:Cefn Viaduct, Wrexham

The viaduct is listed by Cadw as the "Cefn (Newbridge) Viaduct" and "Railway Viaduct over River Dee". There are other names for the structure, named based on either the surrounding features or simply shortened to Cefn Viaduct.{{Cite web |publisher=Extreme North Wales |date=2020-08-02 |title=Cefn Viaduct and the Panorama {{!}} Extreme North Wales |url=https://extremenorthwales.com/cefn-viaduct-and-the-panorama |access-date=2022-06-03 |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |title=Walk: wonders of engineering bookend stunning route |url=https://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/18974320.cefn-viaduct-pontcysyllte-aqueduct-bookend-stunning-route/ |access-date=2022-06-03 |website=The Leader |date=29 December 2020 |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, Cefn Mawr Viaduct and Horseshoe Falls |url=https://www.theglobetrotter.co.uk/2016/10/pontcysyllte-aqueduct-cefn-mawr-viaduct.html |access-date=2022-06-03 |website=The Globe Trotter}}{{Cite web |title=Tŷ Mawr Country Park {{!}} Wrexham County Borough Council |url=https://www.wrexham.gov.uk/service/parks-and-countryside/ty-mawr-country-park |access-date=2022-06-03 |website=www.wrexham.gov.uk}}{{Cite book |url=https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/app/uploads/ty_mawr_walks_0.pdf |title=Walks Around Tŷ Mawr Country Park and the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct |publisher=Wrexham Parks, Countryside and Rights of Way Service}}{{Cite web |title=Ty Mawr Country Park {{!}} VisitWales |url=https://www.visitwales.com/attraction/country-park/ty-mawr-country-park-914280 |access-date=2022-06-03 |website=www.visitwales.com}} The viaduct is also named after the surrounding places such the Cefn Mawr Viaduct,{{Cite web |title=Cefn Mawr Viaduct, Wrexham - See Around Britain |url=https://seearoundbritain.com/venues/cefn-mawr-viaduct-wrexham |access-date=2022-06-03 |website=seearoundbritain.com}} Cefn-bychan Viaduct,{{Coflein|num=87010 |desc=Cefn Bychan Viaduct; Newbridge Viaduct |access-date=3 June 2022}} Newbridge (Railway) Viaduct{{Cite book |url=https://cadw.gov.wales/sites/default/files/2019-05/Cefn%20Mawr%20and%20District-%20Understanding%20Urban%20Character_0.pdf |title=Cefn Mawr and District: Understanding Urban Character |publisher=Cadw; Welsh Government}} or Dee Railway Viaduct.{{Cite book |last=Hicklin |first=John |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cuA-AAAAYAAJ |title=The Illustrated Hand-book of North Wales: A Guide for the Tourist, the Antiquarian, and the Angler |publisher=Whittaker and Company |year=1851 |edition=5th |page=234}}

File:Newbridge (52488130711).jpg]]

The viaduct was designed by Henry Robertson, chief engineer of the Shrewsbury and Chester Railway, to carry the railway line across the River Dee between Newbridge and Cefn-bychan. Building commenced in 1846, with Thomas Brassey as the general contractor. It was completed on 14 August 1848, with the ceremony of keying the viaduct's last stone performed by William Ormsby Gore,{{Cite web |title=Cefn Viaduct & Cefn Mawr - Plas Kynaston Canal Group |url=https://www.plaskynastoncanalgroup.org/pontcysyllte/cefn-viaduct-cefn-mawr/ |access-date=2022-06-03 |website=www.plaskynastoncanalgroup.org |language=en}} and opened for service in October 1848. The cost of construction was £72,346 in 1848, {{Inflation|index=UK|value=72346|start_year=1848|end_year=2021|r=-4|fmt=eq|cursign=£}}. The entire railway line was initiated by Robertson, who had received training from George Stephenson, and recognised that the existing canal network was not meeting the material transport needs between Wrexham and Chester. By 1845, rival schemes were proposed to link Chester and Shrewsbury via Ruabon, with Robertson stating to a parliamentary committee that the railway line would open the coalfields at Ruabon and Wrexham to markets in Chester, Birkenhead and Liverpool. The line became part of the Great Western Railway (GWR) system in 1854, but was not converted to broad gauge as part of GWR. Tŷ Mawr Country Park is immediately west of the viaduct.{{Cite web |title=Cefn Viaduct |url=https://www.pontcysyllte-aqueduct.co.uk/attraction/cefn-viaduct/ |access-date=2022-06-03 |website=Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal World Heritage site |language=en-US}}

File:Newbridge (52444405302).jpg

The viaduct is built of coursed squared Cefn sandstone from Chatham's Quarry, with the upper arched stage of brick faced with stone. It is {{Convert|460|m|ft|abbr=on}} long, comprising 19 arches of {{Convert|18.2|m|ft|abbr=on}} span, and two arches of {{Convert|9|m|ft|abbr=on}}, and rising {{Convert|44.8|m|ft|abbr=on}} above the river. At the time of opening it was claimed to be the longest viaduct in Britain.{{Cite book |last=Cragg |first=Roger |title=Civil Engineering Heritage: Wales & West Central England |date=1997 |publisher=Telford |isbn=0-7277-2576-9 |edition=2nd |location=London |page=51 |oclc=37112692}}

It is listed as a Grade II* building because of the structure's "highly impressive and architecturally elegant example of mid 19th century railway engineering".

File:(T)Raining_Day.jpg passenger service on the viaduct]]

On 25 January 1928 at 4:05 a.m., two freight trains collided on the viaduct. A 3.30 a.m. Oswestry to Birkenhead 26-wagon freight train suffered engine failure on the viaduct caused by a missing cotter, and driver Johnson decided to stop on the viaduct for inspection and repair. While the train was stationary on the viaduct, the approaching 12.45 a.m. Wolverhampton (Oxley) to Birkenhead 47-wagon freight train crashed into the rear of the stationary Oswestry train after being previously signalled for clear passage on the viaduct. Some personnel on board the trains were injured: the Oswestry guard suffered injuries and burns, the Oswestry driver and Oxley guard were slightly injured, and the Oxley driver and fireman suffered from shock. The Oxley train's wheels and three wagons were derailed and damaged, five wagons of the Oswestry train were completely wrecked, and the guard's van and some other wagons of the Oswestry train caught fire.{{Cite web |title=Cefn Viaduct Rail Crash 1928 – Wrexham History |url=https://www.wrexham-history.com/cefn-viaduct-rail-crash-1928/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927093841/https://www.wrexham-history.com/cefn-viaduct-rail-crash-1928/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=27 September 2020 |access-date=2022-06-03 |language=en-GB}}{{Cite book |last=Trench |first=A.C. |url=https://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/MoT_CefnViaduct1928.pdf |title=Report on the Accident at Cefn Viaduct on 25th January 1928 |date=14 March 1928 |publisher=Great Western Railway; Ministry of Transport}} Before the accident, signalman Edwards of the Llangollen Junction signal box was contacted by Richards, signalman of Black Park, at 4.01 a.m. asking whether the Oswestry train had passed out of section. It had passed Black Park at 3.50 a.m. The usual journey time between Llangollen Junction and Black Park was nine minutes, and Richards was aware of the approaching Oxley train. Edwards did not reply to Richards, and assumed the Oswestry train had passed him and he had forgotten to clear it, so he signalled "Train out of Section" to Black Park. Richards immediately asked for "Line Clear" for the approaching Oxley train, which Edwards accepted at 4.02 a.m. After passing through a bend, the Oxley train travelled at {{Convert|30-35|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} down a slight gradient, when driver Hopkins saw the Oswestry train's tail lamps on the viaduct. Hopkins immediately cut off steam and applied the brakes, throwing on-board guard Williams to the floor, but he was unable to stop the train fully; it was still moving at about {{Convert|10|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} when it crashed into the Oswestry train.

The line was blocked for almost 14 hours after the incident.

• Chirk Viaduct

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• [https://cadwpublic-api.azurewebsites.net/reports/listedbuilding/FullReport?lang=en&id=628 Cadw] and [https://cadwpublic-api.azurewebsites.net/reports/listedbuilding/FullReport?lang=en&id=619 Cadw] – For full architectural descriptions

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Category:Bridges across the River Dee, Wales

Category:Railway viaducts in Wales

Category:Bridges in Wrexham County Borough

Category:Grade II* listed bridges in Wales

Category:Bridges completed in 1848

Category:Grade II* listed buildings in Wrexham County Borough