13962

 

II  

Designated  

08/11/1989  

21/08/1998  

Railway Overbridge  

 

Cardiff  

Butetown  

 

North Butetown  

318699  

175754  

E  

To S of junction with Herbert Street.  

Transport  

 

Carried Taff Vale Railway over the former spur of the Glamorganshire Canal leading into Bute West Dock. Canal filled in and arches blocked but railway bridge and embankment remains in use to Cardiff Bay Railway station. Probably constructed 1839-40 when the Bute West dock and Taff Vale Railway to Dock Station were constructed and opened in successive years. George Bush, resident engineer to I K Brunel, the eminent Victorian engineer, laid out the Taff Vale railway and supervised the construction of this bridge.  

Triple portal masonry bridge with wharfside paths flanking wide canal opening. Central segmental arch with bullnosed voussoirs (stepped on upper side) and coursed facings, plain cappings. Outer bays forward slightly with semi-circular arch rings. Convex and battered revetment wall sweeps forward at S side to meet outer pier set into embankment. Ground level risen considerably at arches but left hand opening returns C19 railings and tapered polygonal ironwork piers (stamped Baylis and Co) to wide pedestrian gate with punched Gothic detailing to hinge plate. Part remains of railings to right hand arch. The E side facing Collingdon Road appears similar but is partly masked by later widnening of railway with bow-shaped plated girder bridge. Heavily overgrown at time of inspection (autumn 1997).  

 

An exceptionally early railway overbridge with fine masonry, on historically important Taff Vale Railway.