ðˌoʊ dʒˈɔɪntli bˈɪlt baɪ ðə tˈuː kˈʌmpəniz fɚðə pˈɜːpəs ʌv ɡˈɪvɪŋ ðə dʒˌiːdˌʌbəljˌuːˈɑːɹ ˈæksɛs tə ðə sˈɛvɚn ɹˈeɪl bɹˈɪdʒ ænd sˈɛvɚn ænd wˈaɪ ɹˈeɪlweɪ, ɪɾ ˈɔːlsoʊ pɹəvˈaɪdᵻd ɐn ɔːltˈɜːnətˌɪv ɹˈaʊt tə bɹˈɪstəl tˈɛmpəl mˈiːdz vˈaɪə fˈɪltən ænd ðə ɡɹˈeɪt wˈɛstɚn sˈuːn mˌeɪd jˈuːs ʌv ɪt tə kəmpˈiːt wɪððə mˈɪdlənd fɔːɹ bɹˈɪstəl tə bˈɜːmɪŋˌæm tɹˈæfɪk, mˈʌtʃ tə ðə dɪsmˈeɪ ʌvðə lˈæɾɚ kˈʌmpəni.
Though jointly built by the two companies for the purpose of giving the GWR access to the Severn Rail Bridge and Severn and Wye Railway, it also provided an alternative route to Bristol Temple Meads via Filton and the Great Western soon made use of it to compete with the Midland for Bristol to Birmingham traffic, much to the dismay of the latter company.