Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Tubular Railway Bridge
Conwy, Conwy, Wales
A Grade I listed building in Afon Conwy, Conwy, designated on 23 September 1950.
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade I
- Broad class
- Transport
- Date of designation
- 23 September 1950
- Locality
- Afon Conwy
- Town
- Conwy
- Community
- Conwy
- Unitary authority
- Conwy
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 53.28021, -3.82378
- Cadw reference
- 3236
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesLlyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of WalesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1795 map "To Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn Bart ... the map of the six counties of North Wales is most humbly inscribed by his obedient humble servant" (Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of Wales).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1795 · To Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn Bart ... the map of the six counties of North Wales is most… (Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of Wales)
- 1830 · V.3:11-15:XV. Britisches Reich. A. Kon: England. b. Frstenthum Wales: Shire: 37-40 (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1883 · Watershed map England, Wales 3. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1899 · 94 Beaumaris (Hills) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1901 · Sheet 9 and 10. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
Cadw's description
Location
Spanning Afon Conwy on the E side of the castle and S of the modern road and suspension bridges.
History
On the Chester-Holyhead Railway, built 1846-49 by Robert Stephenson, in collaboration with William Fairbairn and E. Hodgkinson. The architect was Francis Thompson, the contractor William Evans. It was originally intended to be a suspension bridge. The bridge, like Stephenson's contemporary Britannia Bridge spanning the Menai Strait, pioneered wrought-iron box-girder construction. Intermediate piers were added in 1899.
Exterior
A tubular railway bridge between ashlar rectangular castellated towers (originally intended for carrying the chains of a suspension bridge), with blind arrow loops, and an embattled parapet on corbelled machicolations. Lower round turrets to the outer corners have a Lombard frieze to the parapet, and smaller corbelled round turrets to the inner corners have a Lombard frieze to conical caps. The outer sides have a pair of round-headed arches with continuous chamfer. On the inner sides are vents with latticework iron grilles above the girders.
The deck is double-track, each track having its own tubular girder construction, and incorporating a travelling crane. Set back from each end are 2 round concrete-filled cast-iron piers added in 1899.
The approach on the E side has a rock-faced coped wall to a polygonal terminal pier. Beyond, the NE side has a later plainer wall.
Reason for designation
Listed grade I as a major work of C19 civil engineering of national importance.
Nearby in the register
- Conwy Suspension BridgeTransportunder 1 mi
- Island Quay (Cei Ynys)No class recordedunder 1 mi
- Retaining wall of Afon Gyffin to E of Pont PensarnDomesticunder 1 mi
- Castell ConwyCastleunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.