Experience a dock worker’s life through new M Shed opportunities
BRISTOL Museums has relaunched Have A Go experiences, which offers opportunities to operate steam locomotives and restored cranes at the city’s docks.
One-to-one tuition will allow participants to take control of Peckett 0-6-0ST No. 1940 of 1937 Henbury, as well as one of the iconic cargo cranes, with a 20-minute practical session on each, along with time for photographs and a certificate of achievement as a memento of the day.
Michael Dunn, head of commercial and operations at Bristol Museums, said: “We are thrilled to relaunch our Have A Go experiences (as previously reported in issue 191), offering the unique opportunity to step back in time and operate historic machinery like driving a steam locomotive and electric crane. It’s all about bringing history to life and allowing our visitors to truly experience the past in an unforgettable way. It is a unique heritage offer and we are incredibly grateful to our volunteer team who care for our steam engines and cranes.”
Henbury spent its working life of 27 years as a shunter at the Port of Bristol Authority’s Avonmouth Docks; it was withdrawn in 1964 two years after a major overhaul. Since 1978, it has been the mainstay of operations on the Bristol Harbour Railway.
The M Shed cargo cranes were built in 1951 as part of a group of eight (numbered 25-32), and the four remaining examples are an iconic part of Bristol’s skyline.
They last off-loaded cargo from a ship in 1974, and since then local groups and volunteers have worked hard to save and restore the cranes.
Experiences will run from July 1-5 and October 14-18 inclusive and cost £80 each. Bookings can be made online at www. bristolmuseums.org.uk/m-shed/ whats-on/train-and-crane-drivingexperiences