RSP Disaster Talk

RIVER SEVERN PUBLICATIONS

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The Severn Bridge Disaster

Severn Railway Bridge, taken from the Sharpness side of the river.

Opened in 1872 the Severn Railway Bridge carried many people in trains from each direction across the River Severn from both Lydney and Sharpness. School children relied on the trains to get them to school from Sharpness over the river to Lydney Grammar School.

All that was to change following the fateful night of 25th October 1960 when two tanker barges crashed into Pier 22 and two spans dropped onto the barges below. There was a violent explosion, the river became ablaze with burning oil and 5 men lost their lives.

YOU MAY BOOK THIS TALK HERE

This talk is fully illustrated with images
using the latest digital equipment

There is a basic fee of £35
plus .20p per mile return trip to Gloucester

Chris Witts was out on the river that night as a 16yr old deckhand on the WYESDALE H.

His talk is based on personal experiences he witnessed plus that of one of the survivors, Capt. George Thompson.