New Bridge at Over Junction

For around a hundred years, Over, to the west of the City of Gloucester, boasted a road bridge designed by Telford and a railway bridge by Brunel. But in the early 1950s moves were afoot to replace Brunel's railway bridge. The 'Railway Gazette' of 4 May 1951 included the following article:

When the new bridge was being put into place this appeared in the BR 'Western Region News.'

Later in the 1950s, a new low level viaduct - pictured below - was built on the adjacent Alney Island to take

the railway on a new alignment across land prone to flooding. It was brought into use in September 1958.

A picture illustrating the railway's problem crossing Alney Island - flooding! Photo Stephen Mourton collection

Over Junction on 13 April 1959 with 4956 'Plowden Hall' on an up parcels passing over the bridge spanning

the River Severn. The branch to Docks Branch Sidings and Llanthony is on the left. Photo Ben Brooksbank

Footnote:

Telford's road bridge, opened in 1829, was bypassed in 1974, but still exists as a monument. More here http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/over-bridge/