Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Second Severn Crossing

I took the photo above using my mobile phone while crossing the Second Severn Crossing. I was sat in a Toyota Supra doing 70mph so I am quite pleased with the result! I hasten to add that I was a passenger at the time and not driving - it would be hard to take a photo any other way as the bridge carries traffic only! The bridge carries the M4 motorway and connects England with Wales further south down the estuary from the original Severn Bridge which I wrote about not long back (you can view that post here).

So here are some facts about the bridge:
It was inaugurated on 5th June 1996. The crossing is 3.186 miles (5.128 km) long in total, and the central bridge section you can see in the photo is of cable-stayed design with the approach viaducts being of a segmental bridge design. I love looking at the lines of the cables as I cross the bridge (as long as I'm not driving), they really draw your eye to the sky! The crossing forms a gentle S shape which you can see clearly when you travel from the English side as you approach it.

I clearly remember watching this bridge being built. I remember watching the two pieces from the land stretching out across the estuary until they met the middle section. Sub-assemblies for the bridge were constructed onshore and then shifted by a large tracked vehicle (similar to that used to move the Apollo and Space Shuttle onto a barge, prior to being floated-out on the high tide to the appropriate site. The section of bridge you can see in my photo and the centre of the pic above is over 900m long with two 149m high twin leg, reinforced and pre-stressed concrete pylons carrying 240 cables which support the bridge deck. The picture above was not taken by me but I thought it would be nice to show you the whole bridge. Personally I think it s best viewed by crossing it.

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've still not been over the 2nd Severn Bridge.

That is an excellent photo considering the speed and the fact it was taken on a mobile phone. I'd be pleased with it too!

kenju said...

I wish I could cross it! I took a similar photo several years ago, in Delaware, and I have never posted the pic. Maybe I should (yours is much better)!

Melody said...

It is a wonderful bridge isn't it? You must have a great mobile phone as that photo looks like it was taken with a good digital camera!

Ramona said...

That top photo is absolutely spectacular! I can't believe you took that using your phone!

OldLady Of The Hills said...

What a beautiful Bridge! I don't think I have seen any bridges that were built so recently, before! There is something about a Bridge that is very sculptural....They are 'works if art', to me....! This one looks particularly interesting, too..I wish I could cross it B-K.

srp said...

Fabulous bridge. There is one crossing the Chesapeake Bay with a bridge and a tunnel... it goes to the eastern peninsula. It's a bit surreal with all the water around and being able to see the waves, isn't it?

Michael K. Althouse said...

As you probably know - I just love bridges. This is a very cool bridge!

Mike

Preeti Shenoy said...

Wow!The first picture is really nice.Good clarity too--considering you clikced it from your phone.Yes, i hope to view it by crossing it...Some day!

Irish Church Lady :) said...

I think that's when I first started reading your blog when you wrote about that bridge that I've travelled many times!!

I keep forgetting to mention to you. I watched the movie 3 Needles last weekend - it's about the AIDS epidemic from three countries perspectives.

Anyhoo, the scenes they had from Africa were breathtakingingly beautiful. Lots of beautiful sunsets - lots of peach and purple colours. I immediately thought of your blog, which I love the colours of! Really special!

Zeus said...

That is such an amazing sight. I don't think we have a bridge that even resembles that type of construction. Like others have said, it's pretty awesome you managed to capture the photo at the speed you were travelling!

utenzi said...

Construction on that scale amazes me, Bobkat. Even more amazing is that ancient peoples like the Aztecs, Romans, and Greeks nearly matched that scale. I just can't imagine the hubris that requires!

Heather said...

That's an awesome bridge! Great photos!

JAM said...

I love bridges. I have so many photos of bridges it sometimes bores even me. I'd love to cross this one. Not bad for a cell phone photo.

I love to watch shows on television where they follow the process of the design and construction of impressive big bridges like this.

diyadear said...

hey b-k, that reminded me of the Howra Bridge in Calcutta.. I was der when it was bein built.. the pics r beautiful..truley professional..

craziequeen said...

'Personally I think it s best viewed by crossing it.'

And best crossed from West to East - cheaper too!! :-)

Isn't it a fabulous bridge? Mind you, I still like the old bridge, even if she is a bit dodgy now.

Ace photo, honey - you clever thing, you....

cq

Anonymous said...

Verrrry nice. I would really enjoy crossing this bridge. The lines realy DO draw your attention to the sky.

OldLady Of The Hills said...

Michele sent me to you this morning, my dear...It is lovely to look at the picture you took of that BEAUTIFUL Bridge---Once Again...! I hope your Friday is a great day!

carmilevy said...

I've always loved the geometry of the cable stayed box girder design. Boston has a similar structure, and I am mesmerized by it every time I visit.

Thank you for your comforting comment on my blog. When life passes through a period of darkness, it's always nice to know that my friends are there.

Biff Spiffy said...

Awesome!

We have one similar in Michigan, the Mackinac (pronounced 'mackinaw' - silly french people) is 5 miles long and open to foot traffic one day a year in September. Last time I walked it a giant cargo ship passed below, an amazing sight.

Nice photo and description.

I took a photo while driving over the George Washington Bridge in New York City. The resulting print clearly shows a sign reading 'No Photos'... whoops.

Anna said...

I love this shot....it's the lines! :)

Unknown said...

I love taking pics of bridges but mine don't come out as good as these

Unknown said...

I think I'm going to start taking photos after we move. Downtown has a lot of interesting thing in it.

Gotta get back to packing!!

Pat said...

Came to see your lovely photos again. Isn't Blossom Hill a lovely name?
Hi from Michele!

rashbre said...

Great cellphone shot.