Geograph - photograph every grid square

Taken from the road bridge. I thought that the Malvern to Ashchurch railway was no longer in use well before the motorway was built. why then build an expensive railway bridge?

According to a letter from K Marsh to This is Worcestershire all passenger services between Upton and Tewkesbury were withdrawn in August, 1961.

According to the Motorway Database the section from J1-4 (Brokeridge Common - Ross on Wye) was opened in 1960. So the motorway does predate the railway closure (just).

Just prior to the railway bridge (coming from the west) the motorway crosses the river Severn. Had they delayed opening the section J2 to J1 to await the railway closure, then motorway traffic would have to have negotiated minor road and either crossed the river at Upton-on-Severn or Tewkesbury - presumably the avoidance of such being one of the reasons to build the motorway. On the other hand, the may be no rational reason, simply poor communications between BR and the DoT.

I think the 18th photo at Pathetic Motorways might be the same bridge taken from the motorway.