THE fiftieth anniversary of the M48 Severn Crossing will be celebrated on Thursday 8th September by the Institution of Civil Engineers.

At 11am, a vintage car procession will leave Aust Services driving over the bridge featuring cars and buses that could have driven across the landmark on the day of its opening. This will be followed by a private celebration attended by civil engineers who have worked on the bridge over the past fifty years.

The Grade I listed Severn Bridge was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 8th September 1966.

It took three and a half years to complete and cost £8 million. The original toll for cars when the bridge first opened was 2s 6d (12.5p).

Pictured is coverage featured in the Beacon from the day after the bridge was opened. The paper at the time hailed the structure as the resolution to a long-suffered problem.

“One of the most awkward and ancient communication barriers in the home countries has been overcome.

“This new link will knit together the industrial areas of Bristol and South Wales by road, but whether the two regions will mould themselves together into one cohesive unit is anyone’s guess.”

The bridge’s road surface was laid entirely by hand, and the main structure pinned together with 88 steel sections, weighing a total of 11,500 tons.

Each 120 ton section was floated down the River Wye from Chepstow shipyard, but the build suffered delays because there were only ten tides a month gentle enough for the sections be floated directly beneath the lifting cables before being hoisted into position.