diff --git a/source/fab/tools/__init__.py b/source/fab/tools/__init__.py
index bc7430b7..f6830d85 100644
--- a/source/fab/tools/__init__.py
+++ b/source/fab/tools/__init__.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 from fab.tools.psyclone import Psyclone
 from fab.tools.rsync import Rsync
 from fab.tools.preprocessor import Cpp, CppFortran, Fpp, Preprocessor
+from fab.tools.shell import Shell
 from fab.tools.tool import Tool, CompilerSuiteTool
 # Order here is important to avoid a circular import
 from fab.tools.tool_repository import ToolRepository
@@ -56,6 +57,7 @@
            "Preprocessor",
            "Psyclone",
            "Rsync",
+           "Shell",
            "Subversion",
            "Tool",
            "ToolBox",
diff --git a/source/fab/tools/category.py b/source/fab/tools/category.py
index 6eab9b9d..a64781f1 100644
--- a/source/fab/tools/category.py
+++ b/source/fab/tools/category.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ class Category(Enum):
     SUBVERSION = auto()
     AR = auto()
     RSYNC = auto()
+    SHELL = auto()
     MISC = auto()
 
     def __str__(self):
diff --git a/source/fab/tools/compiler.py b/source/fab/tools/compiler.py
index 3f8c31e1..0b5618de 100644
--- a/source/fab/tools/compiler.py
+++ b/source/fab/tools/compiler.py
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ def __init__(self, name: str,
                  compile_flag: Optional[str] = None,
                  output_flag: Optional[str] = None,
                  openmp_flag: Optional[str] = None,
-                 availability_option: Optional[str] = None):
+                 availability_option: Optional[Union[str, List[str]]] = None):
         super().__init__(name, exec_name, suite, category=category,
                          availability_option=availability_option)
         self._version: Union[Tuple[int, ...], None] = None
diff --git a/source/fab/tools/shell.py b/source/fab/tools/shell.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..44688528
--- /dev/null
+++ b/source/fab/tools/shell.py
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+##############################################################################
+# (c) Crown copyright Met Office. All rights reserved.
+# For further details please refer to the file COPYRIGHT
+# which you should have received as part of this distribution
+##############################################################################
+
+"""This file contains a base class for shells. This can be used to execute
+other scripts.
+"""
+
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import List, Union
+
+from fab.tools.category import Category
+from fab.tools.tool import Tool
+
+
+class Shell(Tool):
+    '''A simple wrapper that runs a shell script. There seems to be no
+    consistent way to simply check if a shell is working - not only support
+    a version command (e.g. sh and dash don't). Instead, availability
+    is tested by running a simple 'echo' command.
+
+    :name: the path to the script to run.
+    '''
+    def __init__(self, name: str):
+        super().__init__(name=name, exec_name=name,
+                         availability_option=["-c", "echo hello"],
+                         category=Category.SHELL)
+
+    def exec(self, command: Union[str, List[Union[Path, str]]]) -> str:
+        '''Executes the specified command.
+
+        :param command: the command and potential parameters to execute.
+
+        :returns: stdout of the result.
+        '''
+        if isinstance(command, str):
+            params = ["-c", command]
+        else:
+            params = ["-c"]
+            params.extend(command)
+        return super().run(additional_parameters=params,
+                           capture_output=True)
diff --git a/source/fab/tools/tool.py b/source/fab/tools/tool.py
index cb8a7a06..a870c657 100644
--- a/source/fab/tools/tool.py
+++ b/source/fab/tools/tool.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 import logging
 from pathlib import Path
 import subprocess
-from typing import Dict, List, Optional, Union
+from typing import Dict, List, Optional, Sequence, Union
 
 from fab.tools.category import Category
 from fab.tools.flags import Flags
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class Tool:
 
     def __init__(self, name: str, exec_name: Union[str, Path],
                  category: Category = Category.MISC,
-                 availability_option: Optional[str] = None):
+                 availability_option: Optional[Union[str, List[str]]] = None):
         self._logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
         self._name = name
         self._exec_name = str(exec_name)
@@ -63,7 +63,8 @@ def check_available(self) -> bool:
         :returns: whether the tool is working (True) or not.
         '''
         try:
-            self.run(self._availability_option)
+            op = self._availability_option
+            self.run(op)
         except (RuntimeError, FileNotFoundError):
             return False
         return True
@@ -107,7 +108,7 @@ def name(self) -> str:
         return self._name
 
     @property
-    def availability_option(self) -> str:
+    def availability_option(self) -> Union[str, List[str]]:
         ''':returns: the option to use to check if the tool is available.'''
         return self._availability_option
 
@@ -139,7 +140,7 @@ def __str__(self):
 
     def run(self,
             additional_parameters: Optional[
-                Union[str, List[Union[Path, str]]]] = None,
+                Union[str, Sequence[Union[Path, str]]]] = None,
             env: Optional[Dict[str, str]] = None,
             cwd: Optional[Union[Path, str]] = None,
             capture_output=True) -> str:
@@ -210,7 +211,7 @@ class CompilerSuiteTool(Tool):
     '''
     def __init__(self, name: str, exec_name: Union[str, Path], suite: str,
                  category: Category,
-                 availability_option: Optional[str] = None):
+                 availability_option: Optional[Union[str, List[str]]] = None):
         super().__init__(name, exec_name, category,
                          availability_option=availability_option)
         self._suite = suite
diff --git a/source/fab/tools/tool_repository.py b/source/fab/tools/tool_repository.py
index d699574a..0b2d2663 100644
--- a/source/fab/tools/tool_repository.py
+++ b/source/fab/tools/tool_repository.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 from fab.tools.versioning import Fcm, Git, Subversion
 from fab.tools import (Ar, Cpp, CppFortran, Craycc, Crayftn,
                        Gcc, Gfortran, Icc, Icx, Ifort, Ifx,
-                       Nvc, Nvfortran, Psyclone, Rsync)
+                       Nvc, Nvfortran, Psyclone, Rsync, Shell)
 
 
 class ToolRepository(dict):
@@ -72,6 +72,13 @@ def __init__(self):
                     Ar, Fcm, Git, Psyclone, Rsync, Subversion]:
             self.add_tool(cls())
 
+        # Add the common shells. While Fab itself does not need this,
+        # it is a very convenient tool for user configuration (e.g. to
+        # query nc-config etc)
+        for shell_name in ["bash", "sh", "ksh", "dash"]:
+            self.add_tool(Shell(shell_name))
+            self.get_tool(Category.SHELL, shell_name)
+
         # Now create the potential mpif90 and Cray ftn wrapper
         all_fc = self[Category.FORTRAN_COMPILER][:]
         for fc in all_fc:
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/tools/test_shell.py b/tests/unit_tests/tools/test_shell.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..38ba8c71
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/tools/test_shell.py
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+##############################################################################
+# (c) Crown copyright Met Office. All rights reserved.
+# For further details please refer to the file COPYRIGHT
+# which you should have received as part of this distribution
+##############################################################################
+
+'''Tests the shell implementation.
+'''
+
+from unittest import mock
+
+from fab.tools import Category, Shell
+
+
+def test_shell_constructor():
+    '''Test the Shell constructor.'''
+    bash = Shell("bash")
+    assert bash.category == Category.SHELL
+    assert bash.name == "bash"
+    assert bash.exec_name == "bash"
+
+
+def test_shell_check_available():
+    '''Tests the is_available functionality.'''
+    bash = Shell("bash")
+    mock_result = mock.Mock(returncode=0)
+    with mock.patch('fab.tools.tool.subprocess.run',
+                    return_value=mock_result) as tool_run:
+        assert bash.check_available()
+    tool_run.assert_called_once_with(
+        ["bash", "-c", "echo hello"], capture_output=True, env=None,
+        cwd=None, check=False)
+
+    # Test behaviour if a runtime error happens:
+    with mock.patch("fab.tools.tool.Tool.run",
+                    side_effect=RuntimeError("")) as tool_run:
+        assert not bash.check_available()
+
+
+def test_shell_exec_single_arg():
+    '''Test running a shell script without additional parameters.'''
+    bash = Shell("ksh")
+    mock_result = mock.Mock(returncode=0)
+    with mock.patch('fab.tools.tool.subprocess.run',
+                    return_value=mock_result) as tool_run:
+        bash.exec("echo")
+    tool_run.assert_called_with(['ksh', '-c', 'echo'],
+                                capture_output=True, env=None, cwd=None,
+                                check=False)
+
+
+def test_shell_exec_multiple_args():
+    '''Test running a shell script with parameters.'''
+    bash = Shell("ksh")
+    mock_result = mock.Mock(returncode=0)
+    with mock.patch('fab.tools.tool.subprocess.run',
+                    return_value=mock_result) as tool_run:
+        bash.exec(["some", "shell", "function"])
+    tool_run.assert_called_with(['ksh', '-c', 'some', 'shell', 'function'],
+                                capture_output=True, env=None, cwd=None,
+                                check=False)