Taken 06/11/19; the Bristol Harbour Railway can be thought of in three parts. There is the the Historic Harbour Railway that opened in 1872 and was extended progressively until 1906, before contracting from 1964 until closure in 1987. The second part is the heritage railway that operates between M shed and the 'SS Great Britain' and thirdly some tracks remain, as seen here, that realistically will never see trains again.
A fuller history of the 'working' Bristol Harbour Railway from Wikipedia:
The original Bristol Harbour Railway was a joint venture by the GWR and sister company the Bristol and Exeter Railway, opened in 1872 between Temple Meads and the Floating Harbour. Its route included a tunnel under St Mary Redcliffe church and a steam-powered bascule bridge over the entrance locks at Bathurst Basin. In 1876 the railway was extended by 1⁄2 mile (0.80 km) to Wapping Wharf.
By Act of Parliament of 1897, the GWR was authorised to make a westwards connection between the BHR and the Portishead Railway, and then create the West Loop at Ashton Gate which would face south towards Taunton and Exeter St Davids. This connection would allow a doubling of BHR rail access capacity to the Great Western main line. In 1906 this authorised extension was constructed, with new branches from the south via the Ashton Swing Bridge were built to: Canons Marsh on the north side of the Floating Harbour; and to Wapping via a line alongside the New Cut.
The Temple Meads connection was closed and the track lifted in 1964 (the bascule bridge engine survives in Bristol Museums). The Canons Marsh branch closed the following year, with the Canons Marsh goods shed is now the home of Explore At-Bristol, a hands-on science centre. The Western Fuel Company continued to use the branch from the Portishead line and Wapping marshalling yard for commercial coal traffic until 1987.
Taken 06/11/19; the Bristol Harbour Railway can be thought of in three parts. There is the the Historic Harbour Railway that opened in 1872 and was extended progressively until 1906, before contracting from 1964 until closure in 1987. The second part is the heritage railway that operates between M shed and the 'SS Great Britain' and thirdly some tracks remain, as seen here, that realistically will never see trains again.
A fuller history of the 'working' Bristol Harbour Railway from Wikipedia:
"The original Bristol Harbour Railway was a joint venture by the GWR and sister company the Bristol and Exeter Railway, opened in 1872 between Temple Meads and the Floating Harbour. Its route included a tunnel under St Mary Redcliffe church and a steam-powered bascule bridge over the entrance locks at Bathurst Basin. In 1876 the railway was extended by 1⁄2 mile (0.80 km) to Wapping Wharf.
By Act of Parliament of 1897, the GWR was authorised to make a westwards connection between the BHR and the Portishead Railway, and then create the West Loop at Ashton Gate which would face south towards Taunton and Exeter St Davids. This connection would allow a doubling of BHR rail access capacity to the Great Western main line. In 1906 this authorised extension was constructed, with new branches from the south via the Ashton Swing Bridge were built to: Canons Marsh on the north side of the Floating Harbour; and to Wapping via a line alongside the New Cut.
The Temple Meads connection was closed and the track lifted in 1964 (the bascule bridge engine survives in Bristol Museums). The Canons Marsh branch closed the following year, with the Canons Marsh goods shed is now the home of Explore At-Bristol, a hands-on science centre. The Western Fuel Company continued to use the branch from the Portishead line and Wapping marshalling yard for commercial coal traffic until 1987."