Bristol and Gloucester Railway

Bristol and Gloucester Railway

Company type	Railway company
Industry	Rail transport
Founded	1844
Fate	Acquired by Midland Railway
Successor	Midland Railway
Headquarters	England
Area served	Bristol, Gloucester

The Bristol and Gloucester Railway was established as a railway enterprise in 1844 to provide transportation services between Bristol and Gloucester. Initially constructed as a , it was acquired in 1845 by the Midland Railway, which simultaneously took over the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway.

Operational and legal obstacles prevented continuous standard gauge train services until 1854, when much of the route was converted to mixed gauge and the Tuffley Loop was inaugurated.

Gloucester's station location remained inconvenient until the opening of a through station, later called Gloucester Eastgate, in 1896.

Both the Tuffley Loop and Eastgate station ceased operations in 1975. A segment of the original line near Bristol was closed in 1970, with trains redirected via the former Great Western Railway line through Filton. The remaining portion continues to serve as part of the heavily trafficked main line connecting Bristol and Birmingham.

Gloucester and Cheltenham Railway

Authorized by the Gloucester and Cheltenham Railway Act 1809 (49 Geo. 3. c. xxiii), the Gloucester and Cheltenham Railway was established in 1809. It operated as a horse-drawn plateway catering to Cheltenham’s increasing demand for building stone from Leckhampton quarries and coal transported from Gloucester via river and canal. Completed in 1811, it featured a gauge plateway. Attempts to trial a steam locomotive failed due to its excessive weight causing damage to the tramplates.

Coal tramroads at Bristol

In June 1828, two Parliamentary acts authorized companies to construct tramways for moving coal from collieries at Shortwood, Parkfield, and Coalpit Heath, located northeast of Bristol, into the city. The Bristol and Gloucester Railway Act 1828 (9 Geo. 4. c. xciii) established the Bristol and Gloucestershire Railway, terminating at Cuckold's Pill on Bristol's Floating Harbour. Meanwhile, the Avon and Gloucestershire Railway Act 1828 (9 Geo. 4. c. xciv) authorized a line ending on the River Avon opposite Keynsham, linking to river transport facilities. Both railways converged north of Mangotsfield, near what would become Mangotsfield North Junction.

These single-track lines were built with cast iron fish-bellied edge rails mounted on stone blocks, employed a gauge, and used horse-drawn traction. The Avon and Gloucestershire Railway commenced operations in July 1832 alongside part of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Railway north of their junction; the southwestern segment opened on 6 August 1835.

Great Western Railway at Bristol

Incorporated in 1835, the Great Western Railway was designed to construct a main line from London to Bristol. Engineered by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, it utilized broad gauge tracks powered by locomotives. The section reaching Bristol opened on 31 August 1840, with the entire London-Bristol route completed by 30 June 1841.

Birmingham and Gloucester Railway

Promoted by interests in Birmingham during 1836, the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway aimed to connect Birmingham with Gloucester, facilitating waterborne transport onward to Bristol and access to transatlantic shipping routes. It gained Parliamentary approval on 22 April 1836 under the provisions of the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway Act 1836.

Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway

Prior to the authorization of the Great Western Railway, promoters in Cheltenham proposed a route passing through Gloucester and Stroud, connecting near Swindon. Their proposal was enacted as the Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway Act 1836 on 21 June 1836.

Route between Gloucester and Cheltenham

The Birmingham and Gloucester Railway and the Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway both intended to follow nearly identical alignments between Gloucester and Cheltenham. Their objective was to acquire the Gloucester and Cheltenham Railway, not primarily for its main line, but to gain access to Gloucester Docks.

The Gloucester and Cheltenham Railway was purchased by the Birmingham and Gloucester company for £35,000. Under terms agreed in the Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway Act 1836, construction responsibilities for the Gloucester-Cheltenham section were divided: B&GR was to build Gloucester station, while C&GWUR would construct Cheltenham station, with both companies retaining shared usage rights. The line was laid to standard gauge, with permission granted to C&GWUR to install broad gauge rails at their own cost.

By November 1837, C&GWUR disclosed financial limitations restricting their building efforts to the Swindon end. Because B&GR relied on C&GWUR for their shared segment, they obtained Parliamentary authority allowing them to complete that section if C&GWUR failed to progress. This prompted C&GWUR to advance with contracts and land acquisition near Gloucester, maintaining separate stations for each company at both Gloucester and Cheltenham.

Establishment of Bristol and Gloucester Railway

As railway expansion gained momentum across Great Britain, establishing a connection between Bristol and Gloucester became essential. After an unsuccessful attempt in 1838, the Bristol and Gloucester Railway received authorization on 1 July 1839 to extend the former Bristol and Gloucestershire coal line from Westerleigh to link with the Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway (C&GWUR) at Standish, covering roughly . The track was planned as standard gauge to facilitate connection with the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway. The authorized capital was set at £400,000.

By late 1839, C&GWUR encountered financial difficulties and indicated inability to construct its Gloucester section. Consequently, the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway proceeded independently, opening its line to Gloucester on 4 November 1840. Meanwhile, by late 1841 C&GWUR had made no advancement north of Kemble and obtained Parliamentary approval in 1842 permitting sale or lease of its undertaking, extension of construction deadlines, capital raising, and installation of broad gauge rails between Gloucester and Cheltenham at its own expense. Additionally, it authorized the Bristol and Gloucester Railway to build the line from Standish to Gloucester as standard gauge with provisions for future repurchase.

Subsequent negotiations led to the Great Western Railway (GWR) acquiring the C&GWUR line in January 1843, enabling completion through GWR's resources. In April 1843, the Bristol and Gloucester Railway resolved to convert its route to broad gauge under engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s guidance. This conversion facilitated smooth integration with GWR’s system at Bristol, Standish, and Gloucester. The arrangement included a twenty-year running powers agreement with GWR for an annual rent of £18,500.

Although some interpretations suggest this broad gauge conversion was compelled to avoid isolation from GWR’s network, it also provided savings on infrastructure costs alongside operational benefits. Brunel guaranteed efficient transfer of passengers and freight between broad and standard gauges at shared stations.

Initial construction had commenced using standard gauge double track specifications with tunnels and bridges sized accordingly; however, modifications were introduced later for broad gauge compatibility without fully clarifying how two broad gauge tracks would fit within existing structures. Certain elements such as the Stroudwater Canal Bridge were narrower than typical broad gauge lines due to this late-stage decision on gauge.

Documentation from company engineers confirmed that while bridges and tunnels were constructed large enough for broad gauge traffic, original plans had been based on standard gauge until final adjustments.

On 18 June 1842, Parliament authorized an additional £200,000 capital injection for the Bristol and Gloucester Railway.

The railway pioneered mixed gauge track—the first instance nationwide—between Mangotsfield and Westerleigh by adding standard gauge rails inside broad gauge tracks over approximately .

Significant infrastructure included Beard's Mill Viaduct at Stonehouse: a timber viaduct designed by Brunel featuring ten main spans of , which was replaced by brick and iron constructions in 1884. Nearby stood a laminated timber bridge crossing the Stroudwater Canal. Out of seventy-three bridges along the route (41 overbridges and 32 underbridges), fifteen were timber structures: ten laminated timber beam underbridges spanning , supporting ballasted longitudinal timber track; two trussed overbridges; plus three laminated beam overbridges composed of three spans each.

Opening to traffic

Relations with the were tense, and no final working agreement was reached, as the B&GR considered the GWR's charges too high. Consequently, the Bristol and Gloucester Railway contracted Stothert and Slaughter of Bristol to manage operations for a decade, with the line commencing service on 6 July 1844. A derailment near Gloucester caused a delay in the official opening ceremony. During the celebratory banquet, the B&GR Chairman noted that a continuous route between Birmingham and Bristol would have prevented gauge incompatibility issues. The line opened to the public on 8 July 1844.

Trains accessed Temple Meads station in Bristol via a half-mile connection at Lawrence Hill, authorized under the Bristol and Gloucester Railway Act 1843 (6 & 7 Vict. c. liv) dated 27 June 1843. At Gloucester, the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway had established a station in 1840; the Bristol and Gloucester Railway added a platform on its northern side, with lines intersecting as they approached. Initially, only a single track was available along the entire route, but double tracking was soon implemented. Coal transport began on 9 September 1843.

Merging with other railways

After initial operations, merger discussions between the Bristol and Gloucester Railway and the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway resumed late in 1844, securing approval from their chairmen and shareholders by January 1845. However, a formal parliamentary bill did not pass standing orders. The Great Western Railway proposed adopting broad gauge across the merged entity and sought to amalgamate with it, offering £60 of GWR stock in exchange for £100 of Birmingham and Gloucester shares—market prices being approximately £123 for GWR stock versus £109 for Birmingham and Gloucester shares.

At a meeting scheduled for 27 January, John Ellis, Deputy Chairman of the Midland Railway, presented an offer of a perpetual lease at 6% on the combined capital of £1.8 million from both companies, assuming their £500,000 debt. Ellis's objective was to prevent broad gauge expansion near his Leicester base. This proposal, made independently, was approved by Midland directors on 8 February 1845; from 1 July, the Midland Railway leased both railways. Parliamentary approval followed through the Bristol and Birmingham and Midland Railway Act 1846 (9 & 10 Vict. c. cccxxvi) enacted on 3 August 1846. Consequently, both the Bristol and Gloucester Railway and Birmingham and Gloucester Railway were incorporated into the Midland Railway.

The Great Western secured a provision obliging Midland to maintain "two lines of railway of the same gauge as the Great Western Railway" between Bristol and Standish, granting GWR running rights over this section. In 1848, authorization was obtained by the Midland Railway through the Midland Railway Act 1848 (11 & 12 Vict. c. cxxxi) to install narrow (standard) gauge rails between Bristol and Standish as well as to construct a separate narrow gauge double track from Standish into Gloucester. These legislative efforts were overseen by Midland’s solicitor Samuel Carter.

Part of the Midland Railway

Beginning in February 1845, the Bristol and Gloucester Railway became integrated into the Midland Railway network. The new proprietor acquired Stothert and Slaughter's operational contract along with rolling stock in July 1845 but continued running services on broad gauge rails using Great Western tracks between Standish and Gloucester station as well as at Gloucester station itself, despite not yet owning that segment.

The Coalpit Heath branch of the former Bristol and Gloucestershire Railway was converted to broad gauge standards and upgraded for locomotive operation, becoming operational by 9 June 1847.

Gloucester lines

By February 1845, Gloucester's railway network consisted of the standard gauge former Birmingham and Gloucester line approaching from the north-east, terminating at Barnwood, alongside the broad gauge former Bristol and Gloucester line arriving from the south-west to its terminus. Additionally, the Gloucester and Cheltenham Railway, a horse-operated plateway, was in service.

The Great Western Railway inaugurated its broad gauge route on 12 May 1845, connecting with the Bristol line at Standish. This development allowed GWR to reacquire its previously held half-share of the Cheltenham line, which had been established under an earlier statute.

To facilitate through running that circumvented Gloucester station, GWR constructed the third side of a triangular junction using broad gauge track. This was completed in 1847 when mixed gauge rails were introduced between Gloucester and Cheltenham. Captain Simmons conducted an inspection of these facilities in October 1847 on behalf of the Board of Trade:

Additional rails have now been laid from Cheltenham to Gloucester, uniting the gauges in one line of railway [forming mixed gauge] and a connexion on the broad gauge has been made between the two lines leading into Gloucester Station, called the "Avoiding Line"... [It is not] contemplated to unite carriages of both gauges in one train.

The Midland Railway managed two distinct lines with differing gauges ending at neighboring stations within Gloucester, a setup that proved inefficient. On 14 August 1848, it secured authorization through the Midland Railway Act 1848 for the Gloucester and Stonehouse Junction Railway. This act permitted laying standard gauge tracks parallel to GWR lines between Standish Junction (near Stonehouse) and Tramway Junction at Gloucester's eastern side, as well as narrow gauge rails alongside the Bristol and Gloucester line stretching from Bristol to Standish.

Under the Bristol and Birmingham and Midland Railway Act 1846, broad gauge rails on the Bristol to Standish section were mandated to remain intact. These rails remained unused by GWR until their regional conversion to standard gauge in 1872, after which Midland ceased their upkeep. Nevertheless, a daily broad gauge coal service operated by the Bristol and Exeter Railway continued running to Parkfield colliery, necessitating maintenance of broad gauge tracks up to Westerleigh and on associated branches.

The new connection commenced operation on 22 May 1854. Nearing Gloucester, it branched off from GWR at Tuffley Junction onto the Tuffley Loop, curving westward to merge with other lines running west to east through Gloucester. This arrangement allowed for some direct through services; however, Midland trains still needed to reverse into passenger or freight stations arranged as terminus facilities. The Tuffley Loop incorporated five new level crossings; between Standish and Tuffley Junction there were four tracks—two standard gauge and two broad gauge. The entire project cost £150,042.

Docks branches

The railway companies formerly known as Birmingham and Gloucester jointly purchased the Gloucester and Cheltenham Railway—a horse-drawn plateway—to gain access to Gloucester docks. This tramway featured a narrow gauge with tight curves along street-running sections. Plans to convert this tramway to standard gauge never materialized, restricting other rail companies’ operations primarily to dock sidings.

In 1840, a short spur connecting Bristol and Gloucester goods station to the plateway area was opened but required transshipment due to differing gauges; this spur was closed in 1896.

Independent access to the docks was established in 1848 via the High Orchard Branch stemming from the Tuffley Loop; this branch ceased operations on 1 October 1971.

The New Docks Branch was inaugurated in 1900 from Tuffley Junction, crossing Berkeley Canal by means of a swing bridge to link with existing dock branches near Llanthony Bridge. This branch included a short spur serving Hempsted Wharf and, beginning in 1913, provided rail service to gas works formerly accessible only by canal. All these branches were closed by 1971.

Gauge conversion

In 1872, the company standardized all broad and mixed gauge tracks surrounding Gloucester to standard gauge, which involved dismantling the Avoiding Line as well as the disused spur leading to the T station.

Further Gloucester improvements

Difficulties with reversing trains in and out of Gloucester station persisted until a new through station was inaugurated on 12 April 1896 along a nearby curve; this station was subsequently named Gloucester Eastgate. The original stations of Bristol and Gloucester and Birmingham and Gloucester were repurposed exclusively for freight operations.

The Avoiding Line, later renamed the Cheltenham Loop, resumed goods traffic on 25 November 1901 and reopened for passenger use on 1 July 1908.

Bristol lines

Midland Railway passenger services utilized Bristol’s Temple Meads station, which underwent expansion in 1878 to accommodate increased traffic, including trains from the Bristol and Exeter Railway. Avonside Wharf provided a transfer point for river barges. Starting from 1858, Midland Railway developed freight facilities at St Philips; additionally, a single-platform passenger station opened there on 2 May 1870, primarily serving trains bound for Bath. A substantial engine shed was established at Barrow Road in 1873, followed by the addition of a carriage shed in 1877.

Branch lines

As a principal trunk route, the Bristol and Gloucester line saw several branch lines introduced over time, outlined below from north to south.

Quedgeley

In 1915, an ammunition manufacturing plant was constructed at Quedgeley, just south of Tuffley Junction, featuring a railway connection with approximately three miles of sidings. A platform for workers was operational from December 1915 until 1925. After the factory buildings were demolished following 1924, the branch line was closed in 1925. During World War II, RAF Quedgeley was established on the site on 15 April 1939 as a depot for storage and maintenance of aircraft parts and motor vehicles, continuing logistical functions until its closure in 1995. The rail branch remained active from April 1939 until 1990.

Nailsworth and Stroud

The Stonehouse and Nailsworth Railway commenced operations in 1867 to serve Nailsworth, an important local industrial hub. Due to financial troubles, it was absorbed by the Midland Railway in 1868. Although authorization existed for a branch to Stroud, it was initially not constructed because of existing Great Western Railway (GWR) services; however, the Midland Railway later opened its own Stroud branch from Nailsworth in 1885. Passenger services terminated in 1947, with freight traffic ending in 1966.

Frampton Mineral Branch

Around 1903, the Frampton Mineral Railway began operations and continued until approximately 1923. Also called the Ballast Pit Branch, it extended several miles from the Midland Railway station at Frocester across open countryside and crossed the A38 Gloucester-Bristol road via a level crossing to access extensive gravel pits at Frampton-on-Severn.

At Frampton, short sidings and movable track sections served gravel extraction sites and were supported by an engine shed along with storage facilities. This route is depicted on detailed Ordnance Survey maps covering Gloucestershire areas including Frocester, Eastington, and Frampton-on-Severn.

Dursley

The town of Dursley gained rail access through the Dursley and Midland Junction Railway, a brief branch line extending from Coaley on the Bristol and Gloucester route, inaugurated on 18 September 1856. Originally called Dursley Junction, the line faced financial difficulties and was acquired by the Midland Railway in 1860. Passenger operations were discontinued in 1962, with the entire line closing by 1970 after a short period of use by an engineering firm.

Sharpness and Lydney

Sharpness served as an important industrial hub and port on the River Severn, connected to Gloucester via the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal. The Midland Railway introduced a four-mile branch from Berkeley Road station on 1 August 1876.

The Severn Bridge Railway, which opened in 1879, linked Lydney to Sharpness, establishing a continuous route across the Severn. Nevertheless, the bridge’s limited capacity restricted heavy mainline traffic. In 1908, the Great Western Railway added a southern curve to the Sharpness branch, improving connections with the Badminton railway line.

Thornbury branch

The Midland Railway inaugurated the Thornbury branch line from Yate on 2 September 1872, including a brief iron ore spur at Frampton Cotterell until 1878. Passenger services ended in 1944, with full closure occurring in 1967. In 1970, part of the line was reopened to serve Tytherington Quarry for stone transport starting from July 1972.

Connections at Yate from the Badminton line

To enhance its South Wales–London route amid heavy mineral traffic and congestion through Bath, the Great Western Railway constructed a cut-off line between Patchway and Wootton Bassett, known as the South Wales and Bristol Direct Railway. This development reduced travel times and alleviated congestion around Bath.

At Westerleigh, this new route crossed the Bristol and Gloucester line via grade-separated junctions forming west and east curves that converged at Yate. Parliamentary approval granted GWR running rights to Sharpness, leading to construction of a southern curve at Berkeley Road for direct access. Although GWR initially intended to extend services beyond Sharpness using these rights, restrictions imposed by Midland Railway limited operations to routing via Fishponds with higher toll charges. Eventually, GWR employed the loop for Gloucester-bound trains continuing to Birmingham through Stratford-upon-Avon. The east curve at Westerleigh and the Sharpness connection saw very limited traffic.

Branch line to Bath

Bath was a significant destination prompting the Midland Railway to open a branch from the Bristol and Gloucester line on 4 August 1869, beginning at a triangular junction near Mangotsfield. On the same day, an expanded Mangotsfield junction station was inaugurated. When the Somerset and Dorset Railway extended its line to Bath in 1874, the Midland’s Bath branch became part of a through route originating from Bournemouth, substantially increasing traffic volumes, particularly during summer weekends.

Avonmouth

The Clifton Extension Railway commenced operations on 1 October 1874, linking the Bristol Port Railway and Pier back into Bristol with a Great Western connection at Narroways Hill Junction. The Midland Railway established a connection from Kingswood Junction (on the Bristol–Mangotsfield route) to Ashley Hill Junction, joining the GWR line coming from Narroways Hill. From 1890 onwards, operation of the Clifton Extension Railway was jointly managed by Midland and Great Western Railways.

From 1923

Following World War I, the Railways Act 1921 reorganized the principal rail companies into four major groups starting 1 January 1923. The Midland Railway was incorporated into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS), which assumed control over the former Bristol and Gloucester route. The Great Western Railway largely preserved its existing network. Local services experienced only minor changes.

From 1948

On 1 January 1948, nationalization brought the mainline railways under British Railways management. The Bristol and Gloucester line fell under the jurisdiction of the London Midland Region, while the Western Region administered the local lines previously belonging to the Great Western Railway.

By 1949, coal transport ended due to colliery closures on the Bristol and Gloucestershire branch leading to Coalpit Heath, resulting in the branch's closure. Expansion at Temple Meads made St Philip's station obsolete, causing its closure on 21 September 1953. The connection between Kingswood and Ashley Hill Junction at Avonmouth was discontinued in 1965.

Following recommendations from the Beeching Report, stations lacking profitability between Bristol and Gloucester were shut on 4 January 1965. Passenger services on the Midland Railway Bath branch and Somerset and Dorset line terminated on 7 March 1966; however, coal deliveries to Bath Gas Works persisted until May 1971. The four-track section between Standish and Tuffley Junction was reduced to two tracks in September 1968.

During the 1970s, Gloucester streamlined its rail network: Gloucester Eastgate station and the Tuffley Loop were closed on 1 December 1975, consolidating all passenger operations at Gloucester Central using a single platform. This simplified triangular track arrangement necessitated trains traveling from Bristol to Cheltenham to reverse direction at Gloucester if they stopped there.

In Bristol, the segment from Lawrence Hill Junction to Yate was closed on 29 December 1969; trains were rerouted through Filton, Stoke Gifford, and Westerleigh Junction before rejoining at Yate. Westerleigh sidings continued to serve engineering purposes. Bristol Parkway station opened at Stoke Gifford on 1 May 1972, providing connections with South Wales routes.

Yate station resumed operations on 11 May 1989; Cam & Dursley station commenced service on 29 May 1994.

The present day

As of 2017, a significant portion of the Bristol and Gloucester Railway remains in frequent use between Yate and Horton Road in Gloucester, primarily accommodating long-distance passenger services alongside local trains and some substantial freight operations.

Topography

• Gloucester (station); inaugurated 8 July 1844; later replaced by former Birmingham and Gloucester station when mixed gauge was introduced;
• Gloucester Eastgate; opened on 12 April 1896; renamed Gloucester Eastgate in 1951; closed on 1 December 1975;
• Tuffley Junction; point where Tuffley Loop meets the main direct line;
• Haresfield; commenced service on 29 May 1854; closed on 4 January 1965;
• Standish Junction; branching off towards Swindon line (formerly );
• Stonehouse Bristol Road; opened on 8 July 1844; renamed Stonehouse Bristol Road in 1951; ceased operations on 4 January 1965;
• Frocester; began service on 8 July 1844; closed on 11 December 1961;
• Cam and Dursley; opened on 29 May 1994; currently operational;
• Dursley Junction; opened on 17 September 1856; renamed Coaley in 1888; shut down on 4 January 1965;
• Berkeley Road; started service on 8 July 1844; closed on 4 January 1965;
• Berkeley Road South Junction;
• Charfield; opened on 8 July 1844; closed on 4 January 1965;
• Wickwar; commenced operations on 8 July 1844; ceased service on 4 January 1965;
• Yate; opened initially on 8 July 1844; closed on 4 January 1965; reopened on 15 May 1989 and remains open;
• Westerleigh Yard;
• Mangotsfield North Junction; divergence towards Bath Green Park;
• Mangotsfield; operational by May 1845; relocated southward on 4 August 1869; junction with Bath Green Park line; closed on 7 March 1966;
• Staple Hill; opened on 1 November 1888; closed on 7 March 1966;
• Fishponds; initially opened by October 1849; closed after September 1850; reopened as Stapleton on 21 March 1866; renamed Fish Ponds in 1867 and Fishponds in1910; closed on7 March1966;
• St Philips; began service on2 May1870 ;closedon21 September1953 ;
• Bristol Temple Meads ; main station .

Locomotives

Throughout their ten-year service, the broad gauge locomotives on this route underwent as many as four distinct renumberings. Originally, Stothert and Slaughter, contracted to manage the railway, assigned numbers from 1 to 11.

In July 1845, the Midland Railway (MR) acquired these eleven engines and incorporated the Bristol & Gloucester Railway on 3 August 1846. By February 1847, MR had allocated new numbers ranging from 260 to 270, later increasing these by 100 in June 1852 and again in September 1853. Eight of these locomotives (excluding B&GR numbers 1, 3, and 7) were sold by MR to Thomas Brassey, who began operating the North Devon Railway in July 1855.

Bristol and Gloucester 2-4-0

Constructed at Stothert and Slaughter’s Bristol workshops utilizing components from Bury, Curtis, and Kennedy, these freight engines included:

• 1 Tugwell (1844–1856): Renumbered by Midland Railway as 268 (then 368, followed by 468); dismantled in 1856.
• 2 Industry (1844–1856): Became Midland Railway number 269 (later 369 and then 469); sold to Thomas Brassey for £1000 in May 1856 for use on the North Devon Railway under the name Venus; retired in August 1870.
• 3 Pilot (1844–1851): Assigned Midland Railway number 270; scrapped by September 1851.

Bristol and Gloucester 2-2-2

These six locomotives were built by Stothert and Slaughter in Bristol, employing parts from Bury, Curtis, and Kennedy, serving important local lines:

• 4 Bristol (1844–1855): Named after the southern line terminus; sold to Thomas Brassey in 1855 for North Devon Railway duties; Midland Railway numbers included 260, then 360, and finally 460.
• 5 Gloucester (1844–1855): Bearing the northern terminus’s name; transferred to Brassey in 1855; Midland Railway designations were 261, later changed to 361 and then 461.
• 6 Berkeley (1844–1856): Named for the nearby area of Berkeley; sold to Brassey in 1856; carried Midland Railway numbers 262, subsequently updated to 362 and finally 462.
• 7 Wickwar (1844–1853): Named after a town notable for its railway tunnel; held Midland Railway numbers of 263 and later 363; withdrawn following a boiler explosion in 1853.
• 8 Cheltenham (1844–1856): Named after Cheltenham on the Birmingham and Gloucester route; sold to Brassey in 1856; renumbered by Midland Railway as 264, then as 364, and eventually as 464.
• 9 Stroud (1844–1855): Named for Stroud near Stonehouse on the Cheltenham and Great Western Union line; sold to Brassey in 1855; Midland Railway numbers were initially 265, then changed to 365 and finally to 465.

Bristol and Gloucester 0-6-0

Produced by the Vulcan Foundry, these locomotives included:

• 10 Dreadnought (1856–1863): Sold to Thomas Brassey in 1855; operated under Midland Railway numbers of 267 (later changed to 367 and then to 567).
• 11 Defiance (1857–1867): Sold to Brassey in 1857 for service on the North Devon Railway; carried Midland Railway numbers of 266, later updated to 366 and then to 466.

Midland Railway 2-2-2

• 66 (1848–1854)
• 67 (1849–1854)
• 68 (1849–1854)
• 69 (1849–1854)

Before their conversion to standard gauge in 1854, these units were renumbered sequentially into the series beginning with 200, followed by additions into the hundreds series of both the 300s and then the 400s.

Midland Railway 0-6-0

• 290 (1852–1854)
• 291 (1852–1854)

These locomotives were renumbered into the series starting at the 300s and subsequently into the hundreds series before undergoing standard gauge conversion in 1854.