Tag Archives: restoration

We’re Going Back up the Branch! (IV)

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A new year and a few more working days done at the bonded warehouses.
A very frosty work site first thing with a classic hot air balloon in the background.
One of the first tasks was to begin curving the track panels towards the new station site. The running line has to allow for the yard to be put in on the South side as well as allowing access for machinery while we work.
Whilst we do have a winch, it was easier to use the loader buck to push the track around and start the curve. This was repeated at several points along the length of track (which was keyed but not fishplated together) to put a gradual curve in.

These views show the progress by early afternoon with another 2 rails being added and clipped/keyed, then more bending using the loader.

The view at the end of the first day shows the extent of new track, at this point about a third of the way to the station area. The sleepers in the foreground of the first photo were laid out before the curve was put in and show just how much of a bend has been added.

Another chilly start to Day 2, but with some beautiful frost and lighting as we added more rails. One of these fought us every step of the way, including having to be turned 180 degrees to put the unworn side facing inwards, then needing a lot of persuasion to sit in the chairs!
Alex is seen laying out the keys ready to be hammered in, then the current railhead is shown now that more track-bending has been done.
Thanks to Hayden and Chris for the additional photos.

Amelia and Chris were busy adding fishplates to the rails laid previously. As the track had now been bent, large gaps had opened up between the South side rails as the radius increased. This meant hammering out all the keys on a piece of rail, then jacking the rail horizontally to close the gap, re-keying and finally bolting fishplates in.
This process will need to be done along the whole of the new track here. These photos show the new fishplates as well as the impressive view of the line curving around and out of sight.

Whilst this was going on, the team also cracked on with taking apart the large stacks of wooden sleepers to avoid ‘painting ourselves into a corner’ – the running line will restrict access to the stores for the loader, so it’s better to lay out the sleepers we need alongside the trackbed, then later they can be dragged into place manually.
The sleepers are of variable condition. There will be some triage involved and the rotten ones will be cut up/salvaged for another use. The long-term plan will be to replace them all once the Coles Crane can access the site, but in the mean time we want to try and use the best of the wooden ones we have.
Similarly, the rail pile will need sorting through to get the best quality rails for the running line and lay them out alongside the trackbed ready to go in, but that’s a job for another day….

We’re Going Back up the Branch! (II)

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Thankfully we have been lucky with the weather recently and have done more work on repairing and rebuilding the branch to A Bond.

EVEN MORE concrete sleepers have arrived and were stashed on wagons. These deliveries have almost finished now with enough in stock to relay the majority of the running line. Bob caught these photos of Crane 32 doing the honours with Henbury ready to tow them away.

A thankless task has been moving the stacks of concrete sleepers which were left on the trackbed in the new station area. The contractors employed to fix the wall of the New Cut and the Chocolate Path were meant to have installed these in ‘the gap’ but for some reason this was not done before the work site was cleared. We need to re-grade this area due to the height difference in the old running line and the new yard area, so the laborious work of moving all the sleepers had to be done by Larry and a few volunteers. Frustrating, but necessary to allow work to continue.
Chris cleared the last few earlier last week leaving the platform road clear.

At the weekend we were then able to drag another 30-foot rail into position at the railhead and begin to hammer keys into every other rail chair to give the track some rigidity. Then, using a turfer ratchet chain thingy we slewed the 60-foot panel to begin making a gently curve towards the station.
The view at the end of the day shows the new curve as well as the height discrepancy between the new track and the old. The old railhead will need jacking up and re-packing underneath once it’s been connected to the new panel.

We’re Going Back Up The Branch! (I)

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The long journey back to the Bonded Warehouses at Ashton Avenue Bridge took another step in the right direction last weekend.
The last train ran here in 2015, when the station was closed to make way for the Metrobus route over the bridge. Since then, progress has been hampered firstly by the delay in building the bus route, followed by the collapse of the wall along the New Cut in 2020. This has now been fixed, but Vauxhall Bridge was then closed for refurbishment for 2 years, which has resulted in the track under the bridge being blocked by scaffolding.


The railway has been stockpiling assets to return down the branch, with multiple deliveries of concrete sleepers over the past year.

Staff and volunteers have been putting the time in, prepping the area around the station now that the contractors have moved out. Track that had been stored alongside A Bond has been pulled out, sleepers sorted into no-hopers vs. reusable ones, and roughly laid along the trackbed.

Last Saturday we were able to take another step forward. More sleepers were moved into position and lined up from the stub of track remaining on the West side of the slip, then Larry dragged two 60-foot rails out of the pile and with much lifting, levering and a gentle tap from the bucket, managed to drop the rails into the chairs.

It may only be one track panel so far, but it gave an immense feeling of satisfaction and progress. The next one is likely to be another 60-footer. The aims here are to build a single line from the railhead to the platform in the first instance, for works trains. This will be followed by relaying the area outside A Bond to allow access to the Barn and the run-round loop. There is some re-grading to be done as the platform area is much higher than the running line, and the old railhead is lower than the new yard, so will need to be built up.
Several passers-by had positive comments while we were working, with the best one being “Does this mean we’re getting our train back?”

Whilst the trackwork was going on, the jungle that had grown in front of the shed was cut back, revealing the track underneath! Also a rare view of the Fox, Walker steam locomotive, LMS Brake Van and Ruston inside the shed. This was the victim of a break-in which resulted in every window being smashed and all the side panels taken off and thrown on the floor. Another fixer-upper!

More MOGO overhaul progress

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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

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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!

Sulphuric Acid Tanker in for the Winter

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The tanker was picked up and turned 90 degrees today to get it into L Shed. The plan is to give the tank a spruce-up as it’s suffered more than the chassis out in the open and the paint is looking rather tatty. The Coles Crane slewed the wagon around by picking up the end and moving it over a piece at a time.
Thanks to Chris E for the photos.

Henbury’s Fire is Lit

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Work on Henbury progresses as Coronavirus restrictions are relaxed. The majority of the loco has been reassembled and today it was pulled out of the shed to have a warming fire lit. Over the next few days the loco will steadily be brought up to pressure and every joint checked.

Thanks to Rob Skuse for the photos and information.

Video – Mayflower’s Boiler Lift – April 2020

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The 1861-built Steam Tug ‘Mayflower’ takes another step in the progress of its overhaul as the boiler is lifted back into the hull. Assisting in the operation is 1917-built Avonside ‘Portbury’ and 1951-built Stothert and Pitt ‘Crane 32’, both working exhibits and still earning their keep at M Shed Museum. Whilst the superstructure was off I took the opportunity to film some shots of the engine room with natural light, a rare occurrence! The lifting operation was undertaken by a minimum number of volunteers due to the COVID-19 situation and working regulations.

Henbury Overhaul Update – November 2020

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Henbury’s overhauled rolling chassis has now been reunited with the boiler, allowing re-assembly to continue.
In order to do this, the temporary track was extended out of the workshop, and a commercial crane was employed to turn the frames through 90 degrees and onto the quayside track. Portbury was able to bring the boiler on its trolley down to the quayside, where it was lifted into the frames. It was nearly dark by the time the operation was completed.
Lastly, Portbury took her old stablemate back to the running shed.


Photos courtesy Bob Edwardes, with thanks.