In addition to the Father’s Day Steam Up, the opportunity was taken to run a photo charter, organised by 30742 Charters and featuring ‘Teddy’ and ‘Kilmersdon’ in action, as well as ‘Henbury’ on static display.
Will Stratford was there to capture the occasion in these great photos.
Steam trains will be in operation this coming Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday. Kilmersdon will be doing the honours, seen here looking very smart.
Note: I do apologise for previously publishing inaccurate information regarding operating days this year, this was a mistake which has now been corrected by linking through to the official M Shed page. Please note that this is an unofficial blog site maintained by a volunteer, and that the best place for information on opening times and events is the M Shed website.
The ‘Toad’ brake van is receiving some attention this winter. The rather tired door is being renewed, and the van has been jacked up, the springs removed, and packing wood in place.
Pictured here is the former harbour plug, used from 1804-1935 when it was replaced by one made of rubber. The harbour needed to be drained fully to allow the plug to be removed, restricting navigation for 2 days.*
*This is not true, just a joke!
Will Stratford has put together two videos from the Docks Heritage Weekend – the first includes some unusual angles not often seen, courtesy of a cleverly-mounted GoPro.
The second features a fluffy pink horse going for a ride around the docks!
Plenty of action on the dockside. 3 cranes in operation, along with the electric capstan shunting wagons. Actors from Show of Strength Theatre Company in character, loading demos, the Bristol Lorry, Portbury in Steam, and rides on tugboat John King to boot!
Here’s a video of the electric capstan winch shunting demonstration:
Don’t forget this weekend is Docks Heritage Weekend at M Shed!
Featuring vintage commercial vehicles on display (Including the museum’s own Bristol 8-wheel lorry), both steam and electric cranes in use unloading cargo from ship to shore, and the rare sight of the working electric capstans being used to shunt wagons on the quayside.
See the quayside come to life with dramatic re-enactments by Show of Strength theatre company.
Plus, see the amazing city of Briswool in all its woolly splendour.
The newly-outshopped MOGO van will also be on display, and the Tug John King will be giving rides around the harbour.
Lots to see and do, it should be a cracking weekend!
The museum’s Bristol lorry during a loading demonstration in 2013 (Photo copyright Stu Chapman)
A few snaps from the weekend’s operations. Really nice to have all three steam exhibits in operation. Lots of happy, friendly passengers, the sun shone, and steam was in the air.
Never camera shy, the railway’s operational steam fleet made a cameo appearance on Channel 5’s ‘Emergency Bikers’ programme last week.
Today was the last day of operation for the M Shed working exhibits. ‘Portbury’, the steam tug ‘Mayflower’, and the steam crane were all in service.
Portbury was given a clean before collecting the passenger train.
I spent the morning on the train – mostly trying to keep seats dry in between showers!
The afternoon was spent dismantling the fence and gateway across the shed road, this is where the new access road is going to go. The point nearest the camera (To the now defunct line around the back of M Shed) is coming out and being replaced with plain rail and concrete sleepers.
This cake was the best thing I’ve seen this year, made by Emily.
At the end of the day, ‘Portbury’ pulled the goods rake out from the long siding and coupled the NE brake van to the passenger train…
..before heading back to the shed.
Services begin again in Easter, but there’s a lot of work to do in between now and then, so keep checking back for updates!
The Barn has now been dismantled and stored on wagons in the yard, allowing the headshunt to be reconnected to the shed road once more.
Down at A Bond, site clearance has taken place with a view to the proposed remodelling.
The war between the pro and anti bus route campaigners has spilled onto the paths.
Finally, a giant lottery ball hit L shed.
Bristol Harbour Railway Blog 