It’s a Steam-Filled September Weekend!
Portbury, the Fairbairn Steam Crane, and Mayflower the Steam Tug are all in operation, so come on down.

Way back in 2001, the previously-mothballed rail link to Portbury had been renovated and was due for re-opening. The opportunity was taken to run a special 3-coach train hauled by the museum’s own loco ‘Portbury’ from Parson Street Station (Where the Portishead branch leaves the Great Western Main Line) to the new terminal at Portbury dock.
A full write-up of this historic event written by Paul Stanford can be read on the Avon Valley Railway’s website here:
http://semaphore.avonvalleyrailway.org/html/avonside.html
Here are two videos on YouTube documenting the event, one taken from the leading carriage of the special train.
Never camera shy, the railway’s operational steam fleet made a cameo appearance on Channel 5’s ‘Emergency Bikers’ programme last week.

This bank holiday weekend, both ‘Henbury’ and ‘Portbury’ were in operation, with ‘Henbury’ on regular passenger duties, while her Bristol-built stablemate was to be found in the yard, where members of the public could have a go at driving it!
Pictures courtesy of Adrian Croshaw
This coming Fathers Day (Sunday 15th June), ‘Portbury’ will be on driver experience duties once more, as part of the ‘Fathers Day: A Grand Day Out’ offer from M Shed. At just £35, you can treat Dad to driving both a steam loco and two of the dockside cranes!
On Friday, ‘Henbury’ had prepared the yard by shunting most of the stock into the New Cut siding.
Avonside No. 1764 ‘Portbury’ was built in 1917 for the war effort, destined to work at the Portbury shipyards. The end of the war in 1918 meant the shipyard never actually built a vessel.
She eventually moved into the fleet of shunters based in Avonmouth and worked there until replaced by diesels.
Here are a few photos from across the internet of her life in preservation.
In the early 1970s, all three of the BHR’s steam locomotives were to be found at Radstock station in Somerset. This was part of a preservation effort to save and operate a section of the Somerset and Dorset Railway.
Here she is outside the shed, looking rather forlorn.

Source: http://www.geoffspages.co.uk/raildiary/radstock.htm
and another pic inside the shed next to 7F 53808
Unfortunately, the project at Radstock was unsuccessful and the Somerset and Dorset Railway Heritage Trust relocated to Washford on the West Somerset Railway.
‘Henbury’, ‘Portbury’ and No. 242 found their way to the Bristol Harbour Railway, opened in 1978.
‘Portbury’s restoration was completed in Bristol and she was in brought into operation on the BHR.
Here she is in lined blue livery back in 1992.
Original source:
http://www.geolocation.ws/v/W/File%3APortbury%202.jpg/-/en
Source: http://bit.ly/1erjN1L
After another overhaul, she emerged in 2001 in a livery akin to the one she first wore, the initials ‘I W & D’ stand for ‘Inland Waterways and Docks’.
Source: http://www.bristoljpg.co.uk/2004/portbury.jpg
Now, in 2013, this livery has been adapted to more accurately represent her 1917 condition – note the lack of nameplate (She was not named ‘Portbury’ until her time at Avonmouth Docks) and the black wheels.

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!
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.
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.








You can see all the pics on Martin’s flickr set here:
Additionally, flickr user ‘Mangotsfield Mike’ took some pictures of the prep, visible at the following link:

Finally, here’s a small clip of the two locos parallel running on the dockside.
The diminutive Port of Par twin engines ‘Alfred’ and ‘Judy’ have arrived in Bristol.
Thursday September 12th will see them operating photo charters, and as an added bonus, they will be operating service trains in conjunction with the BHR’s own ‘Portbury’ this coming weekend.
The charter and the visit has been organised through 30742 Charters with the Bristol Harbour Railway, the Locomotive’s owners, and the haulage company.
To find out more about these locomotives follow the link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bagnall_0-4-0ST_%22Alfred%22_and_%22Judy%22