Photos: mattbuck (category), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Nortix08, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo credits
Photos: mattbuck (category), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Nortix08, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
M Shed: Bristol's working history
Your local guide
Chloe Simmons
View profile
Highlights
- Dockside cranes preserved on the quay
- A heritage railway along old dock lines
- A harbour that worked within living memory
- Bristol's industrial waterfront explained
- A working port turned museum quarter
About this tour
This session looks at Bristol's industrial history from outside M Shed, a museum built in a former transit shed on the working harbourside. You see preserved dockside cranes and a short stretch of heritage railway. I explain how recently this was still a working port.
We start with a sound check by the cranes, then move along the quay in stages, stopping at the railway line. Questions come up throughout, and I send a short note on the harbour's working history afterwards.
It suits anyone interested in industrial or maritime history. It also pairs well with the SS Great Britain session nearby.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 7 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Bristol before heading out.
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Dockside cranes 21 min
Outside the museum you see the row of dockside cranes preserved on the quay, once used to unload cargo ships along this stretch of the harbour.
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Harbour railway 21 min
A short heritage railway still runs along the old dock line, and I explain how it once carried goods rather than passengers between the sheds.
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Quayside view 21 min
From the quay you look across the water to the rest of the harbourside, and I explain how this whole stretch functioned as a working port within living memory.
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Your questions 14 min
Time to ask anything about Bristol: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 6 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Somerset cheddar and Stokes Croft, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in London time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 10 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Bristol, showing you Dockside cranes and Harbour railway live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need to know the history already?
No background needed. The guide explains everything as it comes up.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We connect on a video call by the cranes, and I move along the quay as we talk.
Times shown in London time (GMT)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Thu 19 Nov · 10 seats left From 20,00 €
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