Full Report for Listed Buildings
The list description is not intended to be a complete inventory of what is listed: it is principally intended to aid identification. By law, the definition of a listed building includes the entire building (i) and any structure or object that is fixed to the said building and ancillary to it and (ii) any other structure or object that forms part of the land and has done so since before 1 July 1948, and was within the curtilage of the building, and ancillary to it, on the date on which said building was first included in the list, or on 1 January 1969, whichever was later.
Summary Description
Reference Number
23024
Building Number
Grade
II
Status
Designated
Date of Designation
21/03/2000
Date of Amendment
21/03/2000
Name of Property
Pontrhydyfen Viaduct
Address
Location
Unitary Authority
Neath Port Talbot
Community
Cwmavon
Town
Port Talbot
Locality
Pontrhydyfen
Easting
279295
Northing
194128
Street Side
Location
Long viaduct spanning the Afan valley where the river curves round towards the S, and the road which leads from Cwmavon to Pontrhydyfen.
Description
Broad Class
Transport
Period
History
Built as part of a branch line by the Port Talbot Railway and Docks Co. to link the docks with the coal producing areas to the N. The viaduct crosses the Afan valley, beyond which the line joined the South Wales Mineral Railway. It was constructed in 1897-8 by the contractors Topham, Jones and Railton, and was absorbed soon afterwards by the GWR. It closed in 1964.
Exterior
Ten-arch railway viaduct of red brick, curving round slightly towards the NW. Tall round arches on narrow splayed piers, the arches consisting of 6 rows of headers on edge. Short abutments at either end. Blue brick string course and red brick parapets with corbelled refuges rising from the spandrels of the arches. The coping is generally of blue bricks on end, replaced in concrete in some areas. The flat deck is now a path and the refuges have been infilled with blue brick with concrete coping. At each end of the deck are pairs of short piers marking the abutments. These and the areas between have massive rock-faced capstones.
Interior
Reason for designation
Listed as a largely unaltered viaduct of architectural merit which is highly visible and imparts considerable character to the area. The association with Port Talbot docks is of additional historic interest. Group value with Bont Fawr aqueduct.
Cadw : Full Report for Listed Buildings [ Records 1 of 1 ]
Export