History

The Vale of Neath Railway was incorporated in 1846 and opened in 1851. Engineered by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the line was built to a broad gauge. The bridge, one of the few stone bridges original to the railway, was built partly over a navigable channel cut in the late C18 from the River Neath to a forge, later the Aberdulais tinplate works. A tramway connecting to Upper and Lower Works of the Aberdulais Tinplate works also passed beneath the bridge.

Exterior

A 2-bay bridge constructed of coursed hammer-dressed sandstone, with round arches. A thin coping is above, although the original parapet, probably of iron railings, is now missing. Battered abutments are splayed outwards and retain an embankment. The deck was designed to carry a double broad-gauge track, but now carries a single track.

Reasons for Listing

Listed for its industrial archaeological interest as a fine masonry bridge associated with Brunel's original Vale of Neath Railway, and for group value with other listed canal and railway items at Aberdulais Basin.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29500024

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)