the severn bridge railway was a railway company which constructed a railway from lydney to sharpness in gloucestershire , england .

it was intended chiefly to give access for minerals in the forest of dean to sharpness docks , and the company built a long bridge , 1.387 yards in length , over the river severn .

the line opened in 1879 .

on opening the company entered a partnership with the severn and wye railway ; the sharpness branch of the midland railway was transferred into the group , the combined network forming the severn & wye and severn bridge railway .

the severn bridge railway and the former midland railway branch formed the " bridge " section of the s&wjr ; the former severn and wye railway formed the " forest " section .

the line was never profitable , being dependent on the colliery activity in the forest of dean , and the huge construction cost of the bridge meant that there were heavy , and unaffordable , interest charges , and the s&w&sbr company went into receivership .

it was purchased by the midland railway and the great western railway jointly , and became known as the severn and wye joint railway .

when the great western railway constructed the badminton line , shortening its route from london to south wales .

a south-to-west connection was made , the berkeley road loop , giving direct access from the south to sharpness from 1908 .

in 1960 two out-of-control petrol barges in the severn struck a pier of the severn bridge and brought it down , severing the line .

after much deliberation the decision was taken to close the line permanently and to demolish the severn bridge .

the stub from berkeley road to sharpness remains in occasional use in connection with nuclear traffic .

severn bridge railway

lydney ( severn & wye & severn bridge joint railway ) . | the national archives
sharpness railway station photo . berkeley - severn bridge . severn & wye rly . ( 12
lydney town railway station photo . severn bridge - whitecroft . severn & wye ( 11 )
sharpness railway station photo . berkeley - severn bridge . severn & wye rly . ( 13
lydney town railway station photo . severn bridge - whitecroft . severn & wye ( 8 )
lydney town railway station photo . severn bridge - whitecroft . severn & wye ( 10 )
lydney town railway station photo . severn bridge - whitecroft . severn & wye ( 3 )
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sharpness railway station photo . berkeley - severn bridge . severn & wye rly . ( 10
lydney town railway station photo . severn bridge - whitecroft . severn & wye ( 7 )
lydney town railway station photo . severn bridge - whitecroft . severn & wye ( 4 )
lydney town railway station photo . severn bridge - whitecroft . severn & wye ( 5 )
demolition of the severn railway bridge in 1967 with the redundant aust ferry severn king assisting .
lydney town railway station photo . severn bridge - whit . . . lydney town railway station photo . severn bridge - whit . . .
sharpness railway station photo . berkeley - severn bridge . severn & wye rly . ( 1 )
sharpness railway station photo . berkeley - severn bridge . severn & wye rly . ( 3 )
sharpness railway station photo . berkeley - severn bridge . severn & wye rly . ( 9 )
severn bridge railway station photo . lydney - sharpness . severn & wye rly . ( 3 )
severn bridge railway station photo . lydney - sharpness . severn & wye rly . ( 2 )
severn bridge railway station photo . lydney - sharpness . severn & wye rly . ( 5 )
sharpness railway station photo . berkeley - severn bridge . severn & wye rly . ( 7 )
severn bridge railway station photo . lydney - sharpness . severn & wye rly . ( 4 )
sharpness railway station photo . berkeley - severn bridge . severn & wye rly . ( 2 )
lydney town railway station photo . severn bridge - whitecroft . severn & wye . ( 1 )
severn bridge railway station photo . lydney - sharpness . severn & wye rly . ( 7 )
severn bridge railway station photo . lydney - sharpness . severn & wye rly . ( 8 )
severn bridge railway station photo . lydney - sharpness . severn & wye rly . ( 6 )
sharpness railway station photo . berkeley - severn bridge . severn & wye rly . ( 6 )
sharpness railway station photo . berkeley - severn bridge . severn & wye rly . ( 4 )
severn bridge railway station photo . lydney - sharpness . severn & wye rly . ( 1 )
sharpness railway station photo . berkeley - severn bridge . severn & wye rly . ( 8 )
sharpness railway station photo . berkeley - severn bridge . severn & wye rly . ( 5 )
great western and midland railways , severn and wye and severn bridge joint railway . . . .
incorporated as lydney & lidbrook railway company under lydney & lidbrook railway act of 10th june 1809 . company changed its name to severn & wye railway & canal company under severn & wye railway act of 21st june 1810 . company was amalgamated with severn bridge railway company to form severn & wye & severn bridge railway company under severn & wye & severn bridge railways act of 21st july 1879 .
lydney town railway station photo . severn bridge - whitecroft . severn & wye ( 5 ) | ebay
1939 and three tanker barges overturned in the river severn off sharpness and collided with the severn railway bridge .
shropshire albert edward bridge . coalbrookdale railway over the severn 1865 . illustrated london news
§ clxiii . an act to provide for the amalgamation of the severn and wye railway and canal company and the severn bridge railway company .
great western and midland railways , severn and wye and severn bridge joint railway . . . . | the national archives
south wales railway . chepstow tubular suspension bridge . severn confluence 1852 . the illustrated london news
old wooden and wrought iron footbridge that crosses the railway line in the railway station , severn valley railway , bridnorth .
british railway history in colour . volume 2 : forest of dean lines and the severn bridge .
the severn bridge was built as a railway bridge to create a shorter through route to avoid having to go through gloucester . this title presents an illustrated history of the severn bridge 1872 - 1970 .
the albert edward bridge is a railway bridge spanning the river severn at coalbrookdale in shropshire , england . opened on 1 november 1864 , its design is almost identical to victoria bridge which carries the severn valley railway over the river severn between arley and bewdley in worcestershire .
incorporated under severn & wye & severn bridge railway act 21st july 1879 , being an amalgamation of severn & wye railway & canal company and severn bridge railway company . this company was vested in great western railway company and midland railway company jointly as from 1st july 1894 by great western and midland railway companies ' ( severn & wye & severn bridge railway ) act 17th august 1894 . midland railway company was amalgamated into london midland and scottish railway as from 1st january 1923 under north western midland and west scottish group amalgamation scheme 30th december 1922 . london midland and scottish , and great western railways joint committee ( severn & wye & severn bridge railway ) was vested in british transport commission under the transport act 1947 .
two tanker barges laden with highly volatile oil products hit the severn railway bridge . . . . .
two spans of the severn railway bridge collapsed after the boats hit pier 17 of the bridge . ( photo : the chris witts collection )
a dozen other heritage railways pledged to help the stricken svr , including mid hants railway , gloucestershire warwickshire railway , west somerset railway , avon valley railway , dean forest railway , great central railway , north yorkshire moors railway and bluebell railway .
just upstream at sharpness was the old severn railway bridge ( which was partially destroyed in an accident in 1960 ) , so realistically the severn bridge was second there too . . .
on approach to the site of severn bridge station , this view of the bridge clearly shows the missing spans .
new project : victoria bridge
ready to run
in brass as seen on the severn valley railway .
taken from severn bridge disaster by chris witts , published by river severn publications and available for 4 . 95 from urltoken
but no further action was take , with rail becoming the dominant form of transport , and a severn railway bridge and then a severn tunnel opening .
great western and midland railways , severn and wye and severn bridge joint railway . lydney harbour , docks and canal : dues , bye laws etc .
the severn bridge railway , from lydney junction to sharpness and berkeley road ( part of the midland railway ) , taken over by the severn and wye railway and subsequently jointly run by the gwr and the mr .
the bridge was also known as haynes memorial bridge . the bridge became unsafe and was dismantled to make way for the new jackfield bridge . ( no
severn bridge tunnel on s & w ; & sbr ; line to lydney .
fifty years ago the severn bridge opened bringing shorter journeys between wales and england .
grade ii listed the old severn bridge hotel , located in purton , lydney .
this latter company was vested in great western railway company and midland railway company jointly as from 1st july 1894 by great western and midland railway companies ( severn & wye & severn bridge railway ) act 17th august 1894 . midland railway company was amalgamated into london midland and scottish railway company as from 1st january 1923 under north western midland & west scottish group amalgamation scheme 30th december 1922 . london midland and scottish railway and great western railway joint committee ( severn & wye & severn bridge railway ) was vested in british transport commission under the transport act 1947 .
fifty years after the severn railway bridge disaster , a new theory has emerged which could explain exactly why it happened .
the iron for the bridge came from the hamilton windsor iron works and funding for the project came from , inter alia , the midland railway and the gloucester & berkeley canal . the severn bridge railway and the severn & wye railway & canal co were merged pursuant to an act of 21 july 1879 to form the severn & wye & severn bridge joint railway and the line from sharpness to lydney town opened on 17 october 1879 .
the severn & wye railway opened cinderford new station on july 2 , 1900 , the first train being an excursion to weston - super - mare via parkend , lydney and the severn railway bridge .
the severn bridge railway was promoted jointly by the midland railway and the severn & wye railway . authorised in parliament on 18 july 1872 , the railway was intended to facilitate the movement of coal from the forest of dean coalfield to the newly enlarged docks at sharpness .
( 5703 / 22 ) - so673028 - swing bridge carrying the s & w and severn bridge joint railway over the gloucester and sharpness canal at sharpness docks .
( 5703 / 17 ) - so672018 - so675027 - branch of the joint severn and wye and severn bridge railway serving sharpness ( new ) docks ( smr 15588 ) .
c / i m & gn railway bridge plate
70
. restored condition
sharpness ' s old , abandoned railway swing bridge crossing the gloucester sharpness canal .
( 5703 / 21 ) - so674028 - viaduct on the sharpness branch of the s & w and severn bridge joint railway .
the historic great western railway clock which keeps time at the severn bridge junction signal box in shrewsbury stopped working two years ago .
severn valley railway memories , christopher magner ( 1997 ) pp . 25 - 26 .
a petrol tanker collides with the severn railway bridge killing five people and demolishing two spans of the bridge . this effectively spells the end for the remaining passenger services out of lydney and the bridge is demolished by 1970 .
an act of 1872 authorised the building of the severn bridge railway , which was to run from lydney junction , crossing the severn by a bridge from purton to sharpness and join the midland railway ' s bristol and gloucester line at berkeley road . at the opening of the railway in 1879 it was amalgamated with the severn and wye railway and in 1894 the combined railway passed into the joint control of the gwr and mr . the line between lydney town and severn bridge station was closed in 1964 . ( 3710 )
new project : victoria bridge
ready to run
in brass as seen on the severn valley railway . - lh loveless & co
bridge no . 2 , l & msr lanc . union line : carr mill bridge .
( 5703 / 18 ) - so673028 - swing bridge carrying the s & w and severn bridge joint railway over the gloucester and sharpness canal ( smr 111157 ) at sharpness docks .
the rise and fall of the severn bridge railway 1872 - 1970 and over 2 million other books are available for amazon kindle . learn more
vertical high level aerial view of severn & sharpness railway bridge taken by raf in 1946 . ( 863 ) ( pers comm s brown )
floated back down river , striking a column on the partly demolished severn railway bridge with some force , and then grounding on lydney sands .
the historic severn bridge junction signal box is the largest mechanical signal box in the world and sits to the south of the railway station .
forest of dean railway company - the bullo pill and forest of dean railway .
1960 when two tanker barges collided with the severn railway bridge . the two barges had arrived off sharpness when thick fog descended . trying to get into the port the fast current of the severn swept them into the bridge and disaster struck .
after the corrosion problem discovered in the us , the english department for transport ( dft ) started to inspect its own three parallel strand bridges , the forth road bridge , the severn bridge and the humber bridge . initial inspections were carried out on the forth road bridge near edinburgh in 2004 , followed by inspections of the severn bridge in 2006 , and the younger humber bridge in 2009 .
the severn bridge railway - sharpness this relic is difficult to access and requires some climbing over fences and crawling through undergrowth . however , all worth it for the exact view the only ever railway line to cross the river severn took .
an act for taking down and rebuilding the bridge across the river severn at gloucester , called the westgate bridge , and for opening convenient avenues thereto .
around this time , plans were discussed to build a bridge across the severn between england and wales .
§ xxxii . an act to authorise an extension of time to the severn bridge and forest of dean central railway company for completing their undertaking .
( 5703 / 8 ) - so699999 - bridge over a cutting through the railway embankment .
( 5703 / 9 ) - so697999 - bridge over a cutting through the railway embankment .
( 5703 / 10 ) - so691001 - bridge over a cutting through the railway embankment .
( 5703 / 15 ) - so682004 - bridge over a cutting through the railway embankment .
( 5703 / 25 ) - so667042 - bridge over a cutting through the railway embankment .
( 5703 / 27 ) - so654032 - bridge over a cutting through the railway embankment .
( 5703 / 28 ) - so654030 - bridge over a cutting through the railway embankment .
( 5703 / 29 ) - so643023 - bridge over a cutting through the railway embankment .
however , because government funding was prioritised for the similar forth road bridge , opened in 1964 , construction of the severn bridge was not started until 1961 .
plans are currently underway to mark the 50th anniversary of the severn and wye railway bridge disaster in the mass ringing of church bells the county over .
the severn bridge railway company commenced construction of the severn railway bridge by the laying of a foundation stone on the lydney side of the river in 1875 . the engineer was g . w . keeling and the iron and steelwork was supplied by hamiltons windsor iron works at their garston foundry , liverpool .
however the rapid expansion of the railways over the next few decades ensured that the plan was shelved , especially with the opening of the severn railway bridge at sharpness in 1879 and the severn tunnel in 1886 .
the gwr opens the severn tunnel and promptly starts undercutting the severn bridge rates , forcing the s & w to use canvassers to obtain trade and check traffic routing .
a purton man , mr w h tudor , was duty signalman that evening on the severn railway bridge when he felt vibrations through the bridge . this , he assumed , must have been as the barges struck the columns of the bridge with such force .
sowden , phil ( 2012 ) . severn valley railway recollections , the story of the big flood .
the severn bridge railway provided a link from the gloucester - bristol railway south of the severn , from berkeley road to sharpness canal docks and thence across the severn to lydney junction . it opened in 1879 and amalgamated the same year with the severn and wye railway ( smr 5702 ) . the line , which carried both passengers and freight had an intermediate station (
severn bridge
) near purton , which closed in 1960 after an oil barge collided with the bridge , bringing down two of its spans . the remaining spans were demolished in 1967 / 70 . ( 79 )
now that there are two road bridges spanning the river severn it is very easy to forget that the first river crossing over the severn estuary was in fact a railway bridge and that passenger services over that bridge ceased exactly 55 years ago — on 26 october 1960 .
he proposed to build the crossing at around the same place as the one used eventually by the severn bridge .
half a century on from an infamous foggy night in gloucestershire we look back at the severn rail bridge disaster .
( 5703 / 20 ) - so677028 - 672028 - branch of the joint severn and wye and severn bridge railway serving sharpness ( new ) docks ( for full details of the railway connections at sharpness , see the 1st - 3rd county series os maps ) .
telford steam railway want to extend into ironbridge using the town ' s former railway lines .
sales of railway books and novels from the railway coach next to the refreshment room building .
a ion of three small railway badges . 1 . l & y railway service b12906 . 2 . lms railway service 55312 . 3 . lms railway temperance union j perry 1935 .
. the route encompassed two railways , the tenbury railway and the tenbury & bewdley railway .
former bridge of the tewkesbury and malvern railway which was part of the midland railway . the currently closed line ran from great malvern to tewkesbury .
following the second world war , plans were set in motion for a national set of trunk roads of which a severn bridge crossing would be part . a contract was agreed with ‘freeman fox and partners’ and ‘mott hay and anderson’ . bristol university hosted a public enquiry into the severn bridge proposals in 1946 . unfortunately the severn bridge had to take second place in priority to the ‘forth road bridge’ in scotland which was opened in 1964 and construction on the severn bridge did not start until1961 . in 1962 the uk government decided that construction costs would be recovered by vehicles paying a toll of two shillings and six pence ( 12 . 5p in today’s decimal money ) . walking and cycling across the severn bridge would be free . ‘associated british builders ltd’ , ( a joint enterprise involving ‘dorman long’ , ‘cleveland bridge & engineering company’ and ‘sir william arrol and co’ ) , were awarded the contract to build the superstructure in 1963 and the severn bridge was finally completed in 1966 . starting in england and working towards wales , the severn bridge itself comprises four structures , ‘aust viaduct’ , ‘the severn bridge’ , ‘beachley viaduct’ , and ‘wyes bridge’ . both aust viaduct and the severn bridge were granted grade 1 listed status in 1999 . beachley viaduct and wye bridge had already been given grade 2 status in 1998 . in 1968 the severn bridge received a civic trust award .
1875 - 9 manufactured the castings and wrought iron structures for the severn railway bridge , and erected the bridge . george earle was the site manager . at the end of the project , he was presented with a watch , inscribed : presented to george earle , by the directors of the severn bridge railway company in recognition of his zeal and ability and uniform cheerfulness in carrying out the work of the severn bridge , under exceptional difficulties for the hamiltons windsor iron works co . [ 4 ]
1903 : the south wales and bristol direct railway from wootton bassett to link up with the severn tunnel .
talking of which , i reckon the wye bridge is the most overlooked major bridge in britain . if it was anywhere else other than joined at the hip to the severn bridge , it would be a well - known landmark . as it is , people cross it with eyes only for the majestic severn bridge , missing its slender lines .
however , you can cycle over the old severn bridge for free as it forms part of the national cycling network .
the coleford branch is authorised . with the gwr also planning a line to coleford from monmouth , the race is on ! the severn bridge railway is also authorised .
( 5703 / 23 ) - so678033 - 669042 - severn railway bridge , designed by w keeling and gw owen , opened 1879 . ( 3481 ) ( 3710 )
the memorial to the severn bridge disaster on the lydney bank of the river severn . david drew ( on the left ) and paul barnett remove the cover and reveal the stone .
the old great western railway shakes , the old great western railway spins - the old great western railway makes me very sorry for my sins .
art . 24 , sch . 6 . c . ccxii west midland and severn valley [ railway ] companies .
in 1810 , the severn and wye railway and canal company began construction of a tramway and the lydney canal .
the active pilning and severn beach local history group makes sure severn beach’s vibrant past is preserved and shared with the next generation .
when boating through the trent - severn waterway the minimum overhead fixed bridge clearance is 6 . 7 m ( 22 ' )
the bridge or viaduct lasted in use for 90 years . it was built in 1870 . on 25 october 1960 it was hit by two petroleum barges and two spans collapsed . further damage followed in 1961 and the severn railway bridge was subsequently demolished . the pier for the centre of the swing bridge over the canal survives . the bridge provided a diversionary route for trains when the severn tunnel was closed for maintenance work
c / i ffestinog railway oval wagon plate .
festiniog railway no 37
. restored condition .
the severn railway bridge was a crossing over the river severn between sharpness and lydney . it was badly damaged in an accident involving two river tankers on the foggy night of 25th oct 1960 and was later demolished . the remains of the aust ferry , the mv severn king , can be seen where it struck the remains of the bridge when it lost its moorings .
engineered by george william keeling and george wells owen , the four - mile severn bridge railway formed a junction with the severn & wye and south wales railways at lydney , then disappeared into a tunnel of 506 yards before climbing onto the bridge to cross the water . at the east side , it joined a branch of the midland railway at sharpness docks .
the severn and wye railway was struggling at this time , and quick construction of the bridge might have staved off bankruptcy for a few more years . as it was , the company rapidly found itself saddled with the even more impoverished severn bridge railway , which came with the sort of astronomical maintenance costs which can be expected from half - mile long bridges . the result was that the severn and wye railway began looking for buyers ; after some blackmail , the midland railway took over the southern end and the severn bridge , and the great western railway took over the section to the north of parkend . this mixed ownership lead to the railway network retaining an individual flavour until it became part of the new british railways ( western region ) in january 1948 .
as both bridge and the tunnel carried the majority of traffic across the severn , there was little demand for an alternative crossing .
in 1868 the severn and wye railway decided to construct a broad gauge railway from lydney to parkend . it opened in april 1869 , marking the end of the company’s narrow gauge era . the s & w went on to merge with the severn bridge railway in 1885 . in 1894 the line , by then converted to standard gauge , was sold and run jointly by the midland railway and the gwr .
work had begun two years later in 1875 on the construction of the severn railway bridge which crossed the river a little upstream of lydney and sharpness . there was to be a lot of jealousy during the period of construction between both the tunnel and bridge companies until the bridge was finally opened in 1879 .
funding from central government was eventually given to the similar forth road bridge , which was opened in 1964 , but the severn bridge eventually got the go - ahead with construction starting in 1961 .
the severn railway bridge was finally demolished in 1967 , the iron girders being sold to chile for a road carrying viaduct . all that remains today is the circular stone structure of the swing bridge on the side of the gloucester and sharpness canal .
significant events in the history of the severn valley railway in preservation between 2010 and the present date are set out below .
§ lxix . an act to authorise the east norfolk railway company to make certain deviations in the line of their aylsham extension railway , to extend that railway to the dereham , fakenham , and wells railway of the great eastern railway company ; and for other purposes .
in october 2010 two memorials were unveiled to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the severn railway bridge disaster . one is situated at lydney docks and the other ( pictured ) is at purton .
it is also closed to traffic once a year to allow 2 , 500 people to take part in the severn bridge half marathon .
after the second world war , plans began to be made for a nationally funded network of trunk roads , including a severn bridge .
but a year later , the bridge was opened and the renamed severn bridge sports and social club has since become a focal point for many in wales as well as some on the english side .
for much of its working life the severn valley line was operated by the great western railway and subsequently the western region of british railways . today the severn valley railway operates as a heritage railway . services began in 1970 from bridgnorth to hampton loade , extending to bewdley in 1974 and kidderminster in 1984 .
2010 marked the severn valley railway ' s 40th anniversary since opening in 1970 and the 175th anniversary of the formation of the great western railway . 2015 marks the 50th anniversary since the birth of the severn valley railway on 6 july 1965 . special events were staged during both years to mark these anniversaries .
the origins of the bridge at sharpness lie in the early 19th century . the severn & wye railway was authorised by parliament on 10 june 1809 as the lydney & lidbrook railway . the following year , on 12 june , a change of title to the severn & wye railway & canal co was authorised . construction of the lydney canal and the associated plateway commenced .
the bridge was never repaired and was finally demolished in 1969 . several pictures of the bridge in its prime can be seen on
§ clv . an act to give to the north british railway company a joint interest with the caledonian railway company in the dundee and arbroath railway and part of the arbroath and forfar railway ; and for other purposes .
the dean forest mines act of 1838 changed working practices in the forest . the severn and wye company came under pressure to improve the tramway service . at the same time the rival forest of dean railway company planned to construct a line to the severn . the plan was dropped after the severn and wye railway contested it .
the ' main line ' ran from sharpness across the severn railway bridge to cinderford where trains reversed to continue to lydbrook junction on the gwr line from ross - on - wye to monmouth .
an unusual visitor to severn beach on the 14th april 1982 . the leyland railbus awaits its return working at severn beach . copyright roger winnen .
follow the jubilee way from old sodbury to the severn bridge on this delightful walk . the path heads towards thornbury before entering the severn vale and passing through hay wood . you then follow the severn estuary to the finish point at the landmark bridge . the cotswold hills provide a splendid backdrop for much of the walk . view full details > >
an act for building a bridge over the river severn , at or near holt fleet , in the parishes of holt and ombersley in the county of worcester ; and for making approaches to such bridge .
the loss of the severn railway bridge as a transport infrastructure meant that schoolchildren who had previously attended lydney grammar from sharpness and its environs in the short term had a long rail detour via gloucester and were eventually moved to other schools in south west gloucestershire . and although the gas main along the bridge did not catch fire and was soon isolated , households in lydney had to be supplied with temporary portable gas supplies until a new pipe could be built under the severn . from a financial perspective , british railway’s accountants deemed the severn railway bridge to be cheaper to demolish than repair – a belief strengthened when the capsized tanker “bp explorer” hit another bridge support in february 1961 . as a result , the 1879 bridge
one bridge that does not survive is the severn railway bridge at sharpness . for on the night of the 25th october 1960 two tanker barges were swept into it whilst bound for sharpness in thick fog . two spans dropped onto the barges which subsequently caused the cargo of petrol to ignite , setting the river severn ablaze . five men
ridgway , c . r . p . ( 1980 ) .
the severn valley railway - locomotive maintenance at bridgnorth
.
this was an incident which would be always be remembered as the severn bridge disaster in which two tanker barges and five men were lost .
a unit from severn beach approaches doctor day ' s bridge en route to bristol temple meads on the 27th october 1984 . copyright roger winnen
excellent service and a most interesting book that charts the rise of teh severn and wye railway bridge over the severn and its demise . ironic that there are now moves a foot to build a new bridge on the spot , when the old one could have been repaired for £325k . a worthwhile read about one of the country ' s earliest railway bridges and yet a lesser known company .
1846 extensions were authorised which ultimately linked the south wales railway and the gloucester and dean forest railway at awre .
the gwr worked the marlborough railway and the berks and hants extension railway and formally took them over in 1892 .
and the west midland railway ( wmr ) . working of traffic on the tenbury railway was taken over by the
although there had been a ferry across the severn at roughly the point where the bridge would be built since at least roman times , a steam ferry service closed with the opening of the severn tunnel in 1886 .
severn beach was a farm before the railway came in 1901 . the nearby new passage ferry had plied the river for centuries and it was updated by the south wales union railway , which arrived in 1863 bringing construction workers and railway staff to the village . great western railway built the severn tunnel under the river and when it opened in 1886 the ferry line stopped running .
the severn bridge railway was more than once linked with that of its contemporary , the first tay bridge : but whereas the tay failed structially and quickly , the subject of this book failed commercially and protractedly . the severn bridge lasted for eighty years until 1960 when two drifting barges administered the fatal blow . ron huxley creates a detailed account of the construction , use and passing of one of the greatest bridges of its day , documented by illustrations throughout the book . the severn bridge was built as a railway bridge to create a shorter through route to avoid having to go through gloucester . this book was originally published in 1984 and has long been out of print .
in 1938 three tanker barges severn traveller , severn pioneer and severn carrier became entangled and sank ; several men were drowned . in 1961 , when the bridge was no longer in use the tanker bp explorer capsized and drifted into one of the remaining piers with the loss of all hands .
on 25 october 1960 the severn railway bridge was hit and partially destroyed by two tanker barges - the wastdale h and the arkendale h . one of the boats was full of petrol which exploded , setting the river severn ablaze . ( photo : the chris witts collection )
like you , the m48 is my bridge of choice across the severn . since 1996 i have been able to enjoy the crossing without having to deal with legions of traffic which now uses the new bridge .
that ' s typical of our business in the last six months as since the government was announced they are reducing the bridge tolls , 80 % of my buyers have come from over the severn bridge .
running from bridgnorth to kidderminster , the severn valley railway is one of the most charming journeys in the uk , and the best way to soak up the untouched beauty of the river severn and wyre forest .
directions to severn bridge from places in south west using train click to get updated timetables , live arrivals and step - by - step directions .
from 1797 . the bullo pill ran from the place of that name on the river severn to cinderford bridge and was built without parliamentary sanction .
severn & sharpness bridge , originally the third longest in britain , built 1879 , damaged in 1960 and demolished 1967 - 1969 . ( 862 )
formal opening : the queen unveils a plaque to commemorate the official opening of the severn bridge on the chepstow bank on thursday , september 8 and insert how the lydney observer recorded the opening of the new bridge .
§ cxlviii . an act to authorise the bridport railway company to make a new railway ; and for other purposes .
the modest fan - style timber bridge across the sonning cutting , east of reading in berkshire on brunel ' s great western railway , pictured in 1862 . the railway opened in 1840 .
for the time being , brunel abandoned his ideas for timber crossings on the severn and went
the long way round
through gloucester . he later considered a wrought iron single span alternative for the severn crossing when contemplating designs for the river tamar bridge at saltash in cornwall . his sketch is headed
severn bridge . q : is 1 , 100ft practicable ?
in many ways one of the greatest engineering achievements of the victorian era , the severn railway bridge spanned the river severn at sharpness from 1874 until 1960 . it was a single track construction , built to carry forest of dean coal to sharpness docks for export , and provide access to the midland railway on the east bank of the river .
the response of the severn and wye railway was to build the severn and wye mineral loop . leaving the severn and wye at tufts junction , on todays dean forest railway south of whitecroft , it headed northwards past mallards pike to rejoin the severn and wye at drybrook road station , near cinderford . trains which ran up the entire loop would ultimately end up facing back towards lydney , due to the design of the junctions .
the old severn bridge ( ‘pont hafren’ in welsh ) , is an iconic image which touches the hearts of the population of south wales . whenever the welsh see the severn bridge in the distance on their way back from england , on the motorway they know that they are only a short distance from the gateway to home . and whilst they cross over they see wales stretching forth beyond . the severn bridge crossing spans the england and chepstow in south wales via the river wye and the river severn ( ‘hafren’ in welsh ) . it does so via beachley , the peninsula between the two rivers in gloucestershire . the old severn bridge cost £8 million , to build and was opened by the queen on september 8 th 1966 . soon after it was opened an anglo welsh poet harri webb wrote an ‘ode to the severn bridge’
when the queen opened the original severn bridge on 8 september 1966 , she heralded it as the dawn of a new economic era for south wales .
it was not until after world war two that a network of trunk roads was proposed , one of which included the bridge over the river severn .
the severn railway bridge opened in 1879 and continued in use until the tragic night of october 25th 1960 . two barges carrying oil and petrol struck the bridge in fog and became jammed against it . suddenly , two spans of the bridge collapsed onto the barges which burst into flames . 5 men lost their lives . you can read more of the story
the railway train toilet roll holder is designed for wall mounting and is supplied with a removable turned wooden turned toilet roll insert . railway station toilet roll holder . great western railway .
in the meantime a severn railway bridge was built at sharpness in 1879 and the severn tunnel was competed in 1886 . the idea of a severn bridge to carry foot and road traffic had become redundant . by the 1920s however road use was growing significantly and chepstow urban district council called a meeting of neighbouring local authorities to consider ideas for a severn bridge river crossing . it was intended to avoid the traffic congestion which was by then affecting chepstow and was causing tail backs on the a48 . in 1935 monmouth and gloucestershire county councils tried to get a bill placed before parliament to obtain powers to construct a severn bridge further down the estuary with three quarters of the costs being borne by the by the ministry of transport . but the influential great western railway company opposed the bill and it was lost .
the bridge opened for traffic in 1879 by which time the severn bridge railway had amalgamated with the severn & wye railway . the company was not a financial success , being hit particularly hard by the opening of the gwr’s severn tunnel in 1886 . in 1894 the line was sold jointly to the great western and midland railways . the bridge was important to the local communities on either side of the river and also performed a useful role as a diversionary route when the severn tunnel was closed for maintenance . during the 1950s the western region of british railways investigated the possibility of modernising the bridge to allow it to carry heavier locomotives , thus increasing it’s usefulness as a diversionary route . the contract to refurbish and strengthen the bridge was awarded to the fairfield shipbuilding & engineering company and work commenced in 1960 .
1851 the south wales railway opened between gloucester and chepstow . conversion of the forest of dean railway to broad gauge began .
for the svr would be a better choice to extend toward stourport on severn .
a double track , brick lined tunnel with long approach cuttings and carrying the trains under the estuary of the river severn between pilning and the severn tunnel junction .
by the time the train reached sharpness , the bridge was no longer intact . the two tankers , dragging several hundred feet of railway line were brought to a halt on a sandbank just above the bridge .
severn bridge station was on the eastern edge of the former railway bridge across the river severn ; its other end was at sharpness . originally opened in the 1870s , the bridge was damaged in 1960 when a couple of barges collided with one of the columns and was eventually demolished by the end of the 60s . the station was pretty much left to rot and is now used by a farmer . lydney tunnel is just to the west .
the timber queen post truss viaduct was an economic bridge for the glen innes to wallangarra railway at a time when the boom years of the 1880s was ending and funding for railway construction was decreasing .
estate agents in south monmouthshire claim about 80 % of home buyers are now coming from the bristol area ready for the halving of the severn bridge tolls .
once over the river bridge take the north or south quays for a leisurely walk along the banks of the river severn and out into the worcestershire countryside .
further on came another pause to view the remains of the old aust ferry terminal which finally stopped running in 1966 when the original severn bridge was opened .
the earthworks of railway embankments and cuttings that formed part of the severn bridge railway are visible on aerial photographs . the line can be traced from so 6969 2000 north west to sharpness . after crossing the severn the line heads south west to the edge of so 60 se at so 6500 0266 . { source works 4249 , 7549 , 6879 and 6880 . }
a german expert directs operations with the aid of a walkie - talkie as a sling is fixed on a section of the old severn railway bridge , which is being demolished . badly damaged during an major incident in 1960 , the bridge has reached the end of it ' s working life .
c / i bridge notice
shropshire union railway and canal company ltd - notice - this bridge is insufficient to carry weights beyond the ordinary traffic of the district - by order . as removed . as removed .
the railway still eyed what traffic the ferry services ran and in 1924 , the great western railway started to take cars on railway wagons through the tunnel between pilning and severn tunnel junction as an alternative to the aust ferry . with its erratic timetable determined by the tides , or the long road journey via gloucester , this was seen as a more reliable service . the service continued until the opening of the severn bridge in 1966 .
§ xv . an act for the abandonment of the railway authorised by the brewood and wolverhampton railway acts , 1874 and 1876 .
continuing northwards , the trackbed remains in place although no track is laid . shortly before dowles bridge , the level of the tenbury and bewdley railway falls below that of the severn valley railway . a retaining wall was built between the two lines , now referred to as the tenbury wall .
but before the severn bridge was opened in 1966 , if you were driving , the quickest way to cross the river from england to wales was by ferry .
it crosses the river severn and river wye , sort of between newport and bristol .
where there ' s lovely trails through the avon gorge and along the river severn .
a severn beach unit leaves lawrence hill for bristol . 11th november 1978 copyright roger winnen
timetable for the pilning low level to severn beach is included in table 78 above .
the severn to the opposite bank , tonks increased his speed . as he passed the
- covers the river severn , the g & s canal and the bristol channel .
a bend in the canal turned and there standing sentinel stood the remains of the bridge . but first the story of the bridge and its shocking demise :
severn partnership were commissioned to undertake a 3d laser scan of a railway bridge in wales . the client wanted to produce a 3d model of the structure , including all visible structural elements ( bearing plates ) , topography and tracks .
§ xvi . an act to extend the time for the purchase of lands for , and for the construction of , the forth bridge railway .
in 1977 severn bridge traffic in each direction had to be restricted to single lanes for several months when it was discovered that weaknesses had appeared in the structure . the bridge was resurfaced and further strengthened in the late 1980s owing to the ever increasing burden of heavy traffic . the severn bridge deck and towers were reinforced and at the same time ‘wye bridge’ also benefitted from replacement of its original single stays with a new arrangement of two stays and towers which were themselves extended . . the new open design of the new stays is intended for ease of maintenance . most of the severn bridge reinforcement work is concealed in its own towers and deck box , so few of the changes are visible . the new severn bridge surfacing is a 1 . 4 inch thick coating of mastic asphalt laid on an acrylic waterproofing membrane .
railway heraldry . the coat of arms of the great western railway combines the crests of the city of london and of bristol respectively .
post - medieval railway , known as the south wales railway , worked by and later absorbed by the gwr . opened in 1851 .
when it was opened by the queen , 50 years ago today , september 8 , the severn bridge was hailed as one of the engineering wonders of the world .
an act for building a bridge over the river severn , at or near the haw passage , in the county of gloucester , and for making convenient roads thereto .
severn and wye railway ( disused ) , from lydney to lydbrook , with docks branch and a mineral loop . ( cookson terrace has lbii status ) .
one pier and two spans [ each span about 170 ] of single track . 75 mile long railway bridge destroyed by impact and collapse . a 12 inch diameter gas main situated alongside the railway track and supplying the forest of dean area was broken away for the distance of the bridge damage .
our aim is to reopen the sharpness branch line , in gloucestershire , to passengers as a heritage railway tourist attraction , rebuilding some of the key structures that once adorned this historical joint gwr & lms severn & wye railway .
§ clxxxvii . an act to authorise the cork and bandon railway company to purchase the undertakings of the cork and kinsale junction railway company and of the west cork railway company , and to acquire certain rights belonging to the hen valley railway company ; and for other purposes .
bridge , the new st . lawrence , 63 , 286 , 306 , 374


video gaming in china is a massive industry and pastime that includes the production , sale , import/export , and playing of video games .

china is the largest and highest grossing ( revenues ) video game market in the world , since 2015 .

the landscape of the topic is strongly shaped by china 's average income level , rampant software piracy , and governmental measures to control game content and playing times .

in 2011 , china 's pc game sector was worth $ 6 billion , the largest in the world .

arcade games are also a thriving industry in china .

console games were banned from the country in 2000 , but the ban was lifted in july 2015 .

in esports , china has been the top country in terms of tournament winnings , possessing some of the world 's best talents across video games .

the special administrative regions of hong kong and macau have unique legal and cultural environments , thus the information below does not apply in these two regions .

china has been widely known as the " games industry capital of the world " , with the largest market and some of the world 's largest video game companies .

video gaming in china

the nation is a world leader in competitive video games—yet officials and parents are suspicious of gaming .
china is a world leader in e - sports even as the government remains suspicious of video games .
console gaming is a niche market to began with i doubt we will see exponential growth in china .
actually , it means that gaming culture will begin to expand in china , as gaming as a past time is appealing to all peoples and cultures .
so why would anyone in china buy a video game console ? there really isn ' t a good reason .
video game consoles are illegal in china . ironically , the wii , the ps3 and the xbox 360 are chinese …
china ' s video game market is the biggest in the world and worth more than $ 30 billion a year .
rob used to host video game tournaments in his home . find out how he turned his youthful passion into a successful career in the gaming industry .
one of the reasons for this gaming culture difference is the gaming console ban in 2000 . ps2 was launched in 2000 , xbox and gamecube in 2001 . this was one of the golden ages of console gaming that exploded in popularity in places like north america . americans went through this phase while china didn ' t . with the ban lifted in 2015 , chinese have moved on from video game console . the winners of the ban being pc gaming and mobile gaming later on .
internet cafes in china are getting increasingly high - end as well , as players in the country demand gaming in a more social setting , according to tech in asia .
that was before pc gaming was as big . pc gaming has a hold on china , and it would take a lot to get people to downgrade .
join gaming insider nelson rodriguez as he meets industry superstars who share insights on how to deliver legendary gaming experiences .
separately , mcnealy added that the removal of the ban on video - gaming could provide a boost to the tv industry .
video game console is not popular in china . even before mobile gaming became mainstream , console gaming wasn ' t popular at all . the biggest gaming majority is pc gaming and it ' s thriving . with popular games like wow , lol and dota 2 dominating the gaming scene in china , console gaming has no chance in changing the gaming culture . plus , pc gaming is way cheaper when piracy is common practice in china . shops openly sell fake copies of pc games . more advanced users can easily download workable copies on the internet . why would i wait for nba 2k15 to release on xbox one and pay more than $ 60 usd on a copy when i can just download it and play it for free on pc ? plus , you can easily avoid content restriction on a pc than on a gaming console .
china ' s government plans to introduce laws for the new overnight gaming ban in next month ' s annual major political meeting .
china’s biggest entertainment and video gaming conference , chinajoy , is under way in shanghai . the fervor of chinese gaming fans remains unshaken by the city’s scorching hot weather , and if anything is even more feverish since the event is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year .
china first instituted its prohibition on game consoles in 2000 as a way to protect children . despite the ban , however , merchants have long brought in video game systems from japan and hong kong and sold them to customers in china .
megastar jay chou is such a huge gaming fan that he owns a professional league of legends team , called j - gaming .
after fourteen years , china has lifted its ban on video game consoles . microsoft is the first of the major console manufacturers to capitalize on the new market , having recently launched its xbox one in the region . however , china ' s gaming culture has undergone a radical shift in the absence of consoles , raising questions about how this segment of the video game industry will fare in china . in our first shacknews select , we take a closer look at what led to the ban , how video games in china have flourished in a different way , and the opportunities and perils of jumping into the market .
in the analysis that follows , we investigate more deeply the role of video games in teen friendships , with a particular focus on the way in which gaming spaces impact and contribute to friendships among boys .
the game was accused of intentionally blackening china and the chinese army ' s image as a freelance mercenary fights in the game across three linked campaigns in the former soviet union , libya and china , where he steals intelligence and conducts sabotage in china and shoots at china ' s soldiers while china ' s national flag and signs like
china aviation
pop up frequently .
. . the manufacturing and selling of any electronic gaming equipment plus its parts and accessories headed to china are stopped immediately . no company or individual can partake in the manufacturing and selling of electronic gaming equipment plus its parts and accessories headed to china .
the console ban was enacted in 2000 by china ' s cultural ministry , ostensibly to shield its youth from the corrupting influence of games . but in the 15 years since , video gaming has become a mainstream leisure pursuit in china , at a time when demand for consumer goods and consumer spending has exploded .
i didn ' t make an arcade video game bar ,
he added ,
i made a cocktail bar that had influences from arcade video games .
china makes up more than half of the global e - sports audience . more than 500 million people worldwide watch other people play video games . by some estimates the video game industry could be worth $ 35bn ( £26 . 4bn ) by 2021 . and more people watch gaming in china than live in many european nations . for many e - athletes , it’s catapulted them into fame and fortune .
online gaming rapidly became very popular in south - korea , triggering the rise of pc bangs .
see what ' s driving players in a must - read report on the state of gaming .
in regards to cultural gaming differences , let ' s not forget that the gaming market in china as a whole , is still fairly new , and open to influences . establishing new popular genres is least of the problems microsoft and sony will be facing .
the ban on manufacturing arcade machines was lifted in 2009 , but the ban on foreign - made video game consoles remained in effect .
video games have become a spectator sport , and facebook is angling to become espn .
with a rapidly developing economy that demands a lot from its workforce , the population of china has been introduced to new levels of stress , competition , and high pressure , both in school and in the workplace . as one means to escape the hassle and tension of life , many chinese of the younger generation turn to video games to relieve stress . because of this , china has become the largest video gaming market in the world .
tl ; dr : china ending its ban on video game consoles means nothing because there is no games or content as they are restricted by the chinese government . there also isn ' t a gaming console culture in china as it is dominated by pc and mobile gaming . people that are avid console gamers already bought their consoles from overseas as it is cheaper and not restricted .
there are many arcades in china , some are shopping arcades , others are video game arcades . but arcade , in shanghai isn ' t an arcade in any sense of the word , it is instead a bar .
t’s safe to say that sony , microsoft , and nintendo are well aware of the huge opportunities that exist in china’s predicted $ 18 billion gaming market . ”
china’s biggest social media and gaming company has said it will limit kids’ play time on its hugely popular honor of kings game , in light of addiction concerns .
as of the day this report is released , the manufacturing and selling of any electronic gaming equipment plus its parts and accessories headed to china are stopped immediately . no company or individual can partake in the manufacturing and selling of electronic gaming equipment plus its parts and accessories headed to china .
e - sports will have full medal status at the 2022 asian games in china .
but at a gaming café employee in beijing , xiao qi , said the measures do not work .
hink of the word “china” and one of two ideas should come to mind : either the country , or the crockery sat in your kitchen cupboard . this synonym in the english language is testament to the reputation of china’s porcelain trade around europe in the 16th century . china was top of the line . but when it comes to video games ,
china ' s government has long tried to dissuade people from playing and up until recently , gaming consoles like xbox and playstation were banned .
i am seeing a lot of reactions by redditors on the ending of gaming console ban in china . many think it will be an impactful change in china but i am here to tell you that ' s not the case . nothing has changed .
teens’ gaming habits vary little by family income , education or race and ethnicity . below we highlight the most notable differences between groups in how their use of video games intersects with their friendships .
game consoles have been banned in china since 2000 because of government concerns over the ideological content of such products and the impact that video - game violence might have on children .
i hope i have answered some of your questions about video game consoles in china . i will be hanging around if you have any questions . feel free to comment below .
i wonder if you ever took a train in china . it is the same exact train linking tier - 1 cities and the rest of china .
being based in shanghai has meant that zhou’s years - long hobby of making video games has fell under the jurisdiction of china’s ministry of culture [ moc ] . this government sector attempts to strictly uphold the constitution of the people’s republic of china , meaning that any entertainment ( including video games ) that violates or smears it or china’s image in anyway is banned or at least censored in the country . this isn’t really a problem for zhou and his small hobbyist games , but it has had a huge effect on china’s video game culture at large , and it’s this that he’s up against .
while there are many video game bars in the us and japan , there aren ' t too many in china . there are arcades that have bars but this arcade is more bar than game center .
video game consoles are illegal in china . ironically , the wii , the ps3 and the xbox 360 are chinese made . and there is a flourishing pc gaming culture . there has to be a reason for this ban . turns out , there is .
since china ' s decision to ban video game consoles within the country in 2000 , no chinese gamers have been able to keep up with the trends in the gaming community . that all changes today , as the chinese ministry of culture has announced that video game companies like nintendo , sony and microsoft will now be able to manufacture and sell their consoles on chinese territory .
there was a healthy dose of everything related to gaming at the carnival : the launch of big gaming titles , virtual reality , gaming payments , and of course , the booth babes who have become a large part of the conference’s charm .
chou ' s gaming company , j - esports ( 魔杰电竞 ) , said it plans to franchise wolfz out throughout china , sina games reports .
this is very real , and happening in south korea – often referred to as an online gaming mecca .
pc gaming has far surpassed the console market worldwide . in the west though ? i have no idea .
even with the ban in 2000 , console gaming still existed but it was a niche market . people with money can obviously purchase consoles overseas . even before the government lifted the ban in 2014 / 2015 , shops in china were already selling ps4 and xbox ones everywhere . you can easily purchase a gaming console online from taobao ( china ' s ebay ) . these consoles are commonly purchased by the supplier from japan , taiwan or hong kong . anyone in china that wants a video game console already has one by the time the ban was lifted .
and as noted previously , when comparing talking by video gaming to other modes of communication and interaction with friends , gaming ranks substantially higher for boys as a mode of daily communication than it does for girls , for whom it ranks at the very bottom .
software piracy is a huge problem in china , and that might be why game companies are hesitant to enter the chinese market , but it ' s not why video games have been outlawed . nintendo legally released its portable nintendo dsi in chinese stores in december 2009 . nintendo has yet to release its nintendo wii in mainland china .
another weird symptom of these restrictions is that the gaming console made specifically for china is more expensive than the ones you can purchase outside of china . how much is xbox one without kinect in china ? 2999rmb which converts to $ 499usd . and guess what ? that ' s the discount price . the original price was $ 600 usd . why is this ? chinese government charges a lot higher taxes on products made by foreign companies . but , it ' s made in china ! wrong ! remember , this is china . anything that is under foreign brand is more expensive in china even though they are made in china . you would think apple , microsoft or sony products are cheap in china because it is made here in china , but nope . it ' s at least 20 % more expensive to buy it in china . a person can walk to hong kong , fly to japan and buy a video game console that is cheaper . oh , and it ' s not restricted by the chinese government .
background : i was sent to china by multinational company that is part of the video game industry . i lived in shanghai for a year before i decided to leave the company and move back to us . i left china not because of the company but because of the living cost , environmental pollutions and the horrific restrictions of internet in china .
whether on headsets or in person , teens who play networked games talk with their friends while they play . nearly three - quarters of teens who play online video games say they’ve talked with friends while they played together . nearly nine - in - ten online video - gaming boys ( 88 % ) say they talk with their friends while playing , while about half ( 52 % ) of online gaming girls do .
as the most powerful western brand in china - - well ahead of mcdonald’s , which came in at # 7 . ”
mobile gaming to reach $ 37 . 0 billion despite lower growth for tablets than anticipated
players are already required to use their government ids to register with online gaming sites .
the proportion of young internet users in china is relatively high ,
mr faqing said .
china’s electronic sports ( esports ) , or competitive video games , industry generated rmb50 . 4 million ( us $ 7 billion ) in revenue in 2016 , up 34 . 7 % year - on - year , according to a report by china’s gpc , an industry group for game publishers .
china ' s 13 - year ban on video game consoles is ending with the creation of a new free trade zone in shanghai that will allow foreign - funded companies to sell game systems nationwide .
in south korea , although the outcomes are very similar . china ' s ban was specifically geared towards protecting its youth from going to dangerous venues and being exposed to unhealthy content . but chinese gamers would not be suppressed , even as the ban stayed in effect for fourteen years . the result of the ban caused a meteoric rise in pc gaming . although the ban does include language that prohibits internet cafes from running businesses related to video games , that portion was rarely enforced . as a result , video game revenues in china topped over
if battlefield didn ' t have enough problems as it is , the game is now banned from sale in china starting this week due to the supposed discrediting of china ' s national image in the futuristic plot line . the game is now deemed as a threat to national security in china .
arenanet is one major video game developer that took great caution in approaching the chinese gaming market . their most - recognized mmorpg , guild wars 2 , launched in china in may . that wasn ' t a spur of the moment decision . rather , the studio analyzed the region carefully , noting a uniquely different taste in games from any other region the developer previously catered to .
' s unexpected story flourishes , and more on gaming addiction being ' singled out ' .
all in all , i think there ' s great promise in this move . it ' ll be slow going , but as china becomes more affluent , you ' ll start seeing shifting attitudes towards various things . video games and how the mainstream consumes video game content will shift with it . you got to be in it to win it , as it were .
chinese government also has the infamous great firewall of china . want to connect to servers outside of china to play a game with your american friend ? good luck . not happening . the chinese government has specifically told microsoft and sony that such practice can ' t exist for gaming console in china . chinese players can only play on chinese servers inside of china . this is the way it is set up .
video games 8 and gameplay are pervasive in the lives of most american teens – and for boys in particular , video games serve as a major venue for the creation and maintenance of friendships . fully 72 % of all teens play video games on a computer , game console or portable device like a cellphone , and 81 % of teens have or have access to a game console .
hints at a removal of the chinese government ' s decade long ban on video - gaming have excited technology investors over potential gains for the industry , but analysts have warned the impact could be muted .
in the world’s newest superpower , professional video gaming is a booming industry set to be worth billions . female players struggle to earn as much as their male competitors – but that ' s not stopping one talented team of young women .
all these severely distort historical facts and violate china ' s gaming and internet service regulations ,
the moc said .
the game should be immediately prohibited .
it is true through . dota 2 for example must be published through perfect world to be serviced in china . an american game company can ' t simply just open an online shop and do business in china .
china just lifted its 14 - year - ban on video game consoles earlier this month , but during that time taiwan developed a underground video game culture that ' s still thriving . names like nintendo are so entrenched in the larger taiwanese culture that a video game console is considered as much of a household staple as a rice cooker , according to the video game explosion : a history of pong to playstation and beyond . but because piracy is such a big problem in asia , many game companies prefer to produce online games , which means they ' re even more popular .
yes . there was a massive pc gaming established community when consoles like the xbox first launched .
despite a rise in mobile gaming , cafes in china have found that players still want to watch professional live and televised esports tournaments right next to other gamers — and games like league of legends and crossfire have been popular amongst livestreamers .
in the early days of game development in china , one game was thought to be awesome . the awesome game however did not exist .
china lifted its 14 - year ban on video game consoles this year , encouraging both sony and microsoft to launch their playstation 4 and xbox one consoles into a potentially huge new market .
already , the world ' s biggest censorship apparatus supposedly protects young minds from pornography , violence and politically unsuitable material , but china ' s communist party sees video games as another threat .
ongamenet and mbc game - were set up . nowadays , a broad range of magazines specialized in gaming are also available . schools
in 2000 , the moc banned foreign video game consoles and accessories entirely , all in an effort to stop video games having a negative effect on china’s youth . the ban lasted until january 2014 in shanghai when a free - trade zone was opened up for foreign console manufacturers such as sony and microsoft to sell their consoles under certain restrictions . it wasn’t until july 2015 that the ban on consoles was lifted around the rest of china – 15 years after its introduction .
emma lee is shanghai - based tech writer , covering startups and tech happenings in china and asia in general . we are looking for stories related to tech and china . reach her at lixin @ technode . com .
that said , experience with gaming might work out to be a good thing if harnessed correctly . for example , gaming is being used to help develop peacekeeping skills worldwide , with trinity college dublin leading a €2m project in europe .
it ' s interesting to see that china still has a flourishing arcade industry as game centers were nearly wiped out in the early 2000s along with the video game console ban . despite falling into the same category as video game consoles ( arcade machines are huge game boxes , like consoles ) , arcades and arcade cabinets are not illegal in china . instead , arcades fall under the jurisdiction of the ministry of culture—the same ministry that oversees internet cafes .
this week , china said it will lift a ban on selling video game consoles and games in the country , the latest in a series of rules aimed at loosening restrictions on sales . but despite the nice - sounding sentiment that china is opening up , the fact is that not much has changed . and not much will change .
nelson rodriguez is a gaming industry veteran who’s helped launch blockbusters like halo 3 . read his new book frictionless : build better video games , attract & retain players , grow revenue for his development strategies and insights .
not constructive , your vision is so obstructed by the western way , this will chabge many hings in china .
new gaming boom : newzoo ups its 2017 global games market estimate to $ 116 . 0bn growing to $ 143 . 5bn in 2020
in theory , the software and id checks will prompt gaming companies to identify minors who are still online , and shut them off .
if all you ' ve known about internet cafes are dingy darkened rooms where people stare into screens , you ' ve got to see some of the new , slick gaming havens that are popping up in china .
china banned consoles in 2000 over fears that video games may have a detrimental effect on the mental and physical development of children . reports earlier this year suggested that beijing was considering relaxing its policy , though officials later disputed such claims . consoles have been available on the black market in china , though most gamers use pcs or mobile devices .
sony sells its 20 millionth playstation , easily making it the most popular gaming console of its time .
unless otherwise noted , in this report we use the term video games to encompass all types of gameplay on computers , consoles , tablets or phones .
these apartment - dwellers aren’t just roommates – they’re teammates . they’re members of llg – one of china’s best female e - sports teams , and a highly skilled group of professional video game players .
nelson rodriguez is a gaming industry veteran who’s helped launch blockbusters like halo 3 . read his new book frictionless : build better video games , attract & retain players , grow revenue for his game development strategies and insights .
for an industry predicted to be worth over $ 100 billion by 2017 ( with the chinese market accounting for about a quarter of that ) , it’s clear why foreign companies are scrambling to get their products released in china . china’s gaming culture remains tough and unpredictable to outsiders , however – though against all odds ( and government bans ) , it has flourished to become a unique part of the youth culture . time will tell where gaming goes from here for china’s latest generation of gamers .
changes to the ban on video gaming are unlikely to have a significant impact on global demand for consoles . there will be some improvement . . . but as pc gaming is already huge in china through laptops and mobile devices , this has meant china already has 300 to 400 million gamers . there is not a huge amount of pent - up demand here . many users can get round the rules and are able to import the consoles illegally from other countries . the law has become irrelevant anyway ,
he added .
chinese gaming magazine electronic gaming software was a huge publication in china , and it still has many fans now . back in the day they would publish stories that were critical of the government and domestic companies . they also pointed out problems such as plagiarism and counterfeiting . in 1995 the magazine was ordered to stop publication . it is back now but only a shallow shell of its original self .
professor tao hongkai is an anti - gaming advocate who wants to see more done to discourage young players .
this has already happened before console gaming . ending the ban didn ' t change the game developement landscape .
the chinese gaming market is a very complicated and confusing one . not only is it chock full of problems , but it is also one that is full of a lot of rumours and scams . chinese internet portal netease has put together a list of 10 of china ' s biggest gaming lies .
china boasts the largest internet population in the world : more than 731 million chinese people are online , according to government officials in january . but until recently , many computer games were not available here . between 2000 and 2015 , console games were banned in china . gaming was viewed as “digital heroin” by government officials . yet today there are an estimated 170 million e - sports players and fans in the country .
they also clone everything from video - games to cartoons . some even tried cloning hearthstone but got shot down by blizzard .
co - workers playing the chinese smartphone game honor of kings in a beijing office on tuesday . more than 200 million people in china play the app .
china ' s government hopes to force young people off the screen and into bed .
not as bad as china sure , but still a big barrier to international indies .
gaming competitions grew in size , and the first “olympics” of online games , called the world cyber games , were held in korea in 2000 . the first world cyber games involved 174 competitors from 17 different countries .
what do you mean china doesn ' t have the technological know - how . . ? all of the ds r4 hacks came out of china . clearly they have a lot of technological know - how , it ' s just their economy doesn ' t support production of a video game console .
in the region . no one knows how successful an expensive console will be in the long run , especially since china ' s pc - centric gaming market largely takes place in pay - per - time internet cafes . then there ' s the sales model in a country that is famous for pirating software and cheap knock - offs . it ' s largely for this reason that the most popular pc games in china are free - to - play with microtransactions .
xbox , sony playstation and other consoles by foreign companies have been easy to get at electronics retail outlets across china despite the ban , but gaming companies have never been able to market their products directly to chinese consumers . in the vacuum , chinese gamers have largely turned to pc - , cell phone - , and social media - based gaming .
china’s heavier sales could also have an element of demographics . japan has seen a sharp increase in its average age , while china is more evenly distributed . the age range between 20 - 40 is particularly skewed , as it’s one of the least populated demographics in japan , and one of the most populated in china . the impact of that difference shouldn’t be understated in a medium primarily aimed at younger players .
the nintendo wii u is a new video game console that was unveiled during nintendo’s press conference at the electronic entertainment expo 2011 .
going from say 1 % of sales are on pc to 10 % of sales are on pc is a substantial shift in the market . pc gaming was pretty much dead and wow was the only reason to own a gaming pc all of 11 years ago .
the global video games market is forecast to cross the us $ 100 - billion mark this year , driven by the huge appetite for online and mobile content of mainland china’s more than half - a - billion gamers .
we have targeted people in developed countries such as japan , the us and europe with sophisticated machines ,
nintendo president satoru iwata said back in 2003 .
to reach a wide range of people in china , especially those inland who are not as rich as those in coastal areas , we thought we needed to deliver a cheaper console .
and to legally sell a video game console in china , it had to sell something that not only didn ' t quite look like a video game console and couldn ' t be pirated to timbuktu and back . ( that ' s not to say the ique player is piracy free ! ) since then , nintendo has used the
ique
brand in china for its characters and products .
see , you say that
everyone
that wants a gaming console already has one , but i find that extremely hard to believe . there ' ll be a large contingent of people within china who have never heard of xbox or playstation . the people you ' re referring to are enthusiasts and even in developed markets where video games are cultural artifacts , enthusiasts make up a small chuck of the larger video game market , despite what communities like this subreddit and places like neogaf wants to believe .
china has banned a swedish - made computer game for
distorting history and damaging china ' s sovereignty and territorial integrity ,
the ministry of culture ( moc ) said friday .
china ' s certification process , but was soon withdrawn by sony after it was discovered .
marcella szablewicz is an assistant professor of communication studies at pace university . her research focuses on digital leisure culture in urban china .
hd consoles will carve out a niche for themselves in china . getting distribution and access in china for the consoles is definitely a worthwhile and profitable venture , but it will always be a small market compared to pc and mobile for the foreseeable future .
china’s growing problem with internet and video game addiction is probably best described by the case of li meng , a young man who has virtually been living in an internet cafe for the last six years , leaving only to buy food and take the occasional shower .
that doesn ' t mean sony was ready to give up . in june of 2012 , sony computer entertainment opened a headquarters at guangdong animation city as part of a government backed initiative in guangzhou to help strengthen its local animation and gaming industry . a month later , sony made a surprise appearance at chinajoy in shanghai , china ' s largest video game expo , after skipping it for four years . around the same time , an outdated playstation 3 model
facebook will have to play catchup to twitch , which has spent years honing its player - picture - in - game - footage - picture video streaming and its live chat . the dedicated interface , ad and subscription monetization options for video creators , and thriving community of gamers will be tough to match .
perhaps its greatest achievements have been cultural . barely a week goes by when a big destiny - based spoof video , speed run or obsessed fan story isn ' t tearing through social media feeds . destiny has carved its own path to become a video game phenomenon .
28 year - old music producer
r3
, came up with the idea for arcade out of his love for video games .
there are also existing rules that strip gaming credits from users once they play continuously for more than three hours online .
nearly a quarter ( 23 % ) of teens report that they would give a new friend their gaming handle as contact information . fully 38 % of teen boys would share a gaming handle , compared with 7 % of teen girls .
a barclays ' analyst note published tuesday supported this view , playing down the impact of looser restrictions on gaming behavior .
shan chen earned her stripes playing in internet cafes in her home town of wuhan in central china . she would out - play young men who tried to stop female players from even entering the internet bars .
“where more mature markets ( as in japan and north america ) are beginning to stabilise , china’s mobile gaming market represents a strong opportunity – featuring consistent year - over - year growth as new users are adopting new devices , ” the report says .
/ blogs / harveycheng / 20141216 / 232465 / the _ applications _ of _ chinese _ traditional _ elements _ in _ game _ design _ in _ china . php
verizon ' s ad - supported video streaming platform go90 will shut down operations on july 31 , the company announced thursday afternoon . the mobile video service ' s death is due to a general lack of interest from viewers , and the resulting lack of ad dollars coming in from advertisers . people weren ' t…
art bully productions was founded in 2008 by 3d art professionals who have years of experience in the video game industry . we pride ourselves on delivering aaa quality work at very competitive rates to developers of all sizes .
first , small gaming competitions were organized by various websites . but as the popularity of online games increased , big companies such as samsung , lg or local telecom operator sk telecom , became involved in the organization and sponsoring of tournaments . tv channels dedicated to gaming - such as
china has “lifted the ban” before—notably in january 2014 , when it allowed the sale of the consoles and games in china so long as they met certain conditions , such as being locally produced in a specific free - trade zone . the latest directive simply makes life slightly easier for companies , allowing them to set up them anywhere in the country , as tech in asia points out .
the missions of the kogia include promoting e - sports and the gaming industry , supporting gaming smes , and promoting the development of core technologies to game applications , setting up incubator program for game developers , conducting researches and surveys . . .
3blackdot released a statement claiming that its involvement was well known by
the community ,
but did not address its reticence to speak of its connection in the video endorsements .
obstacles include high prices that brought other attempts to bring consoles to china down . a base model
when destiny arrived in september 2014 , publisher activision hailed it as the biggest video game launch of all time . the game made $ 500 million in pre - orders and day one retail sales and sold more than six million units in its first month .
wants a piece . its latest conquest attempt is the video game streaming business ruled by twitch and youtube . today , facebook announced its working with world of warcraft maker blizzard to build social login and facebook live video streaming into their games , starting with its new blockbuster overwatch .
development of china ' s service industry , the government specifically encourages more support to help local gaming products to go global . such favoritism suggests things aren ' t going to change any time soon for sony and microsoft .
that ' s exactly why console gaming doesn ' t work for china right now . people that have the money can buy it from overseas . people that don ' t have the money can ' t afford it .
razer is interested in bringing an android - based console to china , something ouya failed to accomplish despite a last ditch $ 10 million cash infusion from alibaba back in january .
while many expected china’s gaming culture to flourish even further with the recent influx of foreign consoles , the release met with a rocky beginning . with a list of games limited by government regulations on content , the ban - lift hasn’t done well in gaining the interest of china’s gamers . the consoles in china actually cost more at release than they do in other countries , which is difficult to justify to a population that has become used to cheap products as a result of piracy . according to a report last year , 70 % of china’s gamers make less than $ 645 a month , and the xbox and playstation at release were selling for $ 480 and $ 460 , respectively . furthermore , the strict censorship laws mean many big video game titles will never see a legitimate release in mainland china , which keeps consumers turning toward the piracy ( through which games banned by the government are readily available ) .
young men play online games at an internet cafe in beijing in 2010 . due to economic and cultural reasons , home consoles are still a hard sell in china following the lifting of the ban in 2015 . photograph : liu jin / afp / getty images
to adapt , companies such as microsoft may decide to enter china ' s gaming market with a console designed to play free games online , he added . tethering the system to online services could also help microsoft ward off piracy . currently , many of the xbox 360s sold in china ' s gray market are reconfigured by local merchants to play pirated games .
ven despite these concerns , there ' s no denying the huge opportunity that awaits console makers by reaching out to china . while console sales remain strong across north america and europe , the population of china is far too big to ignore , especially given the chinese government continuing to relax their restrictions on gaming . millions of people are prepared to discover console gaming for the first time . however , the biggest mistake that microsoft , sony , and nintendo can make is to take the exact approach with china that they do with other territories .
it’s due to this rampant piracy culture and the banning and censoring of video games by the government that has kept many game publishers away from china ( it was only three years ago that battlefield 4 was banned in china ) . but even if they did try to make a move over there now , even after the console ban has been lifted , they likely wouldn’t have any success . chinese gamers don’t tend to buy software ; instead , they pay for a period of play , usually in a pc gaming café , or they play free games on their smartphones . generally speaking , the population are used to and can afford in - app purchases and the hourly rates of cafés , but not to buy consoles and games . trying to launch a games console culture in china , to kick the habits of the biggest pc gaming market in the world , is almost futile .
there are 170 million children and teenagers accessing the internet in china , and juvenile crime specialist hu faqing thinks they need protection when online .
if i had a yuan for every time some random chinese person who tried to tell me people outside of china don ' t understand china , i would have enough to buy a chinese ps4 .
i think ms sold about 200 units of the xbone in japan . i can ' t see them fare any better in china . mobile and mmos divide the market among themselves .
in addition , chinese professional video gamers have surpassed sweden , south korea and the u . s . to become the top country in terms of tournament winnings , with a total haul of us $ 19 . 3 million in 2016 , a report from unibet shows .
no doubt , chinese gaming culture will continue to evolve in its own way and game companies will react accordingly . many of the biggest domestically - produced games in china are free - to - play mmos . activision also launched a variant of call of duty as a free - to - play online shooter .
tencent’s services stretch beyond china’s borders , but it is unclear if this stance will also spread elsewhere .
ding ding is the only korean player in the team and a star signing . she moved to china to pursue her dream of playing professionally .
around 2012 , rumors of a policy change on consoles started coming out of china , and the ban was finally lifted in full in 2015 . a gaming market worth $ 22 . 2 billion didn’t have to wait long for the massive console production companies to start queuing up . microsoft’s xbox one was the first to gain an official release in the mainland .
if console sales ever go beyond the shanghai free trade zone . that ' s not exactly an ideal environment for kinect motion controls or four - player get - togethers . not to mention china ' s official recognition of video game addiction , and its
in america , when people die from gaming , it ' s a bizarre anomaly—like the florida woman who killed her baby when she was playing farmville . but in asian countries , gamers engage in deadly marathon sessions with disturbing regularity . what ' s more : hsieh ' s death is the second one to happen on the island in 2015 . east asian countries sponsor video game tournaments and make big bucks doing so . but they seem to be doing little in the way of protecting gamers .
for now though , llg are continuing to pursue their dream of playing video games professionally – and they ' re not letting gender barriers stop them .
technology analyst at standard chartered equity research don see said the impact of a scrapping of the ban would be insignificant because china ' s gaming industry is already booming despite the restrictions and described the rise in sony and nintendo ' s share prices as a short - term reaction .
at the end of the year , we seek to take stock . here are 20 stories that polygon believes marked 2015 out as another confounding year in the journey that is video games . the stories are arranged in no particular order .
gamers worldwide are expected to generate a total of us $ 99 . 6 billion in revenue for the video games industry this year , an 8 . 5 per cent increase from 2015 , with china accounting for a quarter of that income , according to the latest global games market report released today .
chinese consumers don’t generally pay for software . at most , they pay for a certain period of play , such as in a gaming parlour , or they play free games .
other industry commentary commentators viewed the news more positively , however . pj mcnealy , founder and ceo of boston based consultancy firm digital world research centre , said nintendo and sony would benefit the most from the rule change long - term , despite the already prevalent gaming market in china .
under the rules , foreign - funded companies in the trade zone can sell game consoles domestically upon receiving approval from china ' s ministry of culture .
the dominant form of gaming is on mobile phones , which are now powerful enough to compete with consoles for at least the casual games . ( indeed , china’s snail os has built an entire business—and a mobile network—on mobile gamers alone . )
this one isn ' t exactly a rumour as we ' ve seen domestically produced game systems before . china ' s unable to create its own domestically manufactured game systems in part because of regulations and because china doesn ' t have the technological know how .
the vr - meets - life tech was shown again in a slightly more realistic october video which revealed virtual items mixed with real world items . a robot hides under a desk . the solar system floats in the middle of an office .
given how different eastward is to the majority of video games made and played in china , pixpil doesn’t know how it will do . but the early signs are promising . “with the lift [ on the ] ban of video game consoles in late 2015 and the emergence of well - crafted western indie games , now [ the ] chinese market is more and more open for games with diversity and traditional fun , ” says feng . it’s still hard to predict the sales of eastward in chinese market , but we’re trying to explore it . ”
the number of chinese professional esports players has increased rapidly in the past ten years , from only 50 players in 2006 to 1 , 001 players in 2016 . the nation has remained in the top 3 in terms of player production since overtaking sweden in 2014 .
as the market expanded , china’s ministry of culture decided that playing video games was harmful to young people , threatened state security , and disturbed social order . in 2000 , an outright ban was slapped on foreign consoles , preventing millions of consoles from industry giants such as sega , sony , and nintendo from reaching the enthusiastic market of china’s younger generation . this sounds worse than it was , because it actually did little to stop people from playing games . due to this decimation of competition from consoles , the computer gaming industry – which the ministry of culture allowed to continue despite the ban – exploded , and chinese companies began mass - producing games for the local market . for many , however , the luxury of owning a computer with hardware powerful enough to play the latest games was ( and still is ) out of reach . this led to a surge in popularity of internet cafés , which are cheaper than investment in gaming software and hardware and actually offer a social community to gamers across china . young chinese began frequenting gaming cafés , paying by the hour and connecting with young , like - minded individuals with a passion for gaming culture .