Your stories are helping us uncover Bristol’s railway history

We were overwhelmed by the response to our recent call-out for information about people connected to the Great Western Railway (GWR) who are buried at Arnos Vale. Thank you to everyone who shared family stories, photographs, memories, documents and information with us. Your contributions are helping us uncover new stories about Bristol’s railway history and heritage, and the people whose lives were connected to the railway.

One of the new stories to emerge is that of Stanley Norman Tanner, who joined the railway at age 14, rising from engine cleaner to steam train driver before becoming one of the drivers of the new InterCity 125 trains, reportedly driving one on its maiden journey.

We’re also continuing to explore the stories of people including Henry Fisher , who inspired generations of railway workers, and Rowland Brotherhood (1812–1883), an engineer who worked on local railway projects under Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

We’re also uncovering more about Henry Lloyd, an architect whose contribution to the design of the extension at Bristol Temple Meads was long overlooked. Recent research has brought his role into clearer view, with surviving plans and documents indicating that Lloyd was responsible for much of the station’s distinctive architectural character, including its elaborate exterior and interior details.

The research is part of a project supported by £3,179 from Great Western Railway’s Customer and Community Improvement Fund. The funding is helping us uncover, research and share the stories of the people whose lives were connected to the railway and who are remembered at Arnos Vale.

Over the coming months, we’ll be sharing these stories in new ways, including a self-guided Railway Heritage Trail on the Bloomberg Connects app,  guided walks, public talks and online biographies.

Discover their stories

You can already read more about some of the people we have been researching:

Ellen Jefferies
Henry Fisher
Rowland Brotherhood
Stan Norman Tanner 
Henry Lloyd 

Stay up-to-date

Our research is ongoing, and we’re uncovering new stories, connections and pieces of Bristol’s railway history all the time. There is still much more to discover, and we’ll be sharing new findings as the project develops.

If you’d like to stay up to date with the latest stories, discoveries and events, sign up to our newsletter and follow the project as it unfolds. Sign up link