severn bridge railway
lydney (severn & wye & severn bridge joint railway). | the national archives
sharpness railway station photo. berkeley - severn bridge. severn & wye rly. (12
lydney town railway station photo. severn bridge - whitecroft. severn & wye (11 )
sharpness railway station photo. berkeley - severn bridge. severn & wye rly. (13
lydney town railway station photo. severn bridge - whitecroft. severn & wye (8 )
lydney town railway station photo. severn bridge - whitecroft. severn & wye (10 )
lydney town railway station photo. severn bridge - whitecroft. severn & wye (3 )
lydney town railway station photo. severn bridge - whitecroft. severn & wye (2 )
sharpness railway station photo. berkeley - severn bridge. severn & wye rly. (10
lydney town railway station photo. severn bridge - whitecroft. severn & wye (7 )
lydney town railway station photo. severn bridge - whitecroft. severn & wye (4 )
lydney town railway station photo. severn bridge - whitecroft. severn & wye (5 )
demolition of the severn railway bridge in 1967 with the redundant aust ferry severn king assisting .
lydney town railway station photo. severn bridge - whit... lydney town railway station photo. severn bridge - whit ...
sharpness railway station photo. berkeley - severn bridge. severn & wye rly. (1 )
sharpness railway station photo. berkeley - severn bridge. severn & wye rly. (3 )
sharpness railway station photo. berkeley - severn bridge. severn & wye rly. (9 )
severn bridge railway station photo. lydney - sharpness. severn & wye rly. (3 )
severn bridge railway station photo. lydney - sharpness. severn & wye rly. (2 )
severn bridge railway station photo. lydney - sharpness. severn & wye rly. (5 )
sharpness railway station photo. berkeley - severn bridge. severn & wye rly. (7 )
severn bridge railway station photo. lydney - sharpness. severn & wye rly. (4 )
sharpness railway station photo. berkeley - severn bridge. severn & wye rly. (2 )
lydney town railway station photo. severn bridge - whitecroft. severn & wye. (1 )
severn bridge railway station photo. lydney - sharpness. severn & wye rly. (7 )
severn bridge railway station photo. lydney - sharpness. severn & wye rly. (8 )
severn bridge railway station photo. lydney - sharpness. severn & wye rly. (6 )
sharpness railway station photo. berkeley - severn bridge. severn & wye rly. (6 )
sharpness railway station photo. berkeley - severn bridge. severn & wye rly. (4 )
severn bridge railway station photo. lydney - sharpness. severn & wye rly. (1 )
sharpness railway station photo. berkeley - severn bridge. severn & wye rly. (8 )
sharpness railway station photo. berkeley - severn bridge. severn & wye rly. (5 )
great western and midland railways, severn and wye and severn bridge joint railway... .
incorporated as lydney & lidbrook railway company under lydney & lidbrook railway act of 10th june 1809. company changed its name to severn & wye railway & canal company under severn & wye railway act of 21st june 1810. company was amalgamated with severn bridge railway company to form severn & wye & severn bridge railway company under severn & wye & severn bridge railways act of 21st july 1879 .
lydney town railway station photo. severn bridge - whitecroft. severn & wye (5) | ebay
1939 and three tanker barges overturned in the river severn off sharpness and collided with the severn railway bridge .
shropshire albert edward bridge. coalbrookdale railway over the severn 1865. illustrated london news
§ clxiii. an act to provide for the amalgamation of the severn and wye railway and canal company and the severn bridge railway company .
great western and midland railways, severn and wye and severn bridge joint railway... . | the national archives
south wales railway. chepstow tubular suspension bridge. severn confluence 1852. the illustrated london news
old wooden and wrought iron footbridge that crosses the railway line in the railway station, severn valley railway, bridnorth .
british railway history in colour. volume 2: forest of dean lines and the severn bridge .
the severn bridge was built as a railway bridge to create a shorter through route to avoid having to go through gloucester. this title presents an illustrated history of the severn bridge 1872 - 1970 .
the albert edward bridge is a railway bridge spanning the river severn at coalbrookdale in shropshire, england. opened on 1 november 1864, its design is almost identical to victoria bridge which carries the severn valley railway over the river severn between arley and bewdley in worcestershire .
incorporated under severn & wye & severn bridge railway act 21st july 1879, being an amalgamation of severn & wye railway & canal company and severn bridge railway company. this company was vested in great western railway company and midland railway company jointly as from 1st july 1894 by great western and midland railway companies' (severn & wye & severn bridge railway) act 17th august 1894. midland railway company was amalgamated into london midland and scottish railway as from 1st january 1923 under north western midland and west scottish group amalgamation scheme 30th december 1922. london midland and scottish, and great western railways joint committee (severn & wye & severn bridge railway) was vested in british transport commission under the transport act 1947 .
two tanker barges laden with highly volatile oil products hit the severn railway bridge... . .
two spans of the severn railway bridge collapsed after the boats hit pier 17 of the bridge. (photo: the chris witts collection )
a dozen other heritage railways pledged to help the stricken svr, including mid hants railway, gloucestershire warwickshire railway, west somerset railway, avon valley railway, dean forest railway, great central railway, north yorkshire moors railway and bluebell railway .
just upstream at sharpness was the old severn railway bridge (which was partially destroyed in an accident in 1960), so realistically the severn bridge was second there too ...
on approach to the site of severn bridge station, this view of the bridge clearly shows the missing spans .
new project: victoria bridge
ready to run
in brass as seen on the severn valley railway .
taken from severn bridge disaster by chris witts, published by river severn publications and available for 4. 95 from urltoken
but no further action was take, with rail becoming the dominant form of transport, and a severn railway bridge and then a severn tunnel opening .
great western and midland railways, severn and wye and severn bridge joint railway. lydney harbour, docks and canal: dues, bye laws etc .
the severn bridge railway, from lydney junction to sharpness and berkeley road (part of the midland railway), taken over by the severn and wye railway and subsequently jointly run by the gwr and the mr .
the bridge was also known as haynes memorial bridge. the bridge became unsafe and was dismantled to make way for the new jackfield bridge. (no
severn bridge tunnel on s & w; & sbr; line to lydney .
fifty years ago the severn bridge opened bringing shorter journeys between wales and england .
grade ii listed the old severn bridge hotel, located in purton, lydney .
this latter company was vested in great western railway company and midland railway company jointly as from 1st july 1894 by great western and midland railway companies (severn & wye & severn bridge railway) act 17th august 1894. midland railway company was amalgamated into london midland and scottish railway company as from 1st january 1923 under north western midland & west scottish group amalgamation scheme 30th december 1922. london midland and scottish railway and great western railway joint committee (severn & wye & severn bridge railway) was vested in british transport commission under the transport act 1947 .
fifty years after the severn railway bridge disaster, a new theory has emerged which could explain exactly why it happened .
the iron for the bridge came from the hamilton windsor iron works and funding for the project came from, inter alia, the midland railway and the gloucester & berkeley canal. the severn bridge railway and the severn & wye railway & canal co were merged pursuant to an act of 21 july 1879 to form the severn & wye & severn bridge joint railway and the line from sharpness to lydney town opened on 17 october 1879 .
the severn & wye railway opened cinderford new station on july 2, 1900, the first train being an excursion to weston - super - mare via parkend, lydney and the severn railway bridge .
the severn bridge railway was promoted jointly by the midland railway and the severn & wye railway. authorised in parliament on 18 july 1872, the railway was intended to facilitate the movement of coal from the forest of dean coalfield to the newly enlarged docks at sharpness .
( 5703 / 22) - so673028 - swing bridge carrying the s & w and severn bridge joint railway over the gloucester and sharpness canal at sharpness docks .
( 5703 / 17) - so672018 - so675027 - branch of the joint severn and wye and severn bridge railway serving sharpness (new) docks (smr 15588) .
c / i m & gn railway bridge plate
70
. restored condition
sharpness' s old, abandoned railway swing bridge crossing the gloucester sharpness canal .
( 5703 / 21) - so674028 - viaduct on the sharpness branch of the s & w and severn bridge joint railway .
the historic great western railway clock which keeps time at the severn bridge junction signal box in shrewsbury stopped working two years ago .
severn valley railway memories, christopher magner (1997) pp. 25 - 26 .
a petrol tanker collides with the severn railway bridge killing five people and demolishing two spans of the bridge. this effectively spells the end for the remaining passenger services out of lydney and the bridge is demolished by 1970 .
an act of 1872 authorised the building of the severn bridge railway, which was to run from lydney junction, crossing the severn by a bridge from purton to sharpness and join the midland railway' s bristol and gloucester line at berkeley road. at the opening of the railway in 1879 it was amalgamated with the severn and wye railway and in 1894 the combined railway passed into the joint control of the gwr and mr. the line between lydney town and severn bridge station was closed in 1964. (3710 )
new project: victoria bridge
ready to run
in brass as seen on the severn valley railway. - lh loveless & co
bridge no. 2, l & msr lanc. union line: carr mill bridge .
( 5703 / 18) - so673028 - swing bridge carrying the s & w and severn bridge joint railway over the gloucester and sharpness canal (smr 111157) at sharpness docks .
the rise and fall of the severn bridge railway 1872 - 1970 and over 2 million other books are available for amazon kindle. learn more
vertical high level aerial view of severn & sharpness railway bridge taken by raf in 1946. (863) (pers comm s brown )
floated back down river, striking a column on the partly demolished severn railway bridge with some force, and then grounding on lydney sands .
the historic severn bridge junction signal box is the largest mechanical signal box in the world and sits to the south of the railway station .
forest of dean railway company - the bullo pill and forest of dean railway .
1960 when two tanker barges collided with the severn railway bridge. the two barges had arrived off sharpness when thick fog descended. trying to get into the port the fast current of the severn swept them into the bridge and disaster struck .
after the corrosion problem discovered in the us, the english department for transport (dft) started to inspect its own three parallel strand bridges, the forth road bridge, the severn bridge and the humber bridge. initial inspections were carried out on the forth road bridge near edinburgh in 2004, followed by inspections of the severn bridge in 2006, and the younger humber bridge in 2009 .
the severn bridge railway - sharpness this relic is difficult to access and requires some climbing over fences and crawling through undergrowth. however, all worth it for the exact view the only ever railway line to cross the river severn took .
an act for taking down and rebuilding the bridge across the river severn at gloucester, called the westgate bridge, and for opening convenient avenues thereto .
around this time, plans were discussed to build a bridge across the severn between england and wales .
§ xxxii. an act to authorise an extension of time to the severn bridge and forest of dean central railway company for completing their undertaking .
( 5703 / 8) - so699999 - bridge over a cutting through the railway embankment .
( 5703 / 9) - so697999 - bridge over a cutting through the railway embankment .
( 5703 / 10) - so691001 - bridge over a cutting through the railway embankment .
( 5703 / 15) - so682004 - bridge over a cutting through the railway embankment .
( 5703 / 25) - so667042 - bridge over a cutting through the railway embankment .
( 5703 / 27) - so654032 - bridge over a cutting through the railway embankment .
( 5703 / 28) - so654030 - bridge over a cutting through the railway embankment .
( 5703 / 29) - so643023 - bridge over a cutting through the railway embankment .
however, because government funding was prioritised for the similar forth road bridge, opened in 1964, construction of the severn bridge was not started until 1961 .
plans are currently underway to mark the 50th anniversary of the severn and wye railway bridge disaster in the mass ringing of church bells the county over .
the severn bridge railway company commenced construction of the severn railway bridge by the laying of a foundation stone on the lydney side of the river in 1875. the engineer was g. w. keeling and the iron and steelwork was supplied by hamiltons windsor iron works at their garston foundry, liverpool .
however the rapid expansion of the railways over the next few decades ensured that the plan was shelved, especially with the opening of the severn railway bridge at sharpness in 1879 and the severn tunnel in 1886 .
the gwr opens the severn tunnel and promptly starts undercutting the severn bridge rates, forcing the s & w to use canvassers to obtain trade and check traffic routing .
a purton man, mr w h tudor, was duty signalman that evening on the severn railway bridge when he felt vibrations through the bridge. this, he assumed, must have been as the barges struck the columns of the bridge with such force .
sowden, phil (2012). severn valley railway recollections, the story of the big flood .
the severn bridge railway provided a link from the gloucester - bristol railway south of the severn, from berkeley road to sharpness canal docks and thence across the severn to lydney junction. it opened in 1879 and amalgamated the same year with the severn and wye railway (smr 5702). the line, which carried both passengers and freight had an intermediate station (
severn bridge
) near purton, which closed in 1960 after an oil barge collided with the bridge, bringing down two of its spans. the remaining spans were demolished in 1967 / 70. (79 )
now that there are two road bridges spanning the river severn it is very easy to forget that the first river crossing over the severn estuary was in fact a railway bridge and that passenger services over that bridge ceased exactly 55 years ago — on 26 october 1960 .
he proposed to build the crossing at around the same place as the one used eventually by the severn bridge .
half a century on from an infamous foggy night in gloucestershire we look back at the severn rail bridge disaster .
( 5703 / 20) - so677028 - 672028 - branch of the joint severn and wye and severn bridge railway serving sharpness (new) docks (for full details of the railway connections at sharpness, see the 1st - 3rd county series os maps) .
telford steam railway want to extend into ironbridge using the town' s former railway lines .
sales of railway books and novels from the railway coach next to the refreshment room building .
a ion of three small railway badges. 1. l & y railway service b12906. 2. lms railway service 55312. 3. lms railway temperance union j perry 1935 .
. the route encompassed two railways, the tenbury railway and the tenbury & bewdley railway .
former bridge of the tewkesbury and malvern railway which was part of the midland railway. the currently closed line ran from great malvern to tewkesbury .
following the second world war, plans were set in motion for a national set of trunk roads of which a severn bridge crossing would be part. a contract was agreed with ‘freeman fox and partners’ and ‘mott hay and anderson’. bristol university hosted a public enquiry into the severn bridge proposals in 1946. unfortunately the severn bridge had to take second place in priority to the ‘forth road bridge’ in scotland which was opened in 1964 and construction on the severn bridge did not start until1961. in 1962 the uk government decided that construction costs would be recovered by vehicles paying a toll of two shillings and six pence (12. 5p in today’s decimal money). walking and cycling across the severn bridge would be free. ‘associated british builders ltd’, (a joint enterprise involving ‘dorman long’, ‘cleveland bridge & engineering company’ and ‘sir william arrol and co’), were awarded the contract to build the superstructure in 1963 and the severn bridge was finally completed in 1966. starting in england and working towards wales, the severn bridge itself comprises four structures, ‘aust viaduct’, ‘the severn bridge’, ‘beachley viaduct’, and ‘wyes bridge’. both aust viaduct and the severn bridge were granted grade 1 listed status in 1999. beachley viaduct and wye bridge had already been given grade 2 status in 1998. in 1968 the severn bridge received a civic trust award .
1875 - 9 manufactured the castings and wrought iron structures for the severn railway bridge, and erected the bridge. george earle was the site manager. at the end of the project, he was presented with a watch, inscribed: presented to george earle, by the directors of the severn bridge railway company in recognition of his zeal and ability and uniform cheerfulness in carrying out the work of the severn bridge, under exceptional difficulties for the hamiltons windsor iron works co. [ 4 ]
1903: the south wales and bristol direct railway from wootton bassett to link up with the severn tunnel .
talking of which, i reckon the wye bridge is the most overlooked major bridge in britain. if it was anywhere else other than joined at the hip to the severn bridge, it would be a well - known landmark. as it is, people cross it with eyes only for the majestic severn bridge, missing its slender lines .
however, you can cycle over the old severn bridge for free as it forms part of the national cycling network .
the coleford branch is authorised. with the gwr also planning a line to coleford from monmouth, the race is on! the severn bridge railway is also authorised .
( 5703 / 23) - so678033 - 669042 - severn railway bridge, designed by w keeling and gw owen, opened 1879. (3481) (3710 )
the memorial to the severn bridge disaster on the lydney bank of the river severn. david drew (on the left) and paul barnett remove the cover and reveal the stone .
the old great western railway shakes, the old great western railway spins - the old great western railway makes me very sorry for my sins .
art. 24, sch. 6. c. ccxii west midland and severn valley [ railway ] companies .
in 1810, the severn and wye railway and canal company began construction of a tramway and the lydney canal .
the active pilning and severn beach local history group makes sure severn beach’s vibrant past is preserved and shared with the next generation .
when boating through the trent - severn waterway the minimum overhead fixed bridge clearance is 6. 7 m (22' )
the bridge or viaduct lasted in use for 90 years. it was built in 1870. on 25 october 1960 it was hit by two petroleum barges and two spans collapsed. further damage followed in 1961 and the severn railway bridge was subsequently demolished. the pier for the centre of the swing bridge over the canal survives. the bridge provided a diversionary route for trains when the severn tunnel was closed for maintenance work
c / i ffestinog railway oval wagon plate .
festiniog railway no 37
. restored condition .
the severn railway bridge was a crossing over the river severn between sharpness and lydney. it was badly damaged in an accident involving two river tankers on the foggy night of 25th oct 1960 and was later demolished. the remains of the aust ferry, the mv severn king, can be seen where it struck the remains of the bridge when it lost its moorings .
engineered by george william keeling and george wells owen, the four - mile severn bridge railway formed a junction with the severn & wye and south wales railways at lydney, then disappeared into a tunnel of 506 yards before climbing onto the bridge to cross the water. at the east side, it joined a branch of the midland railway at sharpness docks .
the severn and wye railway was struggling at this time, and quick construction of the bridge might have staved off bankruptcy for a few more years. as it was, the company rapidly found itself saddled with the even more impoverished severn bridge railway, which came with the sort of astronomical maintenance costs which can be expected from half - mile long bridges. the result was that the severn and wye railway began looking for buyers; after some blackmail, the midland railway took over the southern end and the severn bridge, and the great western railway took over the section to the north of parkend. this mixed ownership lead to the railway network retaining an individual flavour until it became part of the new british railways (western region) in january 1948 .
as both bridge and the tunnel carried the majority of traffic across the severn, there was little demand for an alternative crossing .
in 1868 the severn and wye railway decided to construct a broad gauge railway from lydney to parkend. it opened in april 1869, marking the end of the company’s narrow gauge era. the s & w went on to merge with the severn bridge railway in 1885. in 1894 the line, by then converted to standard gauge, was sold and run jointly by the midland railway and the gwr .
work had begun two years later in 1875 on the construction of the severn railway bridge which crossed the river a little upstream of lydney and sharpness. there was to be a lot of jealousy during the period of construction between both the tunnel and bridge companies until the bridge was finally opened in 1879 .
funding from central government was eventually given to the similar forth road bridge, which was opened in 1964, but the severn bridge eventually got the go - ahead with construction starting in 1961 .
the severn railway bridge was finally demolished in 1967, the iron girders being sold to chile for a road carrying viaduct. all that remains today is the circular stone structure of the swing bridge on the side of the gloucester and sharpness canal .
significant events in the history of the severn valley railway in preservation between 2010 and the present date are set out below .
§ lxix. an act to authorise the east norfolk railway company to make certain deviations in the line of their aylsham extension railway, to extend that railway to the dereham, fakenham, and wells railway of the great eastern railway company; and for other purposes .
in october 2010 two memorials were unveiled to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the severn railway bridge disaster. one is situated at lydney docks and the other (pictured) is at purton .
it is also closed to traffic once a year to allow 2, 500 people to take part in the severn bridge half marathon .
after the second world war, plans began to be made for a nationally funded network of trunk roads, including a severn bridge .
but a year later, the bridge was opened and the renamed severn bridge sports and social club has since become a focal point for many in wales as well as some on the english side .
for much of its working life the severn valley line was operated by the great western railway and subsequently the western region of british railways. today the severn valley railway operates as a heritage railway. services began in 1970 from bridgnorth to hampton loade, extending to bewdley in 1974 and kidderminster in 1984 .
2010 marked the severn valley railway' s 40th anniversary since opening in 1970 and the 175th anniversary of the formation of the great western railway. 2015 marks the 50th anniversary since the birth of the severn valley railway on 6 july 1965. special events were staged during both years to mark these anniversaries .
the origins of the bridge at sharpness lie in the early 19th century. the severn & wye railway was authorised by parliament on 10 june 1809 as the lydney & lidbrook railway. the following year, on 12 june, a change of title to the severn & wye railway & canal co was authorised. construction of the lydney canal and the associated plateway commenced .
the bridge was never repaired and was finally demolished in 1969. several pictures of the bridge in its prime can be seen on
§ clv. an act to give to the north british railway company a joint interest with the caledonian railway company in the dundee and arbroath railway and part of the arbroath and forfar railway; and for other purposes .
the dean forest mines act of 1838 changed working practices in the forest. the severn and wye company came under pressure to improve the tramway service. at the same time the rival forest of dean railway company planned to construct a line to the severn. the plan was dropped after the severn and wye railway contested it .
the' main line' ran from sharpness across the severn railway bridge to cinderford where trains reversed to continue to lydbrook junction on the gwr line from ross - on - wye to monmouth .
an unusual visitor to severn beach on the 14th april 1982. the leyland railbus awaits its return working at severn beach. copyright roger winnen .
follow the jubilee way from old sodbury to the severn bridge on this delightful walk. the path heads towards thornbury before entering the severn vale and passing through hay wood. you then follow the severn estuary to the finish point at the landmark bridge. the cotswold hills provide a splendid backdrop for much of the walk. view full details > >
an act for building a bridge over the river severn, at or near holt fleet, in the parishes of holt and ombersley in the county of worcester; and for making approaches to such bridge .
the loss of the severn railway bridge as a transport infrastructure meant that schoolchildren who had previously attended lydney grammar from sharpness and its environs in the short term had a long rail detour via gloucester and were eventually moved to other schools in south west gloucestershire. and although the gas main along the bridge did not catch fire and was soon isolated, households in lydney had to be supplied with temporary portable gas supplies until a new pipe could be built under the severn. from a financial perspective, british railway’s accountants deemed the severn railway bridge to be cheaper to demolish than repair – a belief strengthened when the capsized tanker “bp explorer” hit another bridge support in february 1961. as a result, the 1879 bridge
one bridge that does not survive is the severn railway bridge at sharpness. for on the night of the 25th october 1960 two tanker barges were swept into it whilst bound for sharpness in thick fog. two spans dropped onto the barges which subsequently caused the cargo of petrol to ignite, setting the river severn ablaze. five men
ridgway, c. r. p. (1980) .
the severn valley railway - locomotive maintenance at bridgnorth
.
this was an incident which would be always be remembered as the severn bridge disaster in which two tanker barges and five men were lost .
a unit from severn beach approaches doctor day' s bridge en route to bristol temple meads on the 27th october 1984. copyright roger winnen
excellent service and a most interesting book that charts the rise of teh severn and wye railway bridge over the severn and its demise. ironic that there are now moves a foot to build a new bridge on the spot, when the old one could have been repaired for £325k. a worthwhile read about one of the country' s earliest railway bridges and yet a lesser known company .
1846 extensions were authorised which ultimately linked the south wales railway and the gloucester and dean forest railway at awre .
the gwr worked the marlborough railway and the berks and hants extension railway and formally took them over in 1892 .
and the west midland railway (wmr). working of traffic on the tenbury railway was taken over by the
although there had been a ferry across the severn at roughly the point where the bridge would be built since at least roman times, a steam ferry service closed with the opening of the severn tunnel in 1886 .
severn beach was a farm before the railway came in 1901. the nearby new passage ferry had plied the river for centuries and it was updated by the south wales union railway, which arrived in 1863 bringing construction workers and railway staff to the village. great western railway built the severn tunnel under the river and when it opened in 1886 the ferry line stopped running .
the severn bridge railway was more than once linked with that of its contemporary, the first tay bridge: but whereas the tay failed structially and quickly, the subject of this book failed commercially and protractedly. the severn bridge lasted for eighty years until 1960 when two drifting barges administered the fatal blow. ron huxley creates a detailed account of the construction, use and passing of one of the greatest bridges of its day, documented by illustrations throughout the book. the severn bridge was built as a railway bridge to create a shorter through route to avoid having to go through gloucester. this book was originally published in 1984 and has long been out of print .
in 1938 three tanker barges severn traveller, severn pioneer and severn carrier became entangled and sank; several men were drowned. in 1961, when the bridge was no longer in use the tanker bp explorer capsized and drifted into one of the remaining piers with the loss of all hands .
on 25 october 1960 the severn railway bridge was hit and partially destroyed by two tanker barges - the wastdale h and the arkendale h. one of the boats was full of petrol which exploded, setting the river severn ablaze. (photo: the chris witts collection )
like you, the m48 is my bridge of choice across the severn. since 1996 i have been able to enjoy the crossing without having to deal with legions of traffic which now uses the new bridge .
that' s typical of our business in the last six months as since the government was announced they are reducing the bridge tolls, 80% of my buyers have come from over the severn bridge .
running from bridgnorth to kidderminster, the severn valley railway is one of the most charming journeys in the uk, and the best way to soak up the untouched beauty of the river severn and wyre forest .
directions to severn bridge from places in south west using train click to get updated timetables, live arrivals and step - by - step directions .
from 1797. the bullo pill ran from the place of that name on the river severn to cinderford bridge and was built without parliamentary sanction .
severn & sharpness bridge, originally the third longest in britain, built 1879, damaged in 1960 and demolished 1967 - 1969. (862 )
formal opening: the queen unveils a plaque to commemorate the official opening of the severn bridge on the chepstow bank on thursday, september 8 and insert how the lydney observer recorded the opening of the new bridge .
§ cxlviii. an act to authorise the bridport railway company to make a new railway; and for other purposes .
the modest fan - style timber bridge across the sonning cutting, east of reading in berkshire on brunel' s great western railway, pictured in 1862. the railway opened in 1840 .
for the time being, brunel abandoned his ideas for timber crossings on the severn and went
the long way round
through gloucester. he later considered a wrought iron single span alternative for the severn crossing when contemplating designs for the river tamar bridge at saltash in cornwall. his sketch is headed
severn bridge. q: is 1, 100ft practicable ?
in many ways one of the greatest engineering achievements of the victorian era, the severn railway bridge spanned the river severn at sharpness from 1874 until 1960. it was a single track construction, built to carry forest of dean coal to sharpness docks for export, and provide access to the midland railway on the east bank of the river .
the response of the severn and wye railway was to build the severn and wye mineral loop. leaving the severn and wye at tufts junction, on todays dean forest railway south of whitecroft, it headed northwards past mallards pike to rejoin the severn and wye at drybrook road station, near cinderford. trains which ran up the entire loop would ultimately end up facing back towards lydney, due to the design of the junctions .
the old severn bridge (‘pont hafren’ in welsh), is an iconic image which touches the hearts of the population of south wales. whenever the welsh see the severn bridge in the distance on their way back from england, on the motorway they know that they are only a short distance from the gateway to home. and whilst they cross over they see wales stretching forth beyond. the severn bridge crossing spans the england and chepstow in south wales via the river wye and the river severn (‘hafren’ in welsh). it does so via beachley, the peninsula between the two rivers in gloucestershire. the old severn bridge cost £8 million, to build and was opened by the queen on september 8 th 1966. soon after it was opened an anglo welsh poet harri webb wrote an ‘ode to the severn bridge’
when the queen opened the original severn bridge on 8 september 1966, she heralded it as the dawn of a new economic era for south wales .
it was not until after world war two that a network of trunk roads was proposed, one of which included the bridge over the river severn .
the severn railway bridge opened in 1879 and continued in use until the tragic night of october 25th 1960. two barges carrying oil and petrol struck the bridge in fog and became jammed against it. suddenly, two spans of the bridge collapsed onto the barges which burst into flames. 5 men lost their lives. you can read more of the story
the railway train toilet roll holder is designed for wall mounting and is supplied with a removable turned wooden turned toilet roll insert. railway station toilet roll holder. great western railway .
in the meantime a severn railway bridge was built at sharpness in 1879 and the severn tunnel was competed in 1886. the idea of a severn bridge to carry foot and road traffic had become redundant. by the 1920s however road use was growing significantly and chepstow urban district council called a meeting of neighbouring local authorities to consider ideas for a severn bridge river crossing. it was intended to avoid the traffic congestion which was by then affecting chepstow and was causing tail backs on the a48. in 1935 monmouth and gloucestershire county councils tried to get a bill placed before parliament to obtain powers to construct a severn bridge further down the estuary with three quarters of the costs being borne by the by the ministry of transport. but the influential great western railway company opposed the bill and it was lost .
the bridge opened for traffic in 1879 by which time the severn bridge railway had amalgamated with the severn & wye railway. the company was not a financial success, being hit particularly hard by the opening of the gwr’s severn tunnel in 1886. in 1894 the line was sold jointly to the great western and midland railways. the bridge was important to the local communities on either side of the river and also performed a useful role as a diversionary route when the severn tunnel was closed for maintenance. during the 1950s the western region of british railways investigated the possibility of modernising the bridge to allow it to carry heavier locomotives, thus increasing it’s usefulness as a diversionary route. the contract to refurbish and strengthen the bridge was awarded to the fairfield shipbuilding & engineering company and work commenced in 1960 .
1851 the south wales railway opened between gloucester and chepstow. conversion of the forest of dean railway to broad gauge began .
for the svr would be a better choice to extend toward stourport on severn .
a double track, brick lined tunnel with long approach cuttings and carrying the trains under the estuary of the river severn between pilning and the severn tunnel junction .
by the time the train reached sharpness, the bridge was no longer intact. the two tankers, dragging several hundred feet of railway line were brought to a halt on a sandbank just above the bridge .
severn bridge station was on the eastern edge of the former railway bridge across the river severn; its other end was at sharpness. originally opened in the 1870s, the bridge was damaged in 1960 when a couple of barges collided with one of the columns and was eventually demolished by the end of the 60s. the station was pretty much left to rot and is now used by a farmer. lydney tunnel is just to the west .
the timber queen post truss viaduct was an economic bridge for the glen innes to wallangarra railway at a time when the boom years of the 1880s was ending and funding for railway construction was decreasing .
estate agents in south monmouthshire claim about 80% of home buyers are now coming from the bristol area ready for the halving of the severn bridge tolls .
once over the river bridge take the north or south quays for a leisurely walk along the banks of the river severn and out into the worcestershire countryside .
further on came another pause to view the remains of the old aust ferry terminal which finally stopped running in 1966 when the original severn bridge was opened .
the earthworks of railway embankments and cuttings that formed part of the severn bridge railway are visible on aerial photographs. the line can be traced from so 6969 2000 north west to sharpness. after crossing the severn the line heads south west to the edge of so 60 se at so 6500 0266. { source works 4249, 7549, 6879 and 6880. }
a german expert directs operations with the aid of a walkie - talkie as a sling is fixed on a section of the old severn railway bridge, which is being demolished. badly damaged during an major incident in 1960, the bridge has reached the end of it' s working life .
c / i bridge notice
shropshire union railway and canal company ltd - notice - this bridge is insufficient to carry weights beyond the ordinary traffic of the district - by order. as removed. as removed .
the railway still eyed what traffic the ferry services ran and in 1924, the great western railway started to take cars on railway wagons through the tunnel between pilning and severn tunnel junction as an alternative to the aust ferry. with its erratic timetable determined by the tides, or the long road journey via gloucester, this was seen as a more reliable service. the service continued until the opening of the severn bridge in 1966 .
§ xv. an act for the abandonment of the railway authorised by the brewood and wolverhampton railway acts, 1874 and 1876 .
continuing northwards, the trackbed remains in place although no track is laid. shortly before dowles bridge, the level of the tenbury and bewdley railway falls below that of the severn valley railway. a retaining wall was built between the two lines, now referred to as the tenbury wall .
but before the severn bridge was opened in 1966, if you were driving, the quickest way to cross the river from england to wales was by ferry .
it crosses the river severn and river wye, sort of between newport and bristol .
where there' s lovely trails through the avon gorge and along the river severn .
a severn beach unit leaves lawrence hill for bristol. 11th november 1978 copyright roger winnen
timetable for the pilning low level to severn beach is included in table 78 above .
the severn to the opposite bank, tonks increased his speed. as he passed the
- covers the river severn, the g & s canal and the bristol channel .
a bend in the canal turned and there standing sentinel stood the remains of the bridge. but first the story of the bridge and its shocking demise :
severn partnership were commissioned to undertake a 3d laser scan of a railway bridge in wales. the client wanted to produce a 3d model of the structure, including all visible structural elements (bearing plates), topography and tracks .
§ xvi. an act to extend the time for the purchase of lands for, and for the construction of, the forth bridge railway .
in 1977 severn bridge traffic in each direction had to be restricted to single lanes for several months when it was discovered that weaknesses had appeared in the structure. the bridge was resurfaced and further strengthened in the late 1980s owing to the ever increasing burden of heavy traffic. the severn bridge deck and towers were reinforced and at the same time ‘wye bridge’ also benefitted from replacement of its original single stays with a new arrangement of two stays and towers which were themselves extended. . the new open design of the new stays is intended for ease of maintenance. most of the severn bridge reinforcement work is concealed in its own towers and deck box, so few of the changes are visible. the new severn bridge surfacing is a 1. 4 inch thick coating of mastic asphalt laid on an acrylic waterproofing membrane .
railway heraldry. the coat of arms of the great western railway combines the crests of the city of london and of bristol respectively .
post - medieval railway, known as the south wales railway, worked by and later absorbed by the gwr. opened in 1851 .
when it was opened by the queen, 50 years ago today, september 8, the severn bridge was hailed as one of the engineering wonders of the world .
an act for building a bridge over the river severn, at or near the haw passage, in the county of gloucester, and for making convenient roads thereto .
severn and wye railway (disused), from lydney to lydbrook, with docks branch and a mineral loop. (cookson terrace has lbii status) .
one pier and two spans [ each span about 170 ] of single track. 75 mile long railway bridge destroyed by impact and collapse. a 12 inch diameter gas main situated alongside the railway track and supplying the forest of dean area was broken away for the distance of the bridge damage .
our aim is to reopen the sharpness branch line, in gloucestershire, to passengers as a heritage railway tourist attraction, rebuilding some of the key structures that once adorned this historical joint gwr & lms severn & wye railway .
§ clxxxvii. an act to authorise the cork and bandon railway company to purchase the undertakings of the cork and kinsale junction railway company and of the west cork railway company, and to acquire certain rights belonging to the hen valley railway company; and for other purposes .
bridge, the new st. lawrence, 63, 286, 306, 374
the severn bridge railway was a railway company which constructed a railway from lydney to sharpness in gloucestershire , england . it was intended chiefly to give access for minerals in the forest of dean to sharpness docks , and the company built a long bridge , 1.387 yards in length , over the river severn . the line opened in 1879 . on opening the company entered a partnership with the severn and wye railway ; the sharpness branch of the midland railway was transferred into the group , the combined network forming the severn & wye and severn bridge railway . the severn bridge railway and the former midland railway branch formed the " bridge " section of the s&wjr ; the former severn and wye railway formed the " forest " section . the line was never profitable , being dependent on the colliery activity in the forest of dean , and the huge construction cost of the bridge meant that there were heavy , and unaffordable , interest charges , and the s&w&sbr company went into receivership . it was purchased by the midland railway and the great western railway jointly , and became known as the severn and wye joint railway . when the great western railway constructed the badminton line , shortening its route from london to south wales . a south-to-west connection was made , the berkeley road loop , giving direct access from the south to sharpness from 1908 . in 1960 two out-of-control petrol barges in the severn struck a pier of the severn bridge and brought it down , severing the line . after much deliberation the decision was taken to close the line permanently and to demolish the severn bridge . the stub from berkeley road to sharpness remains in occasional use in connection with nuclear traffic . 
the severn bridge railway was a railway company which constructed a railway from lydney to sharpness in gloucestershire, england. it was intended chiefly to give access for minerals in the forest of dean to sharpness docks, and the company built a long bridge, 1.387 yards in length, over the river severn. the line opened in 1879. on opening the company entered a partnership with the severn and wye railway; the sharpness branch of the midland railway was transferred into the group, the combined network forming the severn & wye and severn bridge railway. the severn bridge railway and the former midland railway branch formed the " bridge " section of the s&wjr; the former severn and wye railway formed the " forest " section. the line was never profitable, being dependent on the colliery activity in the forest of dean, and the huge construction cost of the bridge meant that there were heavy, and unaffordable, interest charges, and the s&w&sbr company went into receivership. it was purchased by the midland railway and the great western railway jointly, and became known as the severn and wye joint railway. when the great western railway constructed the badminton line, shortening its route from london to south wales. a south-to-west connection was made, the berkeley road loop, giving direct access from the south to sharpness from 1908. in 1960 two out-of-control petrol barges in the severn struck a pier of the severn bridge and brought it down, severing the line. after much deliberation the decision was taken to close the line permanently and to demolish the severn bridge. the stub from berkeley road to sharpness remains in occasional use in connection with nuclear traffic.
the severn bridge railway was a railway company which constructed a railway from lydney to sharpness in gloucestershire, england. it was intended chiefly to give access for minerals in the forest of dean to sharpness docks, and the company built a long bridge, 1.387 yards in length, over the river severn. the line opened in 1879. on opening the company entered a partnership with the severn and wye railway; the sharpness branch of the midland railway was transferred into the group, the combined network forming the severn & wye and severn bridge railway. the severn bridge railway and the former midland railway branch formed the " bridge " section of the s&wjr; the former severn and wye railway formed the " forest " section. the line was never profitable, being dependent on the colliery activity in the forest of dean, and the huge construction cost of the bridge meant that there were heavy, and unaffordable, interest charges, and the s&w&sbr company went into receivership. it was purchased by the midland railway and the great western railway jointly, and became known as the severn and wye joint railway. when the great western railway constructed the badminton line, shortening its route from london to south wales. a south-to-west connection was made, the berkeley road loop, giving direct access from the south to sharpness from 1908. in 1960 two out-of-control petrol barges in the severn struck a pier of the severn bridge and brought it down, severing the line. after much deliberation the decision was taken to close the line permanently and to demolish the severn bridge. the stub from berkeley road to sharpness remains in occasional use in connection with nuclear traffic.