Severnside Sirens

The Severnside Sirens are a system of Civil defense sirens located along the South Severn Estuary coastline from Redcliffe Bay to Pilning, northwest of Bristol. They are activated by Avon and Somerset Police[1] in the event of a potential incident at one of the COMAH sites located in the area, mainly in and near Avonmouth.[2] The system was setup in 1997 following a fire[3] at the Albright and Wilson site in 1996.[4]

The Victoria Road siren in Avonmouth, a Federal Signal Modulator

Severnside Sirens Trust

Severnside Sirens Trust Limited is the organisation responsible for maintaining the system. It is a registered company (number 3348008) and charity (number 1063224)[5] and was incorporated on 9 April 1997.[6] The trust's activities are funded by the 3 local authorities whose constituents the sirens serve, North Somerset Council, Bristol City Council, and South Gloucestershire Council, and from donations from the organisations running the COMAH sites themselves.

Sirens
A large pole with two sets of loudspeaker horns mounted opposite each other at the top.
The directional siren in Lamplighters Marsh, Shirehampton. The antenna used to receive control signals is clearly visible.

The sirens themselves are mounted on dedicated poles and all but one are manufactured by the Federal Signal Corporation. Most of them are Federal Signal Modulators. They are operated via radio signal from a control system at Avon and Somerset Police Headquarters in Portishead.

Severnside Sirens, as of Jan 2022[7]
Designation Location Coordinates Comment
Siren 1 "Bristol Water" Shirehampton - in Lamplighters Marsh. 51.484522°N 2.684222°W / 51.484522; -2.684222 This siren is directional, with loudspeaker cones pointed across the river to Pill and towards Shirehampton proper.
Siren 2 "Ridingleaze Clinic" Lawrence Weston - behind the Bristol City Children and Young People's Services building 51.500824°N 2.658872°W / 51.500824; -2.658872
Siren 3 "Portishead Fire Station" Portishead Fire Station car park 51.486291°N 2.768267°W / 51.486291; -2.768267
Siren 4 "Bristol Port Company - Police Station" Royal Portbury Dock next to the Port of Bristol Police Station 51.489605°N 2.720074°W / 51.489605; -2.720074
Siren 5 "Bristol Port Company - West Town Gate" Avonmouth, at the end of Victoria Road 51.495548°N 2.694250°W / 51.495548; -2.694250
Siren 6 "Bristol Port Company - X Berth" Royal Edward Dock - opposite St Andrews Road railway station 1.512590°N 2.697728°W / 1.512590; -2.697728
Siren 7 "Former Sevalco Site, Chittening Road" Chittening, towards the north end of Chittening Road 51.531813°N 2.673405°W / 51.531813; -2.673405 Located across the road from the site of the former Sevalco carbon black factory.
Siren 8 Govier Way (Royal Mail SWDC) Outside Royal Mail South West Distribution Centre on Govier Way 51.551094°N 2.651395°W / 51.551094; -2.651395
Siren 9 "BT Exchange, Pilning" Pilning - by the telephone exchange building behind the Pilning Surgery 51.564183°N 2.641430°W / 51.564183; -2.641430
Siren 10 "Hallen" Hallen, In the vicinity of the Hallen Fuel Depot between the village and Henbury 51.514390°N 2.635454°W / 51.514390; -2.635454 Added to the system in 2013.[8]
Siren 11 "Redcliffe Bay" Redcliffe Bay, on the Arqiva transmitting mast 51.472287°N 2.808737°W / 51.472287; -2.808737 This siren is directional. Added to the system in 2006 as a klaxon, replaced with a Federal Signal in 2019.
Siren 12 "Redcliffe Bay" Redcliffe Bay 51.474966°N 2.812173°W / 51.474966; -2.812173 This siren is directional. Added to the system in 2006. Made by Klaxon, running on Federal Signal controller.

Testing

The sirens are tested at 1500 on the 3rd of every month. The test comprises the following:[9]

  • 3 minutes of the alert warning (a continuous, stepped, rising tone)
  • 1 minute of silence
  • 1 minute of the all clear siren (a continuous constant tone)

Local volunteers monitor the sirens on test day.[10]

Videos of the sirens being tested Video Links:
Siren 1 - Shirehampton, Lamplighters Marsh https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBIeYh30hCU
Siren 2 - Ridingleaze Clinic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PirqOqzbkOc&t=2s
Siren 3 - Portishead Fire Station https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kcuv84Fwues
Siren 4 - Bristol Port Company No Videos
Siren 5 - BPC, West End Gate https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l84HapE7y4Y&t=52s
Siren 6 - BPC, X Berth https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgjRq5PCRyE&t=120s
Siren 7 - Chittening Road https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGUuKEXp_RE&t=31s
Siren 8 - Govier Way, Royal Mail SWDC No Videos
Siren 9 - Pilning, BT Exchange https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKxW8NYR9Dw&t=17s
Siren 10 - Hallen No Videos
Siren 11 - Redcliffe Bay, Arqiva Mast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SHCkm6n-rg&t=60s
Siren 12 - Redcliffe Bay https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3Yi7GE7yes

References
  1. "SEVERNSIDE SIRENS TRUST Ltd Report and Financial Statements Year Ended 31 March 2014" (PDF). Charities Commission. 31 March 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  2. "Severnside Sirens Safety Advice" (PDF). North Somerset Council. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  3. "The Fire at Albright and Wilson, Avonmouth. 3rd October 1996". www.hse.gov.uk. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  4. Pickstock, Heather (8 August 2017). "There is a glitch with Bristol's emergency warning siren". bristolpost. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  5. "Charity Details". beta.charitycommission.gov.uk. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  6. "SEVERNSIDE SIRENS TRUST LIMITED - Overview". beta.companieshouse.gov.uk. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  7. "Severnside Siren System" (PDF). Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  8. "Emergency siren network expanded". 3 July 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  9. "Hazardous Chemicals and Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) - bristol.gov.uk". www.bristol.gov.uk. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  10. "SEVERNSIDE SIRENS TRUST LIMITED Report and Financial Statements Year Ended 31 March 2018" (PDF). Charities Commission. 31 March 2018. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
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