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Latitude: 51.5888 / 51°35'19"N
Longitude: -3.7978 / 3°47'52"W
OS Eastings: 275549
OS Northings: 189307
OS Grid: SS755893
Mapcode National: GBR H3.C1FV
Mapcode Global: VH5H1.4B3B
Plus Code: 9C3RH6Q2+GV
Entry Name: Plate-Girder Bridge
Listing Date: 15 February 2000
Last Amended: 15 February 2000
Grade: II
Source: Cadw
Source ID: 22852
Building Class: Transport
ID on this website: 300022852
Location: Spanning the River Afan just upstream of the navigable section, and linking Sandfields with the docks. The bridge is set at an angle to the river.
County: Neath Port Talbot
Town: Port Talbot
Community: Sandfields East (Sandfields - Dwyrain)
Community: Sandfields East
Built-Up Area: Port Talbot
Traditional County: Glamorgan
Tagged with: Bridge Road bridge
Two-carriageway road bridge dated 1903. It was built following major development of Port Talbot docks in the late 1890s, and provided the main access to the docks from Aberavon and the W side of the river. The approach road is labelled Newbridge Road (B4286) on the Ordnance Survey of 1939. It is now pedestrianised.
Long 3-arch plate-girder bridge with wide deck. The piers and abutments are of snecked stone, the piers continuing as cut-waters. Angled abutments with quoins and concrete copings. The parapets are divided into 3 sections, one to each arch. Each section contains 1 row of riveted wrought iron plates under a top rail which curves down at the ends. The gap between each section is infilled with narrow iron railings with fleur-de-lis finials. The parapets of the central section are slightly raised and have a narrow top rail. An oval iron plaque is mounted in the centre of the S face but is not decipherable. The flanking sections have heavy riveted top rails. Open iron handrails are mounted on the parapets. These have circular posts, top rail and mid rail and small ball finials. The abutments, which continue into the river banks, support similar railings. The ends of the bridge are marked by large square stone piers with moulded arched capstones with margin drafting. The S piers support large decorative iron vases with finials (those to N piers may be missing). A large stone tablet is mounted on the inside face of the NW pier. It reads 'This bridge was erected by the Aberavon Corporation and opened by Sir Arthur Vivian KCB / October 29 1903 / Engineer, J Roderick / Contractors, Clark & Co. / Major T A Burgess / Town clerk, M Tennant'. A further pier is located at the NE end of the E abutment. The wide 2-carriageway deck has pavements to each side.
Listed as a finely detailed plate-girder bridge which is unusual at this date for carrying a strategic road rather than a railway. The association with the development of Port Talbot docks is of additional historic interest.
External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.
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