Bristol Harbour Railway - Updates and Goings on

It's another Throw Back Thursday!
This time it's a video footage of USA tank 30075 on a charter in 1997!
http://bristolharbourrailway.co.uk/2014/03/06/tbt-usa-tank-30075-video/

 

Building work ongoing at M Shed...
http://bristolharbourrailway.co.uk/2014/03/12/building-work-update-march-2014/

 

Meanwhile, back at Butterfly Junction, the platform line is relaid and the barn yard takes shape....
http://bristolharbourrailway.co.uk/2014/03/25/butterfly-junction-update-march-2014/

 

Earlier this week, the two Bristol-built steam locos were out in the open to be inspected before the first running weekend of the year (5th-6th April) - Please note that subject to track availability, services this year may be limited to M Shed-SS Great Britain and M Shed-Vauxhall Bridge (Roughly half way down the riverbank)
http://bristolharbourrailway.co.uk/2014/03/30/spring-is-here/

and last week's throw back thursday post showed some photos of the now-gone Ashton Meadows sidings area.
http://bristolharbourrailway.co.uk/2014/03/27/tbt-ashton-meadows-sidings/

 

I visited the BHR yesterday, I could only stay for a short while but had an excellent time, it is an unique experience and I look forward to another visit soon!

Are operating dates for June onwards available yet?

 

Glad to hear you enjoyed it! I think the centre of town was pretty packed today as there was a waterslide down Park Street!

I've put a list up of planned BHR operating days here, hope it helps:
http://bristolharbourrailway.co.uk/operating-days-2014/

 

That's splendid, thanks very much

 

Both locos were in action this weekend, Henbury on passenger duties while Portbury was on 'driver for a fiver' in the yard! You can come and have a go at driving both 'Portbury', the steam crane, and one of the electric cranes this fathers' day for just £35!

http://bristolharbourrailway.co.uk/2014/05/26/come-and-drive-portbury/

 

'evening (morning?) all, I've updated the blog with pictures of the work that's been undertaken to remove a 'sag' in the track caused by riverbank subsidence.
See it here:
http://bristolharbourrailway.co.uk/2014/06/01/riverbank-subsidence-and-repairs/

 

I've also posted about the ongoing development around M Shed, with a few 'before and after' comparison shots.
http://bristolharbourrailway.co.uk/2014/06/02/whapping-wharf-development/

 

Afternoon all, I've updated the blog a bit recently, in particular, here is a post about the recent tidying-up efforts on the railway:
http://bristolharbourrailway.co.uk/2014/08/26/a-clean-railway/

Here's a pic of Portbury at work over the Bank Holiday weekend:

 

That bought back some pleasant memories of charters at the BHR. Didn't do 30075 though.

 

Nice to see a brief shot of two locos on tonight's Emergency Bikers on Channel 5.

Edwin C.

 

I've been blogging a lot and updating the site to give more info recently, particularly about locomotives and stock.
The ruston diesel has a blog post linking to some images of when it was in service, the last remnant of the spur around M Shed has been taken out, and more.

http://bristolharbourrailway.co.uk/

Take a look! I hope to add more info on the rolling stock as time progresses.

If anyone has any images of the railways around Bristol and Avonmouth docks and would be happy to share them on the blog, please do let me know as I am really trying to catalogue everything!

Thanks for the heads up! Have popped a post on about this today

 

Nice pics. Discovered the BHR by accident when we stopped overnight at the caravan club site and I noticed a railway opposite the gate. The dogs got a longer than expected walk as I explored the entire system, although of course nothing was running. Is the line still under threat from a guided busway scheme ?

 

The current metrobus plan does use part of the formation, at the western end the buses will come over the bridge, then around the warehouse where the BHR station is now, and joining up with Cumberland Road on the corner. It's a lot less than what was originally proposed.

 

Talking to Matt H over the weekend who said he is heading down this coming weekend for his last chance to drive the railway in its current form. He mentioned that the railway won't be operating at all next year, is that correct?

 

Unconfirmed at the moment. I will try and find out the decision and keep things on the blog updated.

Without wishing to encourage wild speculation it may be that the railway is not 'in the clear' until Metrobus is actually built.

On a lighter note, the first weekend of October is Heritage Transport weekend, should feature vintage commercial vehicles on the dockside, loading and unloading demonstrations from ship to rail to road, and *hopefully* a demonstration of the electric capstans to shunt wagons.

Will try and get down sometime this weekend.

 

Heya, managed to speak to the boss on the way home.

The situation changes by the day, but essentially if Metrobus goes ahead, then the branch line along the New Cut will be out of action for most if not all of the season.
This will be due to works along the adjacent Cumberland Road, and through the site of the present Create Centre station.

However, whatever happens, we will still be operating a steam service on all summer bank holidays, and as many weekends as we can, along the quayside line to the SS Great Britain.

Operationally, I imagine this will all mean that the 'Barn' is cut off from the rest of the railway for most of the season, so all the more reason to get as much trackwork etc done before this happens.

 

Today's throwback Thursday post is back to 2001, when 'Portbury' took a special train up the newly-rebuilt line from Parson Street to Portbury docks.
http://bristolharbourrailway.co.uk/2014/09/11/tbt-portbury-to-portbury-2001/