This is the original forum of the Bristol Railway Archive that existed between 2003 and 2013. I finally rescued it after it seemed unrecoverable after a large crash. I have made it available for viewing. It is locked, all posts to the new version please!
Use this forum to talk about the railways in and around Bristol, or for any off-topic stuff you want to share. Also request photos and information that you are missing.
I'm helping a friend of my father who runs a site for the SCLI (Somerset and Cornwall Light Infantry). http://www.scli.co.uk/
One of his contacts (soldier) claims he can remember going on a loco from Bishopston to Severn Beach, normal you would think. However, he claims that the loco was yellow and diesel during the WW2 war years.
Thanks Pete for the link. I think this is what the chap was thinking about or remembers.
My Dad ask the ex Severn Beach signalman who happened to be in the Post Office today. He and a couple of other ex-railwaymen were also there. The Flying Banana was mentioned. They refrered to it as the "Chocalate and Cream" Apparently they were left fighting in the POst Office arguing about trains ! . Statements like "I.ve worked on the railways for x years, I should know..."
Quick exit was made. Who said Severn BEach was boring
Also, I have got a picture of a ICI shunter from a book. Can you use it with a caveat ? The book is by David Vincent (Lines to Avonmouth) might still be in print. Also some newspaper cuttings from local rags around 1960.
Many thanks to you guys for sorting out what started as a thought about rail journeys and memories of childhood during WW2 in Bristol.
I am an old army pal of Dave Pruett and happened to mention to him my memory of catching this train to Severn Beach during the war, to be able to have a few hours away from the hassle of Bristol plus the bombing. The year would have been 1943.
What Dave and Mike his son picked up on was I insisted the train was yellow, however I am only to well aware that the years play tricks and confusion can reign.
Now thanks to all concerned I have a picture of that type of train and feel quite vindicated and happy that I am not completely loopy. Had I drawn a picture of the train, my drawing would have had a sloping front, this I remember well as my Mother always took me to the front before boarding to see the driver, also the train was very short, not more than two carriages.
Again, my thanks to you all. Yours Keith.
Mike wrote:Apparently they were left fighting in the POst Office arguing about trains ! . Statements like "I.ve worked on the railways for x years, I should know..."
Quick exit was made. Who said Severn BEach was boring
LOL! sounds like great fun! I'd have liked to have been there picking their brains for bits of trivia and memories for the website.
Mike wrote:
Also, I have got a picture of a ICI shunter from a book. Can you use it with a caveat ? The book is by David Vincent (Lines to Avonmouth) might still be in print. Also some newspaper cuttings from local rags around 1960.
I'm certainly on the look out for any bits from magazines that can be archived. Not complete articles obviously (unless they're more than 75 years old!) but titbits, gossip, sightings etc. If nothing else I can add them to the ongoing chronology part of the website.
Probably best not to use the pic (although I'd like to see it on a personal level). Apart from anything else there are a lot of people who have now contributed photos to the website who trust me with their pics. If I'm seen breaking copyright with other people's stuff they might ask me to remove theirs.
