DESCRIPTION OF SCHEME

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 54, 5 March 1930, Page 9

DESCRIPTION OF SCHEME

In 1920 ii scheme was brought out for a barrage across the river Severn, carrying a . road and railway, which should utilise,the tides for the production of electrical power. ■ Tho first part of the scheme provided for the construction of a locked basin, about 27 miles square, on the lower Severn, formed by a barrage close to tho line of the Severn tunnel. A largo portion of this basin would be suitable for the accommodation of vessels of the largest size, and usable at all states of the tide. The high'tides would be trapped by the barrage, and the water led out to the turbines. Part of tho power from this installation would be employed to pump water to a salt-water lake high up in the valley of tho Wye, with turbines in the tidal area lower down the river. When the bai"rage scheme was not working owing to the state of the tide, or at times of heavy pressure, tho water from this lake would be used to work the turbines on the Wye. ■It was estimated that over 500,000 horse-power would be generated from tides during a ton-hour day, and a peak load capacity of over 1,000,000 horsepower. The water power resources, committee of the Board of Trade reported on the scheme as deserving of further investigation, but owing to the necessity of economy it was dropped at the time. In 1924 the Great Western Railway sought Parliamentary powers for the construction of a bridge to relieve the congestion of traffic in the Severn tunnel, but this project' was postpdned whilst a further examination of tho barrage scheme was made.

When tho project was first submitted, expert opinion was by no means unanimous as to i the merits of tho scheme, and many engineers thought that the effects of tho barrage would bo to silt up tho ports at Avonmouth and Bristol.