Editing River Severn (section)

==Transport==

===Bridges===
[[File:ShrewsburyBridges.JPG|right|thumb|The [[Welsh Bridge (Shrewsbury)|Welsh Bridge]] ''(background)'' and [[Frankwell|Frankwell Footbridge]] ''(foreground)'' in [[Shrewsbury]], Shropshire.]]
[[File:UffingtonShropshire.JPG|thumb|right|The Severn bridged by the [[A49 road]] just outside [[Shrewsbury]]. The village of [[Uffington, Shropshire]] is in the foreground.]]
{{Main|Crossings of the River Severn}}

The Severn is bridged at many places, and many of these bridges are notable in their own right. [[The Iron Bridge]] at [[Ironbridge]] was the world's first iron arch bridge. Several other bridges crossing the river were designed and built by the engineer [[Thomas Telford]].

The two major road bridges of the [[Severn crossing]] link south eastern Wales with the southern counties of England.
*[[Severn Bridge]] – opened in 1966 carrying what is now the [[M48 motorway|M48]]
*[[Second Severn Crossing]] – opened in 1996 carrying the [[M4 motorway]]

Prior to the construction of the first bridge in 1966, the channel was crossed by the [[Aust Ferry]].

Other notable bridges include:

* [[Buttington]] Bridge – built in 1872
* [[Montford Bridge]] – [[Thomas Telford|Thomas Telford's]] first ever bridge design, built between 1790 and 1792
* Welsh Bridge – in the centre of Shrewsbury, built in 1795 at a cost of £8,000
* English Bridge – also in Shrewsbury, designed and completed in 1774 by [[John Gwynn (architect)|John Gwynn]]
* [[Atcham]] Bridges – the old one built in 1774, while the newer one in 1929 carries the B4380
* [[Albert Edward Bridge]] – in Coalbrookdale, a railway bridge opened in 1864
* [[Coalport]] Bridge – like its neighbour Ironbridge, is made of cast iron, built in 1818
* [[Victoria Bridge, Worcestershire|Victoria Bridge]]  – designed by [[Sir John Fowler, 1st Baronet|John Fowler]], opened in 1862. Still in use by the [[Severn Valley Railway]]
* Bewdley Bridge – designed by Telford, completed in 1798
* [[Holt Fleet]] Bridge – in Worcestershire and designed by Telford and opened in 1828
* Upton Town Bridge – built in 1940, the only bridge to cross between Worcester and Tewkesbury
* Queenshill Viaduct – carries the [[M50 motorway (Great Britain)|M50]] between Junction 1 and 2
* [[Mythe Bridge]] – designed by Telford and opened in April 1826, located in [[Tewkesbury]]
* Haw Bridge – a steel beam bridge, west of Tewkesbury
* [[Maisemore]] Bridge – carries the A417 and is a single masonry arch, dating back to 1230.
* [[Over Bridge]] – single masonry arch, built by Telford
* Over Rail Bridge – carrying the [[Gloucester to Newport Line]], currently the last bridge before the Severn Crossings, which is {{convert|30|mi}} downstream
* [[Severn Rail Bridge]] – linking the [[Forest of Dean]] to [[Sharpness, Gloucestershire|Sharpness]] docks, partially collapsed in 1960 and was dismantled in 1967–70

===Rail===
The [[Severn Tunnel]], completed in 1886 by [[John Hawkshaw]] on behalf of the [[Great Western Railway]], lies near the [[Second Severn Crossing]] road bridge, and carries the [[South Wales Main Line]] section of the [[Great Western Main Line]] under the channel. The original line built before the [[Severn Tunnel]] was the [[South Wales Railway]] from [[Gloucester railway station|Gloucester]], that followed the estuary alongside present day stations of [[Lydney railway station|Lydney]], [[Chepstow railway station|Chepstow]], [[Caldicot railway station|Caldicot]] and [[Severn Tunnel Junction]] to [[Newport railway station|Newport]].

Cars could also be transported through the Severn Tunnel. In the 1950s three trains a day made round trips between [[Severn Tunnel Junction railway station|Severn Tunnel Junction]] and [[Pilning railway station|Pilning]]. The vehicles were loaded onto open flat bed carriages and pulled by a small [[Pannier tank|pannier tank locomotive]], although sometimes they were joined to a scheduled passenger train. The prudent owner paid to cover the vehicle with a sheet, as sparks often flew when the [[steam locomotive]] tackled the slope leading to the tunnel exit. A railway coach was provided for passengers and drivers. Reservations could be made and the fee for the car was about thirty shillings (£1.50) in the early 1950s.

===Disasters===
[[File:TewkesburyFloods210707.jpg|thumb|right|[[Tewkesbury]] during the [[2007 United Kingdom floods|2007 floods]]]]
There have been many [[disasters on the Severn]], which have claimed perhaps 300 lives, depending on sources, especially during the 20th century. The [[Severn Railway Bridge]] was badly damaged by the collision of two river barges in 1960, which led to its demolition in 1970. Five crew members of both the ''Arkendale H'' and ''Wastdale H'' died in the accident.<ref>Ron Huxley, The Rise and Fall of the Severn Bridge Railway, 1984, {{ISBN|978-1-84868-033-3}}</ref> There have been frequent [[Shrewsbury floods|floods in Shrewsbury]], Bewdley and elsewhere. More recently the river flooded during the [[2007 United Kingdom floods]] and the [[2019–20 United Kingdom floods]].

===Navigation===
[[File:St Twrog's Chapel ruins on Chapel Rock - geograph.org.uk - 545622.jpg|thumbnail|left|Navigation light on Chapel Rock near [[Beachley]]]]
There is a public right of navigation between [[Pool Quay]], near [[Welshpool]], and Stourport. However this stretch of the river has little traffic, other than small boats, canoes and some tour boats in Shrewsbury. Below Stourport, where the river is more navigable for larger craft, users must obtain permits from the [[Canal & River Trust]], who are the [[navigation authority]]. During spring [[freshet]] the river can be closed to navigation.

At Upper Parting above Gloucester, the river divides into two, and flows either side of [[Alney Island]] to Lower Parting. The West Channel is no longer navigable. The East Channel is navigable as far as Gloucester Docks, from where the [[Gloucester and Sharpness Canal]] provides a navigable channel south. Between the docks and Lower Parting [[Llanthony Secunda|Llanthony Weir]] marks the Normal Tidal Limit (NTL) of the East Channel of the river.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://getamap.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/getamap/frames.htm?mapAction=gaz&gazName=p&gazString=GLOUCESTER|title=OS Maps – online and App mapping system – Ordnance Survey Shop|access-date=28 February 2009|archive-date=31 January 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090131201355/http://getamap.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/getamap/frames.htm?mapAction=gaz&gazName=p&gazString=GLOUCESTER|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the tidal section of the river below Gloucester, the [[Gloucester Harbour Trustees]] are the competent harbour authority. The Trustees maintain navigation lights at various points along the river (including on Chapel Rock and Lyde Rock, and [[leading lights]] at Slime Road, Sheperdine and Berkeley Pill).

===Locks===
There are locks on the lower Severn to enable seagoing boats to reach as far as Stourport. The most northerly lock is at Lincomb, about {{convert|1|mi}} downstream from Stourport.

===Associated canals===
{{River Severn map}}
The [[Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal]], the [[Worcester and Birmingham Canal]], (both narrow beam) and the [[Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Canal]] join the Severn at Stourport, [[Worcester, England|Worcester]] and [[Gloucester]] respectively. The [[Droitwich Canal|Droitwich Barge Canal]], a broad beam canal, joins the Severn at [[Hawford]], near to the [[River Salwarpe]], and connects to the Droitwich Canal (narrow beam) in the name town, which then forms a link to the Worcester and Birmingham Canal. The two Droitwich canals re-opened in 2010 after major restoration.

The [[Gloucester and Sharpness Canal]] connects the Severn at Gloucester to the Severn at [[Sharpness, Gloucestershire|Sharpness]], avoiding a stretch of the tidal river which is dangerous to navigate. The [[Stroudwater Navigation]] used to join the tidal Severn at [[Framilode]], but since the 1920s has connected to the Severn only via the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal.

The [[Lydney Canal]] is a short canal which connects [[Lydney]] to the river.

The section of the river between Tewkesbury and Worcester forms part of the [[Avon Ring]], a {{convert|109|mi|km|adj=on}} circular cruising route which includes 129 locks and covers parts of three other waterways.

===Passenger transport===

====The tidal river====
[[Paddle steamer]]s were operated in the Severn Estuary from the mid 19th century to the late 1970s by [[P & A Campbell]] of [[Bristol]]. The vessels, ''Cardiff Queen'', ''Bristol Queen'', ''Glen Usk'', ''Glen Gower'' and ''Britannia'' all operated on this route in the 1950s and 1960s.  Since 1986 Waverley Excursions has operated occasional sailings to Sharpness and Lydney by the ''[[MV Balmoral (1949)|MV Balmoral]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.waverleyexcursions.co.uk/bristol.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090804142737/http://www.waverleyexcursions.co.uk/bristol.htm|url-status=dead|title=Waverley Excursions website|archivedate=4 August 2009}}</ref>

A number of ferries were also operated on the tidal river, for example at [[New Passage]], [[Purton, Berkeley|Purton]] and [[Arlingham]]. The last ferry was the [[Aust Ferry]], which closed in 1966 when the Severn Bridge opened. One of the Aust ferries, ''Severn Princess'', is still in [[Chepstow]] although largely derelict.

====The upper river====

Currently the only passenger boat operating between Shrewsbury & Gloucester is the 'River King' vessel that operates in Stourport. Worcester River Cruises used to run boat trips up and down the river between [[Tewkesbury]] and Stourport, operating the boats ''The Pride of the Midlands'' and ''The Earl Grosvenor''.<ref>[http://www.worcesterrivercruises.co.uk/home.html Worcester River Cruises website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090708025438/http://www.worcesterrivercruises.co.uk/home.html |date=8 July 2009 }}</ref>

The Cathedral Ferry, a foot passenger ferry, also operates on summer weekends from the steps of [[Worcester Cathedral]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Pryce |first1=Mike |title=NOSTALGIA: Worcester's Cathedral Ferry is a Severn tradition |url=https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/17723708.nostalgia-worcesters-cathedral-ferry-is-a-severn-tradition-says-mike-pryce/ |access-date=27 October 2019 |work=Worcester News |date=22 June 2019 |archive-date=24 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190624145303/https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/17723708.nostalgia-worcesters-cathedral-ferry-is-a-severn-tradition-says-mike-pryce/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In Shropshire the [[Hampton Loade Ferry]] used to operate across the river but has been closed since 2016.<ref>{{cite web|title=Hampton Loade Station|url=http://www.svr.co.uk/Hampton-Info.aspx|website=Severn Valley Railway|access-date=6 July 2017|archive-date=6 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170706175650/http://www.svr.co.uk/Hampton-Info.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref>

In Shrewsbury, boat trips around the loop of the town centre are at present provided by the ''Sabrina'' and depart from Victoria Quay near the [[Welsh Bridge]] during the summer.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shrewsburyboat.co.uk/|title=shrewsburyboat.co.uk|access-date=11 September 2008|archive-date=5 September 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080905131221/http://www.shrewsburyboat.co.uk/|url-status=live}}</ref>