Severn Princess ferry restoration receives £1,500 boost from Barratt South Wales

A HISTORIC ferry which once carried passengers across the Severn between Beachley and Aust has received a £1,500 boost towards its ongoing restoration.

The Severn Princess Preservation Trust is working to restore the Severn Princess, the last surviving vessel from the trio of ferries which operated across the river before the opening of the Severn Bridge.

Built in 1959, the Severn Princess operated alongside the Severn King and Severn Queen, transporting passengers and vehicles across the Severn between Beachley, near Chepstow, and Aust.

The crossing provided an important link between the Forest of Dean and communities on either side of the river before the first Severn Bridge transformed journeys between England and Wales when it opened in 1966.

During its years in service, the ferry carried a number of famous passengers, with the Beatles, Bob Dylan and members of the Royal family among those reported to have travelled aboard the vessel.

The Severn Princess was decommissioned following the opening of the bridge and sold to new owners in 1966.

The latest £1,500 donation has come from housebuilder Barratt South Wales and will allow the trust to replace spray guards which were damaged beyond repair while the vessel was in Ireland.

Trust co-trustee Tim Ryan said the donation would allow the restoration project to move forward “considerably”.

He added: “The Severn Princess Preservation Trust feels that we, and Barratt South Wales, are both making very positive changes to this part of the world and long may that continue.”

Sian Smith, sales director for Barratt David Wilson Redrow South Wales, said the company was delighted to support the project.

She described the Severn Princess as an “important historical and cultural relic”, adding that the company hoped its contribution would help the trust continue its restoration work.