Barmouth Bridge

What is it?

Barmouth Bridge (or Barmouth Viaduct) is a Grade II listed single-track wooden railway viaduct across the estuary of the Afon Mawddach near Barmouth, Wales

What’s there?

The bridge is accessible by foot and cycle for a small toll. Barmouth town centre is a 15 minute walk away. RSPB Mawddach is a 20 minute walk in the opposite direction

Facts -

▪ The bridge is about 900m long, and is Britain's longest wooden railway bridge and the longest viaduct in Wales

▪ The bridge was built by the Aberystwyth and Welsh Coast Railway and opened in 1867, master-minded by Thomas Savin, a Welsh entrepreneur.

▪ Construction was difficult due to the strong currents, two men drowned.

▪ The original bridge included a lifting drawbridge section to permit the passage of tall ships, and was constructed entirely of wood. The drawbridge section, at the northern end of the bridge, was rebuilt in 1901 as a swing bridge with two steel spans.

▪ 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