Severn Railway Bridges

Travelling up the River Severn from the Bristol Channel, we don't find a railway bridge until we are near Gloucester. During this journey we would not have noticed the most southerly railway crossing, which is a tunnel near the new cable-stayed bridge.

This bridge actually passes over the tunnel near its eastern end. At one time there was a railway bridge near Sharpness, but it was damaged by a ship, and the remains were eventually demolished.

Here is a picture of the railway bridge west of Gloucester, carrying the line connecting Gloucester with Wales. The bridge connects the west bank of the west channel with Alney Island.

East of this bridge the track passes over a viaduct of arches on the island, which is subject to occasional flooding. This viaduct is shown in the second picture.

East of this viaduct the railway crosses the east channel of the Severn on a plate girder bridge. Transverse beams support a series of small arches upon which the track rests. This bridge has two rectangular side-spans over the footpaths. They are wide enough to allow flood-water through. They are also very good for making echoes. Two pictures are shown.

East of this bridge the railway again passes over a viaduct of arches, shown in the other pictures above. The frequency and depth of flooding make the region from Gloucester to Worcester expensive for crossings. Foundations may have to go deep in order to find good ground.

Two disused bridges cross the east channel near Llanthony Wharf. One is a trussed footbridge, and the other is a rusting disused railway bridge over the east channel . The railway track ran from the bridge at Over to Llanthony wharf. The pictures at right show these two bridges.

There is no railway crossing of the River Severn between Gloucester and Worcester. The bridge at Worcester, which can be seen by looking north from the road bridge, has two main trusss spans over the river, and a number of arches across the flood plain.

Visit Severn bridges book for details of a very useful book by Chris Witts, who has spent much of his working life on the River Severn. This book, called "A Century of Bridges", includes information, a grid reference, and a drawing by the author for every bridge, even including notes about demolished bridges and some history. A Century of Bridges, ISBN 0 9532711 0 2, is published by River Severn Publications, Gloucester.

Another very interesting book by the same author is called "Along the Severn from Source to Sea", ISBN 1 873877 31 5. This book is published by Reardon Publications, Leckhampton, Glos.