Cullompton
Keith Turley
Mission & Praise - broad gauge coch body at
Portbury
I was interested to see Michael Bussell's recent contribution of photos (from c1966 & 1967) showing an old BG carriage at Portbury (Portishead branch) that had been in use as a chapel. I too took photos at about the same time (albeit in the summer) & in fact the last 4 photos shown on the Bristol Industrial Museum's website (for which Michael provided a link) are mine. I attach larger copies of these & also one of Portbury station taken on the same day which you might find useful. Michael has provided a comprehensive history of the coach but there are some details I can add. When the coach was dismantled markings showed it to be B&ER coach no. 31, a second class, 4 compartment coach built by the B&ER at their works in Bridgwater in 1863. Its GWR number was 341. This information was supplied to me 4 years ago by Andy King, Senior Curator at the museum at that time. He also confirmed that the hand-painted plaque describing its history as a chapel has sadly disappeared. One of my photos shows this plaque & Michael has provided a transcription. The plaque on the end-wall read 'The Original Wesleyan Mission Room'. Michael states that the proposals for the new M5 made the redevelopment of the chapel as a dwelling a 'non-starter'. I don't think this is the case; using the NLS facility to overlay current day arial photos on old maps at https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=18.0&lat=51.47638&lon=-2.72591&layers=168&b=1 it can be seen that the old chapel still exists. (Unfortunately I haven't lived in Bristol since 1969 so have never been back to the site. I now live near Cambridge). The 1892-1914 OS 25" map referenced shows the coach outline alongside that of the chapel.
PS 1: I regret to say that since my contact with Andy King in 2019 he died in 2021, shortly after retiring. He was a much-respected Senior Curator & had worked for the City Museum for about 40 years.
PS 2: I can supply photos, also taken 1966, of a BG Horsebox at Yatton (alongside the Clevedon branch). Interested?
Best wishes
Martin Tester
Bristol
Phil Smith