Friday 28. November 2025
Bristol 🏴
On Friday I drove down to Bristol to visit the SS Great Britain, after seeing it listed in The Times as one of the most magical festive days out in Britain.
The ship has been in dry dock since being salvaged from the Falkland Islands in 1970 – back then, there was no tourism in Bristol (everyone went to Bath) and the gentification of the Bristol docks hadn’t yet happened – The area was all wood sheds and coal yards.
The SS Great Britain is very well preserved – considering it spend 30+ years abandoned. At one time the ship regularly carried passengers to and from Australia. It is estimated that 3% of today’s Australian population are decended from people who arrived on this one ship!
There are three decks on board the ship to explore – the outside deck, the accommodation deck (including steerage, the kitchen, engine room, first class cabins) and a lower deck with the dining room. Down below you can go and see the dry dock, and at the moment that area is also being used for the festive light display, which was impressive.
Photos below.
FH.
