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.

March comings and goings

Posted on March 25, 2025 by corwinb

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!

Docks Heritage Weekend 2024

Posted on October 19, 2024 by corwinb

One of my favourite events of the year, DOCKS HERITAGE WEEKEND took place over 28th and 29th September.
This event featured our friends at the Show of Strength Theatre Company once again, this time with a new storyline (featuring George and Sheila of course) with more jeopardy and a longer run time (and some singing!).
Sheila’s ordered a new television on hire-purchase, but she’s not told George about it! Will he find out?
John King was on duty giving rides around the harbour, 2 cranes were working (one for visitors and one loading the lorry), the capstan was in operation again and Henbury was in steam for cab visits. Saturday also featured live performances from the choir in L Shed.

Thanks to Katie Richards and Bob Edwardes for these photos.

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 at Ashton Meadows

Posted on March 19, 2015 by corwinb

It’s been a while since I’ve done any Throw Back Thursday posts, but with summer just around the corner, there are more to come!

This is a photo from a charter in 2001, during the last days of Ashton Meadows sidings (note the overgrown bushes). The loco is GWR 813, a unique survivor built in 1901 for the Port Talbot Railway in Wales. The 813 fund have given permission for this photo to be reproduced here.

To find out more about GWR 813 or help fund the group’s restoration projects, click here.

(Courtesy GWR 813 Fund)

Alfred and Judy Operating Weekend: Highlights

Posted on September 22, 2013 by corwinb

Just a little compilation of photographs and video from 14th-15th September 2013, when Port of Par twins ‘Alfred’ and ‘Judy’ worked trains together with resident ‘Portbury’.

Here’s a few videos on Youtube of the trio in action:

Saturday’s operations by 47840chaser

theonlyadzrulz recorded Sunday’s workings

Sunday saw Portbury develop a small steam leak which should be fixed soon.

Shunting taking place on Friday in the pouring rain (A large roof hatch is good for visibility but not ideal for stopping drips!)

Lastly, some photos from Sunday’s workings.

A huge thanks must go out to all those involved in arranging for the twin engines’ visit.

Alfred and Judy’s Photo Charter

Posted on September 14, 2013 by corwinb

Bagnall locomotives ‘Alfred’ and ‘Judy’ took part in a photo charter with resident Avonside ‘Portbury’ on Thursday 12th September. Martin Creese of 30742 charters took the following images and has kindly given permission for them to be reposted here.

Portbury and Par Twins on the dockside