Sharpness, Gloucestershire

Vindicatrix

I was a trainee at the Vindi between 25 October and 31 December of 1954. Met at the Sharpness station by a boy Bos'un who took the opportunity to cadge fags from us, we were marched(?) across the high bridge to the camp. Boys aready on courses hung around and attempted to extract ciggies from us but the bos'un... [more]

Feeling Homesick

You know I haven't come across anyone who did their 8 weeks' training at Vindi in the summer months, most people you talk to remember most of all the severe winters. I am no exception, I remember going down to the ship from the camp last thing at night for a couple of slces of bread and butter and a mug... [more]

l remember it being dam cold

l came across the vindi site by accident,and was amazed to see the old ship again, l trained on her on the stewards side over the1965 xmas period and went on to travel the world on the m.v. huntsland, carrying cargo all around the world.
seeing the photo brougt back so many memories of many years ago, does anyone else remember... [more]

Training

I must have been one of the first on the training ship because I thought it was 1954 I was there, but if it is recorded as c1955 who am I to argue! I was there training for the merchant navy for about 12 weeks. I was the camp bugler until I was relieved of my post because I was... [more]

Down the Severn Photographic Memories

As well as timber, Sharpness handled all manner of grains, linseed, palm kernels, cotton seed, offal grains and ground nuts. From here anything up to a 1000 tons a day was taken by barge to mills along the reaches of the upper Severn. On the right of the picture is the grain silo. It was built in the 1930s, and had... [more]

Down the Severn Photographic Memories

The National Sea Training School trained both deck and catering ratings for service with the Merchant Navy. The trainees slept in the barrack-type accommodation seen in this picture.

Down the Severn Photographic Memories

Constructed of wrought iron and completed in 1879, the Severn Bridge was the longest tied-arch, bowstring truss bridge on the British railway network. At 4161 ft in length, it carried not only the railway but a gas main. On the evening of 25 October 1960 in dense fog the bridge was struck by the estuarine tankers 'Arkendale H', carrying 400 tons... [more]