Britannia Bridge
From Festipedia, hosted by the FR Heritage Group
| Britannia Bridge | |
| A well used road bridge | |
| Previous Station | Pen-Y-Mount Station |
| Previous Location | CTRL |
| Bridge | Britannia Bridge |
| Construction | UB196 |
| Status | In Use |
| Next Station | Harbour Station |
| Lattitude | 52:55:29N |
| Longitude | 4:07:39W |
| Grid Reference | SH570384 |
| Stations Tunnels | |
|---|---|
Grid Reference :SH570384 Latt / Long :52.92462 / -4.1274
A bridge has existed on this site for at least nearly 200 years. Linking Ynystywyn and the Cob with Porthmadog town centre. It is said the foundations and piers may have been constructed by a Jesse Hartley, around 1810, probably in connection the construction of the Cob. There are references, and a diagram in the deposited plans of "Improvements to The Harbour and Port of Portmadoc" dated 1846. It was also the route of the Festiniog Railway line to the slate wharves on the other side of the harbour and to its original mileage datum (Zero point), where the Festiniog Railway officially started, at the northernmost end of the Welsh Slate Company's Wharf. The line over the Britannia Bridge served also to connect with the Gorseddau and Croesor Tramways when they had converted gauge.
Around 1922 it was rebuilt, in preparation of the original Welsh Highland Railway. Passenger trains operated over the bridge and along the street tramway from 1923 to 1936. Some minor amount of goods traffic continued until the end of operations in 1946.
During the early part of the revival, the track, in situ, was used for obtaining supplies from the local petrol station, and assisting in the further recovery of track.
The bridge has subsequently been improved, lastly in 1996, and is now capable of carrying the European loading limit of 44 tonne GWL.
In 2008, in connection with the rebuilding of the Welsh Highland, it is due to be "improved" to better segregate pedestrian traffic from road and Rail traffic.
A plan of the application is available here
Click on this Gwynedd Council link for further information http://www.gwynedd.gov.uk/swiftlg/apas/run/WPHAPPDETAIL.DisplayUrl?theApnID=C07D/0010/44/CR&backURL=<a%20href=wphappcriteria.display?paSearchKey=60725>Search%20Criteria</a>%20>%20<a%20href='wphappsearchres.displayResultsURL?ResultID=203035%26StartIndex=1%26SortOrder=APNID:asc%26DispResultsAs=WPHAPPSEARCHRES%26BackURL=<a%20href=wphappcriteria.display?paSearchKey=60725>Search%20Criteria</a>'>Search%20Results</a>
