Waterloo Bridge, Betws-y-Coed
{{Short description|Bridge across the River Conwy, Wales}}
{{About|the bridge at Betws-y-Coed|other uses|Waterloo Bridge (disambiguation)}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox bridge
| bridge_name = Waterloo Bridge
| image = Betws-y-coed o'r awyr - aerial view of Betws-y-coed, Gwynedd, Wales 02.jpg
| image_size =
| carries = Motor vehicles (2 lanes)
Pedestrians
| crosses = River Conwy
| locale = Betws-y-Coed
| owner =
| maint =
| designer = Thomas Telford
| engineering =
| design = Arch bridge
| material = Cast iron
| length =
| width =
| height =
| mainspan = {{convert|32|m}}{{cite web
|author=Engineering Timelines
|access-date=1 September 2011
|title=Waterloo Bridge
|url=http://www.engineering-timelines.com/scripts/engineeringItem.asp?id=755
}}
| spans = 1
| pierswater =
| clearance =
| below =
| builder =
| begin =
| complete = 1815
| cost =
| coordinates = {{coord|53.0852|-3.7953|display=inline,title}}
}}
Waterloo Bridge ({{langx|cy|Pont Waterloo}}) is an early cast iron bridge, spanning the River Conwy at Betws-y-Coed, in Conwy county borough, north-west Wales.
History
Following the Acts of Union 1800, which united Great Britain (England, Wales, and Scotland) with Ireland, communications with the sea port at Holyhead—about {{convert|40|miles|abbr=off}} west of Betws-y-Coed—drastically increased in importance. The civil engineer Thomas Telford was commissioned to improve the London to Holyhead coaching road to allow faster journey for the mail coaches which, at the turn of the 29th century, could take 46 hours to reach the port from London. The route through northern Wales was particularly poor and required extensive engineering works. It crossed the River Conwy at Betws-yCoed.Thomas, p. 81.
File:North west view of Waterloo Bridge, over the river Conway.jpeg
An inscription on the arch records that it was constructed in the year of the Battle of Waterloo, but although designed and constructed in 1815, its erection was not completed until the following year.{{cite web
|url=https://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/300017827-waterloo-bridge-betws-y-coed#.WivYZtJl-Uk
|title=Waterloo Bridge - A Grade I Listed Building in Betws-y-Coed, Conwy
|website=British Listed Buildings
|access-date=9 December 2017
}}
The bridge is made wholly from cast iron, apart from the stone bastions, and was only the seventh such bridge to be built.
In 1923, the bridge's masonry abutments were refurbished, and its superstructure was strengthened by encasing the inner three ribs in concrete. A {{cvt|7|in}} reinforced cantilevered concrete deck was also added, which provided extra space for new footways; the cast iron parapet railings were re-erected on the outside of the new footways.
In 1978, a new {{cvt|10|in}} reinforced concrete deck was added and the masonry abutments were also strengthened.
In May 1996, the bridge was Grade I listed as "a highly important and imaginatively-designed iron road bridge by Thomas Telford, engineer, a significant example of early iron technology".
See also
References
{{reflist}}
- {{cite book |last1=Thomas |first1=Keith |title=Civil Engineering Heritage: Wales |date=2010 |publisher=Phillimore |location=Andover |isbn=9781860776380}}
- Quartermaine et al. (2003) Thomas Telford's Holyhead Road: The A5 in North Wales, Council for British Archaeology {{ISBN|978-1-902771-34-2}}
External links
{{commons category|Waterloo Bridge, Betws-y-Coed}}
- {{Structurae|id=20002244|title=Waterloo Bridge}}
Category:Bridges in Conwy County Borough
Category:Road bridges in Wales
Category:Bridges completed in 1815
Category:Cast-iron arch bridges in Wales
Category:Grade I listed bridges in Wales