Severn Railway Bridge

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Severn Railway Bridge was a railway bridge in Gloucestershire that used to cross the tidal River Severn from Sharpness to Lydney. It was originally constructed by the Seven Bridge Railway company in the 1870s to allow coal to be transported from the Forest of Dean. Work began in 1875 and was completed in 1879. The bridge was 4,162 foot (1,268 m) long; and it was 70 foot (21.3 m) above high water.

On 25 October 1960, two barges carrying petroleum collided with one of the columns of the bridge in heavy fog, causing two spans of the twenty-two span steel and cast iron bridge to collapse. Part of the structure hit the barges, setting fire to them. Five people died in the incident; more damage occurred in February 1961. The bridge was considered at the time to be damaged beyond economic repair.

The bridge was eventually dismantled completely in 1965.

[edit] External links

• BBC Gloucestershire - The Severn Rail Bridge Disaster
• Severn Rail Bridge disaster
• Archive film of the demolition

[edit] References

• Awdry, Christopher, (1990). Encylopaedia of British Railway Companies. London: Guild Publishing.
• Huxley R., (1984). The Rise & Fall of the Severn Bridge Railway 1872-1970. Gloucestershire: Alan Sutton & Glos. County Library. ISBN 0-86299-120-X.