Crossing the Worlds Most Dangerous Estuary - A brief History
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- Опубліковано 27 вер 2024
- Welcome to this weeks video in which we walk up and down the Severn Estuary looking for some of the crazy ways in which people have tried to ross it for 1000's of years,
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I worked on the construction based on the Welsh side. When working in the tidal zone there would be a bell to make sure you got back to land before the tide came in. Sometimes we couldn't get the plant back because of the mud and on a couple of occasions we had to leave 40 ton concrete pumps. Going back when the tide was out they had disappeared only to show up a couple of days later, brought back by the tides, smashed to hell. That was one hell of a scary tide. There was a natural spring there, I think the local Whitbread brewery used it as a water source and a job I had was to wade through chest deep silt and mud to the spring and take a sample to ensure the works weren't polluting it. That was so strenuous especially with all the safety kit and harnesses I had to carry.
I worked on English side I was out in river in my moxy for jone’sdid all the muck shift on land as well
If anyone is interested, one of my college lecturers wrote a book on one of the ferry crossings 'The ferry:Newnham and Arlingham by Margaret H. Willis. Both she and her husband, Brian, are buried at Newnham cemetery.
That would explain the name of the pub at Arlingham; The Old Passage Inn 😊
Lot of work put into this and some great drone footage. The old railway bridge was a problem due to its weight restriction in later years. It was a challenge whether to upgrade it or demolished it. The barges settled it once and for all. Sad that it was such a tragic accident. Keep it going.
Thanks Bob
I'm always amused when the name 'Aust' comes up - when I was a kid, I went with my family on holiday to Wales. My late father never believed in 'Straight Line' travelling, preferring to wander about, stopping off anywhere he found interesting. Anyway, we stopped off at Aust services, and ordered some cold drinks. I had a cup of Fanta, which the lady serving, filled very full, and suggested taking a mouthful off the top. I should point out, at this point, the cafeteria was packed with people. The Fanta was extremely fizzy, and cold, and I took a big gulp. The result of this was an immediate, and incredibly loud burp, which echoed round the big room, which fell silent. I remember mum wishing the floor would swallow her up, and dad laughing fit to burst. I've not visited since.
Great video about a fascinating place. Thank you.
Great story. I can just imagine your mum mortified and dad laughing his head off.
Gone down in legend as, " The Great Burp of Aust".
I thought you were gonna talk about the fossils or geology, but no..
That made me chuckle
Wow! Paul, Rebecca, Possibly your best yet! This is a standard of documentary I would expect to see on the BBC, not UA-cam! Your research is meticulous, the execution to the finished product nothing short of excellent! Careful, if you top this, I'll have run out of superlatives!
Many UA-camrs make far better documentaries than the large TV-crews!
My Great Uncle Ted, Edward Cope of Berkeley, Gloucestershire, swam across the nearby River Severn and returned despite all the conflicting currents. My father, in the 1960s, spoke to an elderly local man near the Severn who remembered the accomplishment. I met Uncle Ted in the 1950s when he returned from France where he had settled immediately after fighting in WW1. He was short, wore a beret and was noticeably broad shouldered and spoke English as a Frenchman ; he had forgotten some English words. He was my father's mother's brother and had been a noted Water Polo athlete.
One of your best Paul & Rebecca. Definitely worth the considerable effort you put into it.
I can echo your comment. Well worth a watch. 👍
As a young boy I traveled on the footplate of a GWR steam loco crossing the Severn bridge from Lydney to Sharpness. Placed up in the cab by my grandmother at Lydney who then accompanied in a coach my grandfather Andrew Jackson the driver placed me on the right of the cab on a small seat backed by the tender and explained what he was doing. It was hot and dusty. My memory of crossing the bridge was the view, that it flexed with the forward momentum of train weight, also took a time to cross a lot of Severn water. He also told me during the war the Americans did not believe a bridge span could take the weight of a 'Lend Lease locomotives', one was driven onto a span and left there overnight, British engineering triumphed. They home was on Aylburton common at 'Fair View'. This was the first of several thrilling cab rides I've continued here in NZ.
That’s amazing.
Great piece of research, even as a local (Bristolian) I learnt a lot. Severn Beach used to be quite a seaside resort, popular with Bristolians as it was cheaper to get to than Weston! There were also regular excursion trains from the Midlands.
Yup, despite me mentioning facilities there actually wasn't as much as I was lead to believe.
Thanks to Paul & Rebecca for the education upon this crossing.
Regards
I remember as a school child in around 1965 going on a school trip from Bristol to Aust to see the ‘new’ bridge being constructed. Best bit was collecting fossilised sharks teeth on the beach where you were standing at 11:00. Black pointy teeth embedded in limestone that could be removed with acid!
Hi both, great video, thank you. I’m local and can remember travelling on the ferry under the first Severn bridge whilst it was under construction. It was an amazing sight, men hundreds of feet above the water on mesh catwalks stringing the cables, no hard hats hi viz jackets or safety lines, different times. On the day the bridge opened we were given a day off school (Olveston Primary) and bussed to the bridge to watch, cheer the Queen and wave our Union Jacks. We sat on the grassy banks of the motorway cutting adjacent to the toll booths, all grown over with trees now.
One crossing you missed out. Electricity.
The pylons that carry the high voltage (275kV) cables across the river adjacent to the first bridge were built in 1959 and were the highest in the U.K. until the ones across the Thames were built. There are also tunnels which run under the old bridge which carry high voltage cables.
Best
TonyS
Thank you. When I was a kid in the early '60's my family would cross on the Aust ferry. I remember the queues. One of Bob Dylan's album covers is a photo of him at Aust, during a tour of Britain, as he waited for the ferry.
I remember crossing on the ferry in 1963 or 4. Although it was summertime, the crossing was diabolical. The cars were chained to stop them sliding but they did anyway; the ferry was buffeted about by a gale, the sky was dark grey, rain was lashing down and we passengers huddled in groups. Kids were crying and some women were moaning and screaming quietly whilst the cars were 'reaching the end of their tether'.
We finally made it across like refugees from Armageddon and all swore blind that was the last time. And it was. For us. 😁😁😁
@@janicetaylor7516 Lovely. Certainly makes driving across on the bridge somewhat underwhelming, though.
@@andrewpreston4127 ...it was lovely although I was only 14 or 15 and thought it was great. I'd prefer the bridge now, though. 😄
I'd like to echo the sentiments already expressed by other appreciative viewers and congratulate you on a cracking mini documentary. Kudos! Definitely two months well spent.
So much I didn't know (or have forgotten). This one video alone, of your many, will inspire many hours of further reading. Thank You both for the hard work.
Thanks mutely Dave
Wonderful production and infectious enthusiasm...easily one of the top offerings on yt...thank you.
That was one of your very best videos. Wonderful historical interest. Full of facts and information. Thank you so much for all the hard work you put into making this film.
Thanks for a great video, I’m originally Bristolian and was there for the opening of the 1st bridge in 1966 which my father spent 5 years working on the construction. To be pedantic free crossing of the Severn Estuary was first possible in 1992 when the charge for travelling Eastbound was scrapped and tolls for Westbound only remained, these tolls were double the pre 1992 charge using the principle that 99% of vehicles going one way would soon go the other therefore costing would pan out equally. I used to take advantage of this anomaly as living in Worcestershire I could go to Cardiff in my van via Monmouth but return via the Severn crossing which was faster and free, large van prices were much higher than cars so well worth the slightly longer (in time) but less miles journey via the A40. I always returned via the “Old Bridge” on the M48 as a homage to my late father who worked as a welder on the bridge, to his friend killed there and the many others who died during its construction in the early 60’s😔
Thanks for your recollections Sir.
I don't live in UK now but think I remember that it was free to get into Wales but cost £? to get out. As a Londoner I felt that was fitting 🧐
Catching up on your Severn videos, this was great. Always admired the M48 crossing.
Many thanks!
Really loved this. The Severn crossing (esp the M48 one) holds so many great feelings for me. Coming home to Cymru, lots of history so well put together in a 12 minute video. Can see the high level of work you put in. Thank you!
Same, travelled across it so many times
An excellent and interesting production as always. I have lived within less than a mile of the M48 Bridge for more than 40 years and it is certainly an impressive area, particularly when the tide is coming in.
Really great little documentary of the area, thanks for making and sharing
I went across the ferry with my motorbike in the early 60's when they were just building the bridge . The ferries had a turntable on board so that the cars could be turned around for loading . I cant remember how much it cost !.
Really fascinating documentary. You told the story in a really engaging fashion, with great footage, elegant editing and perfect atmospheric music. Something this channel should be really proud of!
I was a teenager when the 2nd Severn crossing was being built. In the summer, we would go shooting at Rogiet Moor range (a new range built as the old one stood where the new bridge was to be built) this is still called the Severn tunnel range by quite a few people I know.
As you pass behind the butts as you walk the costal path, there are 2 sentry boxes, where 2 boys would be sent to watch for pedestrians and passing ships. In the event of either, shooting would stop until they had passed safely.
I wish I had taken a camera with me to record the progress of the bridge build
What a fantastic video. Very much enjoyed.
It's great to see 'without further ado' being used properly! 11:48 Almost every time I hear it these days the person then continues on with more 'ado'.
Thanks for this.
That was excellent stuff - I’m impressed how you crammed so much information into 12 minutes!
I also feel old - is the second road crossing really 25 years old? 😆🤦♂️😩
Oddly as I was editing I was concerned it was going to be 30 mins!
Superb mini documentary! I know the area but still learned a lot of new stuff. Thank you.
Born in Wales and brought up in Severn Beach late 50's/early 60's. It was a fun place for kids, like a mini Butlins . And it did have some claim to be a beach as there was some sand originally. Moved further south and used the Aust ferry when we needed to visit family in Wales, only the A38 back and badly congested, we used to get up at 4am to beat the queues. Getting on the ferry could be a hairy experience too. One time it was out of action we had to drive all the way up to Gloucester to get to Cardiff!
I grew up near Severn Beach and it used to be a holiday resort and was a great place to grow ip
Good morning,
What a great video, that was “Two Months” well spent. What a lovely full review of the river Seven crossing.
Many Thanks
Hi Paul, what a wonderful video and definitely worth the two months work of prep which into making it. Thank you very much.
I did read somewhere that spans from the Severn railway bridge where exported abroad for reuse
Heard that too. Possibly to South America.
They most likely were. The better spans from the 1878 Tay Bridge were re-used in the 1887 replacement bridge...
Absolutely fascinating. Living in Bristol, I just take accessing South Wales by road and rail for granted.I must admit I forgot about the attempt to cross the Severn in the Forest of Dean area until it was mentioned in the video, but I had heard the story of its fate before.Many thanks.
The all round quality of these videos is amazing. Beats the likes of Countryfile etc hands down.
Back in the days when the fuel tankers came up the River Severn they came as far as Worcester and Stourport-on-Severn. There were tank farms with storage for Shell Mex/BP, Esso and National. The tanks have since disappeared in Worcester and the industrial area is now modern housing.
As a child growing up in Stourport on Severn I used to watch the barges from Redstone caves.
West of Bristol is Shirehampton there was a Roman port on the river Avon there. There would have been another over by Caerleon. I used to go to Severn beach as a child (now 68), there was a Sandy beach then and rock pools for crabbing.
Excellent content, very good editing, first class production you two - well done.
Fascinating quality content about a part of the world close to where I come from. Thank you for making it - great videography, and editing and I appreciate the history and maps very much. Well done! All the best, Rob in Switzerland
Thanks Rob
I believe it's near to where Richie Edwards from the Manic Street Preachers went missing somepoint back in the mid-90s, presumed dead in 2008, and still remains unverified what happened to him.
Has he not spoken about it
Brilliant production on this one, good job, both.
Interesting fun fact (possibly), used to work with a chap whose surname was Aust (which he said meant ferry man) and could directly link his family to the village of Aust
I remember crossing on the Aust ferry as a child and remember the slightly alarming low freeboard of the ferry especially when surrounded by pretty substantial whirlpools on this very wild river.
As a youtber and amature film maker myself must say you nailed this. Brilliant edit . Well done . Can see alot of time and research wen into this .
Thanks Chris. Very kind.
@@pwhitewick Its Brilliant mate. Can see how much work went into this .
I’ve been a subscriber for a while as I found your vlogs through my interest in railways. This is my first time commenting on your excellent vlogs, thoroughly enjoyable and so well presented. Keep up the good work and thank you 😊
I generally enjoy your videos, but this was one of the best. Excellent stuff!
Brilliantly researched, filmed and edited - there must have been a huge amount of work in producing this excellent video.
Lovely video Paul. I'm a local lad to the area growing up in Thornbury. I was taught a little of the history in this area through school but only later on in life did I truly understand that the hole area is engulf with vast history. Awesome video and keep them coming guys you two do a fantastic job. Dare I say a lot better than the history teacher I had in school... But hey haha! Keep it up, hopefully if you guys are in Thornbury or by the Severn again it would be lovely to meet you both!
Awesome guys.. thanks
I live right by the Severn in Cardiff, spent many hours playing on the banks as a kid and still take trips down their now. Not many places have such extreme tides as the Severn.
Interesting looking earthworks on the shore at 3.24.
Lots. If I was clever I would have worked them all out. This was the Roman section, not sure what difference that makes.
Love it - very concise summary. Better than terrestrial TV!
Really enjoyed this nice to see you up the the shire. I had a chuckle about Severn Beach. As kids back in the 60s that was a day out a small fun fair was there happy days.
loved your informative video. Born in Cardiff I had been by train through the tunnel to London and driven by car Over the bridge This would have been in the mid 60's or so.
A really first class documentary one of the best I have seen on UA-cam it's the first I have seen of yours it will not be the last . Thank you to both of you . Ian parkins
I discovered Sharpness and Purton (which has no pubs or shops by the way) about 12 years ago.... I love this history and I love this walk :-)
Great video (and great SNES T-shirt)!
Very interesting. I travelled via the Aust-Beachley ferry in the 60s. The first Severn Bridge (now M48) was being built, and the ferry passed beneath the partially constructed bridge on its way across the river.
That was fascinating Paul...thank you very much for all the effort behind it!
A number of years ago there was a competition in the Bristol Evening Post.
First prize was a week at Severn Beach.
Second prize was two weeks at Severn Beach.
Third prize was three weeks at Severn Beach... 😀
Well produced, very informative, great music choices, plenty of b-roll (nice drone work) and great use of map to help show the locality. That's a lot of walking you did Paul!
Fabulous vid. Your best! Beautifully filmed and edited. Many thanks!
4:07 deft p00p avoidance shot with bridge maintenance module in background 😄
Loved the video. There were many more crossings and attempted crossings than I thought there were.
Two months!? Your efforts, you two, are immeasurable.
Thanks again.
Fascinating history, thanks for your work in putting it together. My late Uncle who spent mch of his career in the drawing offices of the Bristol Aero Engine Company at Filton, told me two things about the Bristol Channel crossings.
Apparently after the Sharpness railway bridge was closed following the disaster of 1960, the approach line was used for the storage of redundant steam locomotives, and he and my cousin went to explore. One of the locomotives still had some of its tools aboard, which they "appropriated", and my Uncle, knowing my interest in railways, presented me with an ex-GWR spanner when I went to visit him many years later.
On that visit I was allowed to drive his veteran Rover saloon on a trip out to the River near Aust Ferry. When we arrived he said "This is where I nearly got your mother killed during the War!". I knew that when my aunt was pregnant with my elder cousin in 1942/43, and my dad was away in the RAF, my mum had gone to Bristol to be with her sister. Uncle had taken my mum to see the River on one occasion, when they heard gunfire, and live ammo whistled overhead! Apparently the area was being used as a "live firng" range and shortly afterwards, a blustering Captain Mainwaring character appeared and "tore a strip" off my uncle for not noticing the warning signs and red flag!
Excellent! very professional and entertaining, Thank you.
I didn't realise how many Severn crossing attempts there had been, other than the Aust ferry (which when it ran never quite reached Wales, technically...). Awesome stuff as always.
Bonus points for the SNES controller shirt. 🤘😎🎮🕹️
I think the Romans usually crossed from the North Somerset coast to Wales Carleon, less speedy turbulent waters.
Fantastic awesome content Paul and Rebecca.
Brilliant video 👍👍👍
Interesting! Had it not been struck by barges, the rail bridge might still be there today! I'm always impressed by the bridge and tunnel projects accomplished or attempted before modern engineering and building methods were available.
Often wondered that. Would it have survived?
@@pwhitewick survived yes more than likely as it it did have a gas main running over it. Would it still be being used by the railways probably not.
The trouble is, it was a very high maintenance bridge (lots of steel and lots of salt in the air), and being on a single track branch line it unfortunately wasn’t particularly useful with regard to it’s role in the main rail network. With main line double track rail crossings just a few miles further north and a few miles further south, it was a bit of a white elephant. It never carried significant traffic and couldn’t compete with those alternative routes. I recon it would have gone under Beaching or the 1970 closures. Impressive structure though!
@@malcolmsmith6615 what about for freight or was it too far off the lines and not much if any freight use in the area?
@@bostonrailfan2427 There was local (short distance) goods, that that sort of traffic was all but gone in the UK by the 70s. There were (still are) double track main lines forming a tall triangle between South Wales, Bristol and Gloucester, and to have a single line that linked two sides of the triangle didn’t achieve anything. It would have been useful when first built, but the coming of the Severn Tunnel (the Bristol-South Wales leg of the triangle) took away all the advantages.
Great video full of excellent history. Thanks
i would be interested in a video of a similar estuary crossing; the railway across the Solway Firth from Cumbria to Scotland.
Love the Map work! And the way you read out original texts. Really like it (a lot). :D
Guys that was one of your best ever! Fantastic work! John
As someone who was born in Bristol & then moved to Newport in S Wales & now lives in London, I've crossed the Severn estuary literally hundreds of times ! I've also been through the Severn Tunnel by train on countless occasions.
I'm also old enough to remember the Aust ferry, having travelled on that quite a few times. But even so, I learnt a lot from this video so well done Paul ! 👍
PS : It's pronounced "Ost" BTW, even though it's not spelled that way ! 😱
Great video about what is very much "my part of the world". My grandad took me on dozens of walks along the Glos-Sharpness canal, by the bridge turret and ship graveyard, and we used to walk past the old Aust ferry and under the "old bridge" (when the tide was out!). So much history around there - including an iconic picture of Bob Dylan on a UK tour taken at the ferry terminal!
A few years later, my parents bought the village shop in Severn Beach, and I remember a good few summers explaining to disappointed tourists that "sorry it's not much of a beach, you probably want to go to Weston". Good times!
I remember counting the cars in front of us to see if we would be able to get on the next ferry. Then they built the bridge and instead of queuing for the ferry we queued for the bridge as one lane was always shut.
Well done production , your efforts are incredible .
Really interesting - as always. However as I was born in this village, (where you walked through the graveyard), I can confirm that the actual name is not "Newham", but Newnham (or Newnham-on-Severn as it is often called locally). Lovely to see it again:).
Good story. You forgot that into I think the 1960s you could take your car on the train several times a day between Severn Tunnel Junction and Pilning, almost parallel to the new passage.
Glad you mention the bridge further up that was destroyed by tankers, I also remember the 2nd m4 bridge being built, did you know they a dropped a piece of the road decking through
Road decking through what was already built, delaying the project
Whoops
Absolutely fascinating, loved that; very informative and interesting. I have used the M4 crossing and the sheer scale of it beggars belief!
I never knew there had been a rail bridge before the car bridges!! I’ve been crossing the Severn on the bridges for over 50 years…
I remember going down to Aust to watch the Severn Bridge being built from on board the ferry in 1966
Really enjoyed that!! Thank you! I live in Weston on the Severn estuary
So much history
Excellent video, very slick too. My mum can remember crossing on the old ferry not long after she started driving and has seen the construction of the two bridges and what a difference it makes.
Really Interesting and informative. Keep up the good work, Team.
That was incredible thanks. Just love the history. Lovely countryside. Thanks for taking me along. Please stay safe and take care
Thank you for yet another informative and interesting video! I look forward to more!
Very nicely put together and very interesting story 👍
Fascinating. My work has taken me up and down the low lying areas of the river from just north of Ledbury to Chepstow on the west and Shirehampton on the east. At one time or another I've visited every location in the video and gained a very basic knowledge of the structures etc,
Thanks to your efforts, your video gives them a greater clarity and context.
you put tv to shame, such high quality output
Well worth the effort, great info and presentation 👍
Another great video from you both thanks
Many years ago when they were building the original Severn bridge I used to watch the cranes on the top of the tower on the English side from my bedroom window on top the hill at Almondsbury,
Back then the Aust ferry wasn't the only way to take your car to Wales
If you wished you could put the car on the Railway using the car service from good old Pilning Station you might like to come and have a look one day I'd be pleased to show you around ,the remaining parts and the disused Pilning low level Station.
Brilliant video...was stationed at Beachly in 68 at the Army Apprentices College where boys became men..we covered a lot of history about the area including Offa's Dyke and the building of the Severn/bridge which had only been opened 2 years by then... beautiful area...
Excellent. Really interesting. A lot of work but well worth the effort. Many thanks
I remember travelling over the first crossing when it opened in the back of my dads Vauxhall Victor, in later life I would commute from Cardiff to Bristol on my motorbike a test of skill when it was windy lol.
Thank you for making this, these bridges have made a big difference to my life👍
Fascinating presentation thanks xxx