The Henbury steam train was built in Bristol and once worked the docks railway at Avonmouth. You probably best know it as the locomotive that chugs along the scenic waterfront, driving between the museums of M Shed and the SS Great Britain. Henbury will once again chug along with passengers from Saturday, April 12, on selected weekends until early November.
“We are incredibly fortunate to have such a vital part of our heritage in active operation,” said Tony Dyer, Leader of Bristol City Council. “The trains, cranes, and boats at M Shed are cherished by both locals and visitors, offering not only enjoyment but also valuable learning opportunities.”
This year marks the 200th anniversary of the modern railway, Railway 200, a year-long nationwide partnership-led campaign to celebrate, with a wide variety of activities and events planned. So there’s no time to climb aboard Bristol’s historic railway and take a trip down memory lane.
After you’ve hopped aboard Bristol’s shortest train journey, why not take a trip on the water? M Shed offers a unique experience on two of its heritage vessels: Pyronaut is Bristol’s former fireboat, which worked hard during the Blitz to protect the city’s infrastructure, and John King is a diesel tugboat which used to pull larger ships (including the SS Great Britain) up from Bristol Docks.
M Shed’s biggest exhibits, the electric cranes, are also open for visits from later in April on selected weekends. You can learn about working life on the dockside and see the cranes in action. All these working exhibits at M Shed are operated and maintained by volunteers, which means plans may be altered if need be.
But maybe you’d like to have a go yourself! A new season of “Have a Go” weekends begins on June 30 with 10 dates available. After some one-to-one tuition from M Shed’s crew, have a go at driving the historic railway engine, followed by a go on one of the electric cranes. You can learn more about the “Have a Go” sessions here, but to just find out when the trains, cranes, and boats are operating, head here.