Severn Rail Bridge Tragedy

[@andrewwilson6240]

I was aware that there was a Severn Bridge, and that it disappeared in the 1960s. I had assumed that it befell the Beeching axe. I never realised that the story was much more complex than that. Thanks for the fascinating video.

[@aA-ye1cf]

My Father a career railway man on the engineering side, told me the bridge was always intended to be kept as a diversionary route in case of problems with the Severn Tunnel. A 30 years maintenance budget and plan had been agreed shortly before the accident. Maintenance was one thing, but the cost of rebuilding the fallen spans was just too far out of budget, though there were quotes and ideas for repair.

[@barryheath8123]

What about an insurance claim?

[@supabry26]

​@@aA-ye1cfthe repair was approved and began, but then another tanker hit pier 20 and it was scrapped

[@mbarker1958]

Am currently in Sharpness Ship Repair Oldenburg - the Lundy Island Ferry, as Chief Engineer, so this video fascinates me.

[@pempilot]

Thank you all for these kind comments. It may interest you to know that my drone decided to misbehave and it operations took four visits. For those that can visit this area, you will encounter a very beautiful place. The river is so serene and the canal, so very attractive. Thanks again. Stephen.

[@neilfoster814]

Is the drone a DJI Phantom IV by any chance? Great footage all the same!

[@pempilot]

My drone is a, now out to date but very capable, Xiaomi 4k. It is remarkably stable and forgives me (often)

[@atlanticcoastexpress]

What a superbly (and sensitively presented, bearing in mind the tragic loss of life) video documentary. Please accept my sincere thanks. I’ve been fascinated in this tragedy for many years and often wonder…if the viaduct had not been damaged…how long it would have remained in service. Your use of a drone has provided an extensive view of the area around the accident zone and also provides a good impression of just how treacherous the river is here. During my own visits many years ago I only saw the barge wrecks as vague shapes in the distance, even with good quality binoculars and good viewpoints. What a difference the drone has made! Up until seeing your video the most dramatic illustration I’ve had of this area (found in a book about submarine history while I was researching about the accident…before the Internet came to be) is of a Royal Navy Submarine (yes, an in-commission sea-going submarine!) passing up the canal to Gloucester for a visit (the Commanding .Officer came from Gloucester). Your video is far more informative and dramatic than anything else I’ve seen. Thank you for your efforts…those of us who are interested in railway history are reaping the benefits of your efforts. I have subscribed and look forward to more of the same! Best wishes, from Rob in Bournemouth.

[@aA-ye1cf]

My Father a career railway man on the engineering side, told me the bridge was always intended to be kept as a diversionary route in case of problems with the Severn Tunnel. A 30 years maintenance budget and plan had been agreed shortly before the accident. Maintenance was one thing, but the cost of rebuilding the fallen spans was just too far out of budget, though there were quotes and ideas for repair.

[@martinsims1273]

Agreed! What an excellent video. All I knew before this was merely that a barge hit a bridge pillar in fog, and brought down 2 spans.

[@grahamj9101]

Many thanks for showing close-up views of the two wrecks, which I've seen many times from a distance. I've only just come across your video, but I'm a regular visitor to the canal for a walk between Purton and Sharpness, and I always pause for a few moments near the memorial plaque. I recall seeing the remains of the bridge in place in the 1960s when my girlfriend (who became my wife) and I went walking in the Forest of Dean. Many years later, during the last months of her life, we would take a walk along the towpath from Purton, as it was level and manageable for her. She would wait and rest, but send me as far as the swing bridge pier.

[@Curly472001]

I lived in the Forest of Dean and was 13 when this happened. The main gas pipe for the Forest was fractured at the same time and the gas board supplied everybody with cookers running on bottled gas. Also children from Berkely went to school in Lydney and a special train service had to laid on which went via Gloucester. A long way round. The bridge is wholly in Gloucestershire and not in Wales. The Midland Railway station at Severn Bridge was demolished completely by vandals over one weekend. All in all a tragic and horrific accident which your video has covered very well.

[@christophernewman5027]

I enjoyed that very much, thanks. This is a subject that has fascinated me for decades and l've visited the site a couple of times. Subbed.

[@ieldore]

Very nicely put together video. Well done

[@Teverell]

Thanks for posting this, I'd never heard about this story before. Your narration and footage is simple and powerful, I hope you make more videos in this style because I think you have a real gift for story telling and it sounds as if you have more stories to tell.

[@keithmayhew4191]

I remember passing the bridge in about 1962/3 by train and my dad telling me about the accident. Thank you for bringing it back from my memory.

[@jonathanpardoe8722]

My previos boat "Severn Iris" was one of the estuary/rivere tugs that plyed up and down on a daily basis moving spoil from the dredging on the upper Severn . On that night , the Severn Iris along with the "Traveller " now known as the "Severn Traveller" Captained by one of the well known "Savage " family tried to help . Years later after an extensive rebuild , Severn Iris was used as a yacht and continued to navigate the treachorous waters off Sharpness and gave us plenty of heart stopping moments . I dont think I ever want to navigate the waters of Sharpness and the Shoots ever again .

[@richardparry9655]

Just came across this, and have sent it to my stepdad, his brother was Tommy Carter. Told me about this when I was younger.

[@toddcarter4210]

Hi Richard. Thomas carter was my grandad. Passed away before I was born but my dad always told me about this. I also have his medal for his bravery from this night

[@ZenkaiAnkoku2]

Excellent documentary. And the drone footage really shows the scale of the river. Which drives home just what those barges were dealing with.

[@mootpointjones8488]

Thanks for the good video, fascinating 👍

[@Gaudacorte]

The damaged Bridge Span was a daily view from the Merchant Navy training school at the beginging of the Sharpness canal when I attended in 1963.

[@geoffreycharlton8875]

iwas also at the vindi in 63 we used to look at the bridge when we went for our meals on the vindi boat

[@philipspencer1834]

This is also the first time I have heard the story. Your presentation and video has been awesome. Thank you for this work. 😎👍

[@fircombehallrailwayoogauge1430]

A story I did not know - thank you for sharing.

[@aA-ye1cf]

I have always been fascinated by this tragedy and the remains . Your superb and highly professional production here is fantastic. Thank you

[@kevintynan796]

Great presentation of events and aftermath, thank you.

[@tywyncatholic]

Thanks for the video. A wonderful presentation. We remember those who sadly lost their lives. May they rest in peace. Amen

[@howardsimpson489]

What a lovely gentle video and piano. As a Kiwi who has visited the UK a long time ago, it seems strange that such a crowded busy country would still have unsalvaged/undisturbed hulls in your rivers. Our river restoration urges would have "unpolluted" the waterway immediately.

[@grahamj9101]

There's a massive tidal range on the Severn Estuary, the second highest in the world, with currents to match, which, combined with fog at the time, actually caused the tragedy. A few miles downstream, the tidal range is over 40 ft at the highest spring high tides. Salvaging a few hundred tons of steel from the wrecks would have been dangerous and expensive. In any case, the river upstream of Sharpness Docks is not intended to be navigable by vessels of any size, as the canal is available for passage to Gloucester. The wrecks are out in the middle of the river and only visible from a distance at low tide. My view is that they should be regarded as a fitting memorial to the men who lost their lives.

[@c.o.m.ewithme9000]

I never knew there was once a Severn Rail Bridge. Thanks very much for this video, hopefully I'll take a visit some day!

[@aA-ye1cf]

Its worth visiting, but be aware that the mud between the bank and the first "pier" is treacherous! Take a picnic/ can of beer and enjoy!

[@5amH45lam]

Great shots, interesting details, enjoyable music. Plus I appreciate you not feeling the need to constantly talk - thus allowing the beautiful drone shots their own 'breathing room'. I'm sold! Subbed! 👍

[@richardcaig9836]

Great video, thank you 👍

[@gerryg1056]

Absolutely fascinating, this happened during my lifetime (just) and this the first I've heard of it. Excellently and respectfully put together video, thanks for sharing.

[@brianwillson9567]

Thank you for this video. Never realised the barges were still in situ. Even without the accident the cost of maintenance of such a large steel structure in a salt water environment, to retain a single track line effectively duplicating the tunnel, would probably have ensured its closure and demolition within a few years of the ‘enforced’ closure.

[@schanche1965]

I was aware of this disaster but thank you for the very detailed explanation of the events and location 👍

[@rustandoil]

Great video, thanks for posting 👍🏻

[@robertbate5790]

I remember the Severn rail bridge being on the TV news of the day. It would have been the second collision of the BP tanker. It is one of the first news reports that I can recall, after the awful Aberfan slag slip. I'm surprised so much of the pier foundations remain. I guess they are considered safe by way of the sand banks surrounding them.

[@colvillebri196]

This story was very sad but very interesting, you told it very well. One can only image the sight of the entire width of a river alight. Great video

[@donniblanco5239]

Fascinating- Many Thanks 🙏🏻✨

[@effyleven]

A sad story well told. Thank you.

[@Linleys]

Wow, I had no idea about this sad story. Thank you for researching and presenting it to us. Cheers, Warren :)

[@macjim]

When I saw the old image of the bridge, it made me think about the one that crossed over the river between Cumbria and Scotland.

[@ianrobinson9243]

Fascinating , what an interesting video.

[@JohnDavies-cn3ro]

I can remember this happening, even though I was only 7 at the time. Am I right in thinking that the bridge was one of Brunel's? The old Severn & Wye Railway - the original owning company, had an interesting history not just regarding the bridge, but its activities in and around the Forest of Dean before being taken over by the GWR. A sad and truly frightening story. Thanks for the quality of the pictures.

[@grahamj9101]

I've only just come across this video, but I'm a regular visitor to the canal for a walk between Purton and Sharpness, and I always pause for a few moments near the memorial plaque. I recall seeing the remains of the bridge in place in the 1960s when my girlfriend (who became my wife) and I went walking in the Forest of Dean. Brunel had plans for a railway bridge further up river between Frampton on Severn and Awre. He died in 1859 and the Severn (Railway) Bridge was built between 1875 and 1879, so I doubt that he had anything to do with the design of the bridge.

[@robinfryer479]

Agree that the unnecessary and distasteful ‘musak’ is distracting. The cement-filled cast iron column technique was used by Thomas Bouch on the first Tay Bridge. Cast iron is strong only in compression, otherwise brittle, and weak in tension. There was shoddy work on the TB, anyway. However, it’s incredibly sad and anti-ecological, that railways have been and are being destroyed, being replaced by gluts of concrete, motorways, and vehicles spitting out poisonous gasses.

[@cliveryder817]

Thanks for posting this video. I know tnis area very well. However this gives a completely different perspective. A fitting tribute to those 5 men who lost their lives.

[@tylerowen6152]

Thanks for a well presented and informative video, looks like you really cracked the algorithm with video! What did you do differently this time?

[@paulmoore120]

Very interesting.Thanks.

[@johnjephcote7636]

Yes, I remember that happening and being on the News. I read the details later in the Railway Press, probably the Rly.Magazine.

[@martinpook5707]

I went here unintentionally about 15 years ago, walked along the canal and discovered the tale. There is a lifting bridge across the canal at top right and beyond you can just see the pub where Edward VII is supposed to have stashed his mistress whilst he visited Berkeley Castle! The days before the paparazzi!

[@mikepowell2776]

A sad tale well told. This section of the Severn eats ships. The remains of a grain ship (I think it’s called Ramsay’s) off Lydney harbour and sometimes visible. At least two other tankers have also been lost. You might consider a video about the Parton Hulks, deliberately stranded to support the canal bank from erosion. They’re practically opposite the tanker wrecks. The bridges on the G&S canal are swing type, not lifting.

[@grahamj9101]

Spelling correction: the Purton Hulks (aka Ships' Graveyard).

[@timlodge8267]

I have walked down there many times it’s nice to no the full history.

[@cbcdesign001]

The survivors were very lucky bearing in mind that the oil and petrol on the river was in flames from bank to bank. A sad event.

[@rexhake1]

thanks , I knew nothing about this before today

[@johnmcdyer7297]

I love the plinky plonky noise

[@zen4men]

Sending 2 barges laden with inflammable liquids into fog - what could possibly go wrong? Amazing that the barges and the stumps of the bridge pillars are still there as a hazard. Interesting video!

[@grahamj9101]

They're not a hazard, as the river upstream of Sharpness is not intended to be navigable for vessels of any size, as the canal is available for passage to Gloucester. We were told that, after the the drone had taken the shots of the wrecks at low tide, they were covered by over twenty feet of water. The currents and the sandbanks represent far greater hazards to anyone foolish enough to venture onto the river above Sharpness. It can be dangerous enough downstream, where the tidal range is over 40 feet. I've sailed with Thornbury sailing Club in the past and it is only safe enough to venture out for a couple of hours either side of high tide. At low tide the river almost disappears. I know of a former colleague at Rolls-Royce who landed his microlight (intentionally) on a sandbank at low tide..

[@zen4men]

@@grahamj9101 OK, thanks for that. Would seem better to clear the debris, though! / An interesting estuary - and a very dangerous one to live in, if a tsunami comes calling, as happened in 1607.

[@PillSharks]

Regular runners into Avonmouth back in the day! No chartplotter or the navigation aids like we have now and the skippers would have had excellent local knowledge of the waters! Anyone who’s ever been up to sharpness will know it’s a very demanding area of water! It’s not like they could have dropped anchor and waited, I don’t think they would have had the water over low tide back then…I know they wouldn’t today! Anyway, nice video.

[@andrewstaphnill1491]

Great vid

[@supersafarisurfer4489]

Music is much too loud.

[@davidsheppard1362]

Very interesting and informative.

[@superomegaprimemk2]

While I don't live super close to the river seven (in land in a town) I know of the river but I never knew about the railway bridge that once went across the river, thou I am aware of the road bridges that span the river connecting England and Wales!

[@mikebrown3772]

It is perhaps ironic that when the bridge was built many of the river craft were still the old sailing trows and ketches, but it was the steel motor vessels that collided with it. Perhaps a case of 'modern' expectations and pressure of time keeping irrespective of weather etc.

[@robinoconnor1203]

I believe the remaining bridge sections were sold and are still in use as a road bridge in South America, Brazil?

[@andrei19238]

i never knew about this bridge have been through the tunnel hundreds of times

[@Kris-the-Hobbit]

I have visited the site of this quite a few times. I visited the old Severn bridge train station . It is fascinating. How about a video about the history of the barge boat graveyard that is there too?

[@VictorLarsen-fy9ls]

I would not be surprised if someone had to raise the price of petroleum products at that moment and they just made this situation happen.

[@korma9732]

Nice upload

[@Roscoe.P.Coldchain]

I thought the music went well with the clip and I enjoyed a peaceful 10 minutes, thanks 👍

[@LateNightHacks]

please drop the dramatic piano and somber tone, the rest is great

[@eathan323]

A very heartfelt sad story of these two barges and loss of their lives I know its usual to leave as there tombs but for safety of shipping they would have cleared them away in time

[@andrewallen3826]

Enjoy your life folks, you never know when it's your time

[@richhughes7450]

I live local to Purton and Sharpness and have seen the remains of the bridge and the many hulks and used the severn crossings umpteen times but never seen a ship sailing on the severn. The two wrecks that collided with the bridge have been raided many times for scrap metal I assume

[@grahamj9101]

I would doubt that they have been raided, otherwise there would be a lot less of them that can be seen. With the tidal range and the currents in the river at that point, any attempts to do so would be madness.

[@tedsmith6137]

For those of us who do not live in that part of the world, it would have been informative to clarify which way was upstream before embarking on finer details.

[@darreng745]

Upstream of the bridge refers to travelling to the North East towards Gloucester, on the map that would be where you see Purton and Gatcombe, the port of Sharpness is downstream of the bridge

[@victor.leslieaugustpikingt8848]

I have only just come across this video and although very sad and interesting being none nautical I would have thought that these 2 wrecks would have been marked by a few Hazard buoys ?? even if the river has no commercial traffic, just a thought

[@gmpgmp0]

On the night the locals tried rescuing and you could hear screams

[@YanestraAgain]

Good that you didn't add snoring noises.

[@jamessimms415]

Music didn’t bother me @ all

[@welshgit]

Sorry, I wanted to watch this, but had to give up after 3 minutes as the music was too distracting.

[@hamshackleton]

Get rid of the intrusive and annoying plinky-plonky piano noise! The narration is sufficient.

[@danmurphy1742]

Music too loud during narration.

[@norml.hugh-mann]

Or you can go look up the info elsewhere....artists are not public servants....why would an artist take advice from someone without the creative insight. It's shameful how so Many folks think that something enjoyed by exponentially more people than themselves should be changed JUST so they can enjoy it....like the world should collectively bend a knee to them alone... And then not even suggest...BUT DEMAND Like the artists labor is worthless.... Maybe send them 1000 US dollars or something if you want videos custom made for you. .lol.. But alas this is just my opinion not the artists,, and I bet you're not a bad person and I might come off a bit harsh as I'm sick and grumpy so take whatever you want from my comment and I hope you have a great holiday season

[@gromit3315]

@@norml.hugh-mann, it’s not a Charlie Chaplin movie… 🙄

[@andrewmeadows2596]

@@norml.hugh-mann if it looks like shit or in this case sounds then it must be

[@johnhay1033]

@Stuarts St Mary Church Model Railway I agree absolutely. Watched a video the other day about vintage aeroplanes in which presenter commented on the delightful engine sounds, but ‘music’ drowned-out everything. Such vandalism makes anyone grumpy!

[@doctorshawzy6477]

fascinating...i also have received complaints regarding music on my youtube videos...on some of my videos it is barely possible to hear the narration..oh well..we live and learn

[@naomieggl]

Although not completely incorrect as the bridge provided a very useful link between the railways of South Wales and those in South West England, your narration is misleading. It gives the impression that the bridge spanned the river from England to Wales, but this is not the case. It is a common misconception that all land west of the River Severn is part of Wales but this is not true. Beginning at Sharpness, the bridge spanned the river to a point a little upstream of the town of Lydney in England.

[@nickryan3417]

The history of why the border between England and Wales isn't down the middle of the Severn, or even just along one of the banks, as one might expect is quite an interesting historical story. Mostly it's been about land grabbing and keeping the locals, as in the Welsh, under control of course. The border itself is very much not a straight or obvious line, chunks of it follow ancient roads and paths, some of it follows waterways, other places the route is just non-obvious but most likely often based on the extent of control the local nobility had and whatever local agreements were made and the borders have stayed that way since.

[@martinsims1273]

However, it was a major railway link between England and Wales, at least in terms of traffic flow.

[@naomieggl]

@@martinsims1273 Yes, I don’t disagree with that. After all, that’s exactly what I said in my opening sentence.

[@bennyhoffa7648]

Plink plonk can't even concentrate on the content

[@nlb52]

There was a further tragedy in 1990 when a gantry came off the road bridge

[@ricksadler797]

God bless ❤

[@dannygroom3327]

I was always under the impression that the skipper was meant to be the last to leave, yet they both survived? Incompetent?

[@neilfoster814]

The victims could have been already dead by the time the skippers left the ships.

[@dannygroom3327]

@@neilfoster814 . Did they check cause it don't sound like it

[@soupyjr6462]

This video is just 90% padding with little to no visuals.kinda just boring.

[@johnkeepin7527]

An interesting, modern way of surveying it as it is now. I can vaguely remember seeing what it looked like from a train between Gloucester & Cardiff when I was quite young. There is a lot more historic information about it. In particular, there is a bit about it in the museum at Norchard on the Dean Forest Railway. There are a couple of useful chapters in the book “Rails to the Forest”, ISBN 978 1 85794 345 0, Apparently there were plans to restore the bridge after the incident, but it was shelved around the time that the Beeching Plan came to life. Not long before the tragedy occurred, after the reorganisation that resulted in the Bristol - Birmingham route being in the Western Region, rather than the LMR, a fair bit of use of the bridge was made with diversions via it while the Severn Tunnel was closed during maintenance, typically on Sundays. Also, there were some test runs to increase the permitted axle loads around that time. There are a couple of images of how that was done in the book mentioned, using a pair of Castle Class locos as a means of assessing the work that had been done to upgrade it.