Overhauls and Maintenance

Posted on April 6, 2016 by corwinb

There’s plenty going on at M Shed at the moment. Henbury is in the shed being dismantled for overhaul.

If you are visiting M Shed and would like to make a donation to help Henbury steam again, there is a donation box in front of the viewing window. All donations are welcome!

The TOAD brake van, meanwhile, is outside the workshop receiving new boards and a lick of paint on the door.

Much further down the line, Ashton Avenue Bridge is inside its cocoon, being repaired for use by MetroBus.

Operating days for 2016, Larry gets a new look

Posted on March 17, 2016 by corwinb

The planned railway operating days are now up on the M Shed website, click here to take a look!

Judy was out on the line today getting warmed up for the first operating weekend of the year – 19/20th March.

Also out in the sun was resident front loader ‘Larry’, looking resplendent in a fresh coat of paint!

TBT – GWR 813 in Bristol

Posted on March 3, 2016 by corwinb

Another Throwback Thursday to 29th July 2001, when GWR 813 was visiting Bristol. This locomotive has just celebrated its centenary, having been built in June 1901.

You can learn more about GWR 813 and if you like, contribute to the upkeep of this lovely locomotive at http://www.gwr813.org/

Credit for these photos goes to K R Bayley, with huge thanks to Nick Baxter for sending them to me.

Henbury’s Saddle Tank Removed

Posted on February 7, 2016 by corwinb

Henbury’s tank has now been lifted off and is pictured here stored on a handy flat wagon on the quayside.

End of the Season

Posted on November 2, 2015 by corwinb

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

TBT – Black 5 on the Bristol Harbour Railway

Posted on October 15, 2015 by corwinb

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.

June 1983 The SVR (NRM) black 5 worked a special Wapping Wharf to BTM I think it was the wine festival

Crane Dance/Heritage Weekend Photos and Videos

Posted on October 4, 2015 by corwinb

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.

Indian Summer, Civil Engineering

Posted on September 29, 2015 by corwinb

After a particularly cold and wet summer, the weather has taken a turn for the better, giving us some glorious days and incredible sunsets.

Here’s a (bad camera phone quality) snap I took of the golden sunset glimpsed beneath the Cumberland Road bridge.

Up North, Portbury has been kept busy at Beamish. In this photo reproduced from the Beamish Museum facebook page, she is seen in the company of WW1-era Gordon Highlanders re-enactors at the Agricultural Show event.

Back in Bristol, there have been multiple engineering projects in the railway’s environs. The Metrobus development has cleared a large area of land at Butterfly Junction and Ashton Meadows, and new drainage has been installed.

One of the most conspicuous developments has been the ongoing repair work to Prince Street Bridge. This is adjacent to the platform at M Shed and has involved the construction of a large temporary bridge. The girders on the swing bridge are corroded and need replacing, so it will be closed to all traffic for 6 months.

Also pictured is Kaskelot, a Bristol-based ship, taking the usual mooring point of Balmoral while the latter was at sea.

Judy in steam this weekend

Posted on September 25, 2015 by corwinb

The weather forecast for this weekend is a good’un!

Bagnall ‘Judy’ will be on duty pulling passenger trains, so don’t miss out on some September sunshine!

Judy and Teddy in action

Posted on August 10, 2015 by corwinb

The pictures below were taken the weekend before last, with Judy on passenger duties and Teddy once again offering ‘Driver fora Tenner’ experiences in the yard. These photos were taken by Tim Symons, who has given permission for them to be reproduced here.