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
24853
Building Number
Grade
II
Status
Designated
Date of Designation
26/02/2001
Date of Amendment
26/02/2001
Name of Property
Railway Viaduct over Nant Clydach (partly in Abercynon Community)
Address
Location
Unitary Authority
Rhondda Cynon Taff
Community
Pontypridd
Town
Pontypridd
Locality
Glyncoch
Easting
308005
Northing
192810
Street Side
Location
On a minor road between Glyncoch and Abercynon, immediately S of Cwm Farm.
Description
Broad Class
Transport
Period
History
The Taff Vale Railway was the first major locomotive railway in Wales. It was incorporated in 1836, built 1837-40 and opened in 1840-1 from Merthyr Tydfil to Cardiff, primarily to serve the ironworks of Merthyr Tydfil. The chief engineer was Isambard Kingdom Brunel. The railway was built to the standard gauge, rather than Brunel's preferred broad gauge, because it was primarily intended as a mineral railway, although extant original bridges are wide enough to have accommodated a broad-gauge track. The viaduct, with its wide elliptical span across the river and narrower outer arches, is a similar concept to the skewed viaduct across the River Rhondda in the centre of Pontypridd. The railway was widened to a double track 1845-61, which required the widening of the viaduct in 1861-2.
Exterior
A 3-bay viaduct built in 2 phases, of which the wider section on the W side is 1837-41, the narrower section on the E side of 1861-2. Both phases are of coursed rock-faced stone. In the centre is a wide elliptical arch across the river springing from projecting impost bands (the inner sides of the piers now strengthened with concrete). The narrower round-headed outer arches span unclassified roads. The parapet comprises replaced steel railings on original hammer-dressed coping stones. Abutting stone retaining walls are built against the outer arch abutments, except the SE side which is an earthen bank.
Interior
Reason for designation
Listed as an integral component of the original Taff Vale Railway, and as a well-preserved early railway viaduct from the office of C19 Britain's foremost railway engineer.
Cadw : Full Report for Listed Buildings [ Records 1 of 1 ]
Export