Severn Bridge Railway

The Severn Bridge Railway was an early British railway company. It ran 8 ¹⁄₄ mi (13.3 km)^[1] from Berkeley Road railway station (the Midland Railway - MR - had opened its branch there to goods on 2 August 1875 and to passengers on 1 August 1876)^[1] to Sharpness railway station via the Sharpness Branch Line. It then went over the River Severn on the Severn Railway Bridge and to Lydney Junction railway station. It was opened in 1879 as a joint venture between the MR and the Severn and Wye Railway (S&WR). It was amalgamated with the Severn and Wye Railway in the same year. It then became the Severn and Wye and Severn Bridge Company (S&W&SBC); the S&W&SBC went into liquidation in 1883^[1] and was bought by both the Great Western Railway (GWR) and the Midland Railway in 1885.^[2] It was then called the Severn and Wye Joint Railway (S&WJR).^[3]

Formation

The Severn Bridge Railway Company was incorporated on 18 July 1872, the year after work had started on expansion of Sharpness Docks. It was hoped the railway would facilitate coaling of ships at the docks, instead of taking on ballast and steaming to a port near the South Wales coalfield. The railway was estimated to cost £277,973 (the March 1875 contract with Hamilton Windsor Iron Works^[4] cost £190,000 for the Severn Bridge). £50,000 came from the MR, £50,000 from the Gloucester and Berkeley Canal and £50,000 from the S&WR. On amalgamation on the bridge opening day, 17 October 1879, the S&W&SBC had capital of £415,400. The 1885 scheme of arrangement sold it to the GWR and MR for £477,300.^[1]

Operation

Berkeley Rd to Lydney train at Severn Bridge station, looking east, towards the Severn Bridge, hauled by GW '1600' class 0-6-0T No. 1616 (built 12/49, withdrawn 10/59!).

When the S&W&SBC opened in 1879 it had eight locos, four coaches and 26 trucks. After purchase in 1885, the MR maintained the line, the existing rolling stock went to GWR, who then provided the locos, and both GWR and MR provided coaches, though a MR 0-4-4T worked a Gloucester to Lydney train for a while. In its last years the branch was worked by GWR 1400 Class, or GWR 0-6-0PTs. The gradient to the bridge was at 1 in 150, with a 15 mph (24 km/h) speed limit. The line closed on 25 October 1961, when the bridge was damaged.^[1]

Severn Bridge Railway

Legend For canal icons used below, please refer to waterways legend instead. Dean Forest Railway Severn Bridge Tunnel Lydney Town Severn Bridge St Mary's Halt Lydney Junction Lydney Gloucester to Newport Line(From Newport to Gloucester) Lydney Harbour Branch Pidcock's Canal Forges Lydney Canal Lower Docks Upper Docks Severn Railway Bridge over River Severn(Dismantled 1970) Swing bridge over Gloucester and Sharpness Canal Locks onto River Severn Sharpness Sharpness Docks Locks onto River Severn Old Docks Branch River Severn Cross Country Route(To Gloucester) Berkeley Berkeley Road(Closed 1965) Berkeley Loop Cross Country Route(To Bristol)

References