Bristol Harbour Railway

Bristol Harbour Railway is a preserved railway line that runs along part of the historic Bristol docks. It was originally constructed in the 19th century to serve the industrial needs of the city, linking various factories and warehouses to the harbour. The line was completed in 1872 and operated by the Great Western Railway. Its purpose was to transport goods, particularly imports like tobacco, timber, and other commodities, to and from the harbour. The railway connected with the mainline network, allowing goods to be distributed more widely.

Not the longest train journey in the world, but I suspect the only one in the modern British Isles where pedestrians and the train share the same ground, without ugly metal fencing. Refreshingly brave and well managed. Yes we had to find cash as the pdq was jiggered, but hey ho, it was worth it for an open top ride in an old coal(?) truck, shunted back and forth along the quayside, by one of the locomotives that once shunted shiploads of wares for their keep !

Amazing piece of history which has been kept. Loved watching the steam loco coasting down the dock! Insight into the past. Stupid comments below on "pollution" - 99% water coming out of the stack. Basic physics.

Excellent train ride along the docks in old freight wagons now fitted with seats, the steam loco working the train was 105 years old, it's about 15 mins for a round trip from the M Shed station,

Edit: Years later and this train is still an environmental disaster, I've included a photo of the enormous oil slick that the engineers routinely dump into the canal in the centre of the city. Absolutely evil behaviour. The harbourside is actually quite nice whenever this train service isn't running If you want the thrilling experience of breathing in poorly-maintained coal-engine fumes, then this is for you If you're a normal person, visit this vibrant area when these fools aren't polluting the entire 2-mile promenade with black plumes of filthy smoke. Whilst we're at it, why don't we re-open all the old coal power stations, so that we can show future generations the vast pollution as a sort of jolly, on weekends? They've spilt oil all over the entire 2km harbourside, and left a trail of slimy coal everywhere, where people have to walk (with children and dogs) Please shut down. These trains belong in a museum, not in your lungs.

This place is often used in historical movies, whether or not they are supposedcto be located in Bristol..

Great place to walk around the docks. Bikers must dismount because too much pedestrians walking there. I like to walk here till the end and go around the dock, come the way back on the other side. Good shoos and pubs around this area, benches to sit down and spend quality time with friends and family members.

Worth a visit, especially if you've a toddler who loves trains. Short 10mins ride. Fairly priced, we paid £3 pp for one way ride.

Along Bristol's harbourside you shall find this link to Bristol's past. Trundling up and down the railway lines ingrained into the ground a steam train runs, pulling along cart loads of tourists. It's quite an evocative experience - I can remember well the smell of the fire burning and the piercing whistle just before the train juddered into life. Something I did whenever the sun came out when I was young, this is a wonderful family day out. Get a kid to buy themselves a ticket, help them up into the carriage (things have been kept pretty authentic here, so you might have to clamber around a bit, and they should have a whale of a time. The train billows huge amounts of steam,which means you can see from all over the city when it's running. More often in the summer months, make sure you take the opportunity to go for a ride when you can.

Okay so having been in Bristol for a good few years, I had never thought to check out these train rides until a couple of family members came up and wanted something touristy and different to do - and it was actually pretty good fun! We wanted to check out the SS Great Britain and took an old fashioned steam train along to it, at just around £2 each. This is the kind of thing worth doing once in terms of exploring Bristol, but probably not something you'd do again - purely because once you've done it you've done it, and there's not a whole lot more you can get from the experience! It's very touristy but if you're a resident and have never done it then it could also be a bit of fun. One thing i would add is to make sure you check out when the trains are running - they tend to be every other weekend, and occassionaly run on Mondays too!

I love steam engines and this one is awesome. It is a tourist attraction but I enjoyed the train ride. Highly recommend it as an activity in Bristol.

This is Britain's only dockside railway, which once helped move cargo on and off ships to the city, but now is a fantastic tourist attraction. It's an authentic steam train, which makes for great fun for the youngsters and at £2 for a single trip, it's definitely worth the money. If you're visiting the SS Great Britain, the harbour train is the perfect way to reach it, and there's a discount if you show your SS ticket. Sadly the train only functions in the warmer months, so you'll have to wait til March before you can take a ride.

There's something about an old-fashioned steam train that makes me feel like a kid again. It would be nice to say that it's because it gives me a sense of nostalgia to the days when I was young and steam was the way forward, but I'm not nearly that old, so it's more likely a case that it reminds me of watching Thomas the Tank Engine. Either way, this is a great day out for young and old alike. Staring out across the harbourside, lit by the summer sunshine, with a Mr. Whippy in your hand. On a day like that, I challenge anyone to find me a better way to travel.