Accommodation Bridge over the former Duffryn Llynvi and Porthcawl Railway

Cadw's description

Location

The bridge now spans the walk formed along the track of the railway on the W side of the Woodlands Park estate, carrying a farm track. It lies approximately 100m S of the S corner of the estate.

History

The Duffryn, Llynvi and Porthcawl tramway was built to carry coal, and later spelter and ironstone, from Caerau at the head of the Llynfi Valley through Maesteg, Tondu and Kenfig Hill to the seaport at Porthcawl, a total of about 27 kilometres. After the authorising Act of Parliament of 1825, work started in 1826 and it was opened in 1828, being converted from being horse-drawn to steam in 1847. The engineer was John Hodgkinson. It was of 4ft 6in (1.37 metres) gauge, comprising iron fish-bellied rails between 0.9 metres and 1.21 metres long held by chairs anchored to stones, and laid to a gradient of 1:180. Stones were originally laid down the centre for horses, and a path to the side for the hauliers.

Exterior

The bridge is built entirely of rock-faced local stone, and consists of a half-round arch spanning between battered retaining walls giving a quasi-horseshoe form. The arch is of regularly sized rock-faced voussoirs, and the flush parapet has stone-on-edge copings between slight end pilasters. The revetting walls are coped on a steep angle from the base of the parapet to near ground level each side. The decking is now a concrete slab.

Reason for designation

Included as one of the few significant remains of this historically important railway line, and little altered since its erection.