Barmouth Bridge Pont Abermaw | |
|---|---|
 View of the bridge from Barmouth | |
| Coordinates | 52°42′50″N 4°02′20″W / 52.714°N 4.039°W |
| Carries | Cambrian Coast Line, motorcycles, pedestrians & cycles |
| Crosses | Afon Mawddach |
| Locale | Gwynedd, Wales |
| Heritage status | |
Listed Building – Grade II* | |
| Designated | 22 March 1988 |
| Reference no. | 5207 |
| Characteristics | |
| Total length | 900 yards (820 m): 764 yards (699 m) timber/130 yards (120 m) metallic[1] |
| History | |
| Opened | 1867 |
| Location | |
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Barmouth Bridge (Welsh: Pont Abermaw), or Barmouth Viaduct is a Grade II* listed single-track wooden railway viaduct across the estuary of the River Mawddach near Barmouth, Wales. It is 900 yards (820 m) long and carries the Cambrian Line. It is the longest timber viaduct in Wales and one of the oldest in regular use in Britain.
Barmouth Bridge was designed by and constructed for the Aberystwith and Welsh Coast Railway on its line between Aberystwyth and Pwllheli. Work was authorised in 1861 and commenced in 1864. On 10 October 1867, the completed bridge was officially opened. Following the discovery of severe corrosion on underwater sections of ironwork, an intensive restoration programme was performed between December 1899 and late 1902. By 1980, the viaduct was under attack by marine woodworm, which led to concerns that it would have to be closed and demolished. Because of its value to tourism, it was repaired between 1985 and 1986, a closure of six months; a weight restriction and ban on locomotive-hauled trains were also introduced. These restrictions have been relaxed since 2005.
The viaduct, between Morfa Mawddach and Barmouth stations in Gwynedd, is used by rail, cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians and is part of the National Cycle Route 8. Tolls were collected for foot and cycle traffic up to 2013 but this has been voluntary since 2017. To allow the passage of tall ships, the bridge incorporated a drawbridge, which was replaced between 1899 and 1902 by a swing bridge, which is no longer operational due to a lack of use. There is no provision for road traffic.
- ^ "Network Rail begins biggest restoration of Barmouth Viaduct in its history". Network Rail Media Centre. 26 May 2020. Archived from the original on 6 December 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2020.