Timber footbridge by former Ogilvie Halt

Cadw's description

Location

Located on a footpath running east from the junction of Bailey Street and Bargoed Terrace, over the former railway lines at Ogilvie Halt.

History

An exceptionally rare surviving timber footbridge which formerly crossed the Brecon and Merthyr Railway Bargoed Line opened in 1868 and later also the Cilhaul Branch railway which served neaby collieries from c1871. The western part of the bridge appears to have been original to the Brecon and Merthyr Railway c1868, although it was partially reconstructed following a similar design c1924-6. The eastern part was added between 1871 and 1900. Many railway bridges of this period were built of timber, and timber footbridges in particular were a familar part of the railway scene at the turn of the century. However most were replaced when funds allowed or have since been lost. No other timber railway bridge is presently known to survive in Wales.

Exterior

The bridge consists of two timber spans with rockfaced sandstone abutments with rockfaced coping and string course. The spans are connected by the two central abutments which are joined back to back to form a massive pier. The W span has a flat wooden deck laid on three large timber beams which are supported at their ends by shaped wooden corbels. Angled blades protrude at the sides of the deck to support 4-sectioned crossed balustrades, built of timber with corrugated iron inner facings. The E span slopes at about 20 degrees downwards from the central pier. A timber deck is laid on four sloping beams supported by angled shear legs joined by iron braces rising from stone corbels in the abutments. Angled braces protrude from the deck to support a planked parapet. Gated and now barred and disused.

Reason for designation

Listed as an exceptionally rare example of a formerly common type of bridge.