toll. As it’s regularly used for Docks Heritage Weekend and photo charters, it’s time to give it some love.

Last Sunday, Henbury positioned the van next to Crane 29 outside L Shed at the end of the working day. Then in the week, the quayside and running lines outside the shed were once again closed, wooden blocks dropped into the flangeways, and the Coles Crane was able to de-rail and then pivot the van around 90 degrees to be rolled into the shed.

The volunteers have wasted no time in emptying the van and stripping off the trashed plywood for renewal. Thanks to Chris and Bob for these images!

Harbour Festival 2025

Posted on July 31, 2025 by corwinb

Harbour Fest was held on 19th and 20th July this year, as always it was a packed event with lots of visitors. The crowds mean taking additional safety measures such as volunteers on crowd control duty. Always a busy time but no mishaps, thanks to the volunteers and staff of the Working Exhibits.
Saturday night saw a BBQ for the workers, held aboard John King.
Pyronaut unfortunately sustained some damage due to another vessel. She required some emergency repairs to the handrails to be able to take part in the celebrations.
A particular highlight was the attendance by replica tall ship Galéon Andalucia. Very impressive!

Thanks to Katie, Dave and Bob for the photos!

GW Ballast Wagon Restoration – II

Posted on February 17, 2019 by corwinb

The GW Ballast Wagon now looking fresh with the metal hood refitted and out in the yard. The next wagon for overhaul has already been selected.

Docks Heritage Weekend 30th Sept-1st Oct

Posted on September 29, 2017 by corwinb

It’s Docks Heritage Weekend tomorrow and Sunday, featuring a variety of attractions, one of the most varied weekends of the year.

Portbury was warming up outside the shed earlier this week.

Take a look at Will Stratford’s video of last year’s event showing some crane and goods action on the quayside:

More photos from the night shoot

Posted on April 9, 2017 by corwinb

Alistair Grieve took these great photos at the recent night photo shoot with Portbury, and has kindly given permission for them to be reproduced here.

You can see all of Ali’s photos on his smugmug site.