Moving on again along the shore of the River Severn to Purton. An unknown class 170 skirts the shore with 1M73 1545 Cardiff to Nottingham. Very close by is where the Severn Rail bridge crossed the river. I had hoped to get some of the old earth works in the shot but in was not possible.
This is quite a picturesque location at Purton with the line hugging the shore of the River Severn. An unknown class 170 comes round the headland with 1M73 1545 Cardiff to Nottingham.
All that remains of the rail bridge over the River Severn is the eastern parapet and circular mount of the swing section over the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal. Also remaining are the foundations of three of the piers in the mud. The bridge was built by the Midland and Great Western Railways and opened in 1879. It was 4,162 feet long and stood 70 feet above high water. On 25/10/1960 two barges carrying petrol struck the bridge in fog and two spans collapsed causing the barges to ignite and the crew of five were lost. The bridge was finally demolished in the autumn of 1967. The remains of the two barges can still be seen lying in the mud at low water.
