Railway Overbridge

Cadw's description

Location

The overbridge carried the former Corris Railway over the Nant Deri, in the centre of Corris village.

History

The Corris, Machynlleth and River Dovey Tramroad was founded by Act of Parliament of 12 July1858 following a survey of 1850. It opened in 1859 as a horse tramway serving the new slate quarries of the Corris Valley, and ran from Aberllefenni to the sea port at Quay Ward, Derwenlas, SW of Machynlleth. The gauge was 2ft 3in (0.69m), as the Tal-y-llyn Railway. In 1864 it was taken over by Imperial Tramways of Bristol, and, as the Corris Railway Company, it ran steam locomotives, running to an interchange with the Aberystwyth and West Coast Railway in Machynlleth. Passengers were carried from Corris 1883, later from Aberllefenni. It was taken over by the Great Western Railway in 1930, when the passenger service was suspended in favour of coaches, and was included in nationalisation in 1948. The overbridge is part of the original infrastructure of the steam railway built c1864.

Exterior

The bridge, which is built of local rubble stone, consists of a stilted semi-circular arch of small span between splayed abutments, a string course and a parapet rebuilt with piers and horizontal metal rails.

Reason for designation

Included, despite alterations to the parapet, as an interesting narrow but tall bridge designed to keep the railway at grade, and stitched into the closely built urban fabric of the quarry town. One of the few surviving monuments directly associated with the Corris Railway.