Railway Viaduct over River Taff (partly in Llantwit Fardre community)

Cadw's description

Location

Immediately N of the recreation ground adjoining Fynnon Taff Primary School.

History

The Taff Vale Railway was an independent railway promoted by the industrialists of S Wales to avoid congestion on the Glamorganshire Canal. The company was incorporated in 1836, and the line was opened from Cardiff to Abercynon in 1840 and extended to Merthyr in 1841. It was single track with passing places, but doubling began in 1845 and was complete by 1861. A great increase in traffic movements led, in 1885, to a quadrupling of the line as far as Pontypridd. The viaduct belongs to this campaign, as it is shown with 4 tracks on the 2nd edition Ordnance Survey of 1900.

Exterior

Five-arch viaduct of coursed rock-faced stone. The bridge is at an angle to the river and the arches are skewed. The W arch spans a riverside path, while the remaining arches span the river. Wide segmental arches of voussoirs and tall projecting keystones with margin drafting. White brick to soffits of arches. Rounded cutwaters to N side only, with domed caps. Moulded stone string course with margin drafting, and saddleback coping to parapets in a similar style. Piers with caps to abutments.

Reason for designation

Listed as an unaltered railway viaduct of the later C19, retaining its character, and reflecting the massive expansion in railway traffic, largely caused by coal exporting.