Dec. 12, 1953 - Giant Bridge over the Severn: The biggest bridge in Europe the...

Dec. 12, 1953 - Giant Bridge over the Severn: The biggest bridge in Europe the third biggest in the world is to be built across the River Severn as part of the New Government plan to modernise British road services. It will cost between £12,000,000 and £20,000,000. The bride was first suggested 20 years ago. It will connect Bristol and Cardiff and bring all the South West country into direct touch with the Midlands, saving scores of thousands of miles a day in road transport. It will link the main road from Gloucester to Bristol with the Gloucester South Wales road. Plans for the Severn Bridge were laid years ago, and full tests have been made during the past few years on models at the National Physical Laboratory at Teddington, Middlesex. Photo shows Dr. Frazer of Cobham holding a section of a model as he stands alongside the 52 ft long - 100th scale model of a complete flexible suspension Bridge based on an early design for the Severn Bridge at Teddington today. This model has been tested in a specially constructed air tunnel at Thurley Airfield, Bedfordshire