NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 110
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
Michael L. Roach
I reached Llangollen in Parts 93, 95 and 102. As we leave Llangollen heading east our train from Barmouth bumped along the level for 1½ miles and then started getting higher and higher above the River Dee which was still close by but falling to the east. At 2 miles the train reached Sun Bank Halt, and at 4 miles Trevor Station where the line entered a highly industrialised area quite different to anything seen so far on the journey from Barmouth. If a passenger had looked out of the carriage window to the east as the train left Sun Bank he would have obtained a most wonderful view of a graceful bridge spanning the Dee Valley; but this was no ordinary bridge as it was the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct carrying the Llangollen Canal across the valley at a height of 126 feet on its way from the Horseshoe Falls. I sometimes wondered why the designers did not keep to the south side of the Dee Valley on the way to the Horseshoe Falls and thus avoid building the aqueduct at all. The reason is quite simple – when the aqueduct was built the destination was north to Wrexham and not west to Llangollen, but the money ran out and the route was shortened to save money and obtain a reliable source of water.
The aqueduct has 19 spans and 18 intermediate stone piers. The canal water is carried in a cast iron trough of manageable sized pieces bolted together to form a continuous channel. When the aqueduct was constructed in the 10 years between 1795 and 1805 there was no standard thread anywhere and the nuts and bolts would have been made to some local design. The first standard design of threaded bolt was that designed by Joseph Whitworth in 1841 which was the first national screw thread standard anywhere in the world. The aqueduct was designed by Thomas Telford and William Jessop and the castings were cast at Cefn Mawr (1 mile away) and Shrewsbury (25 miles away).
The Llangollen Canal is used, among other things, for the conveyance of drinking water. The water is abstracted from the River Dee at the Horseshoe Falls above Llangollen, and then flows along the canal across the aqueduct and a total of 46 miles to Hurleston Reservoir which was originally owned by the Shropshire Union Canal Company. Unusually the level of the water in the reservoir is lower than the canal, rather than above it to feed the canal; so the excess water flows over a side weir and into the reservoir. Hurleston Reservoir is one mile south-east of Barbridge Junction and about five miles west of Crewe railway station. The reservoir is capable of holding 85M gallons of water and the canal brings 12M gallons a day. Now that sounds a lot of water but in the aqueduct where the cross sectional area is a minimum, and known, that volume adds just one tenth of a metre per second to the velocity of the water in the canal needed to keep the locks filled when necessary.
At the south end of the aqueduct a boater rounds a bend and then they are straight on to the aqueduct; while at the north end is a junction with the Llangollen arm coming in from the west while just to the north is Pontcysyllte Basin and beyond the next road bridge a further basin. This once had five railway sidings where goods could be transhipped from the railway to the canal in a transfer shed and vice versa. The freight-only branch passed under the Ruabon to Barmouth line at Acrefair Station, but there was also a link to the line near Trevor Station, The line began life in 1802 as a horse tram-road to feed the canal and closed in 1963. The canal went on a short distance to the Plas Kynaston Chemical Works, later owned by Monsanto, the United States chemical giant. There is a website devoted to the area at: plaskynastoncanalgroup.org
The aqueduct, 11 miles of the canal and the countryside were made a World Heritage Site in 2009. In total there are 32 Listed Structures in the 11 miles, including another major aqueduct at Chirk and a tunnel. The WHS has its own website at: pontcysyllte-aqueduct.co.uk which even tells you to pronounce the name of the aqueduct. If you have already been to this location you will know just how magnificent the aqueduct is and how it is set in beautiful countryside; and if you have not been there yet you have a treat in store. This was, and is, a fascinating area for anyone interested in railways, canals, industrial history and archaeology, local history and geography. We will return to this area in due course.
The aqueduct has 19 spans and 18 intermediate stone piers. The canal water is carried in a cast iron trough of manageable sized pieces bolted together to form a continuous channel. When the aqueduct was constructed in the 10 years between 1795 and 1805 there was no standard thread anywhere and the nuts and bolts would have been made to some local design. The first standard design of threaded bolt was that designed by Joseph Whitworth in 1841 which was the first national screw thread standard anywhere in the world. The aqueduct was designed by Thomas Telford and William Jessop and the castings were cast at Cefn Mawr (1 mile away) and Shrewsbury (25 miles away).
The Llangollen Canal is used, among other things, for the conveyance of drinking water. The water is abstracted from the River Dee at the Horseshoe Falls above Llangollen, and then flows along the canal across the aqueduct and a total of 46 miles to Hurleston Reservoir which was originally owned by the Shropshire Union Canal Company. Unusually the level of the water in the reservoir is lower than the canal, rather than above it to feed the canal; so the excess water flows over a side weir and into the reservoir. Hurleston Reservoir is one mile south-east of Barbridge Junction and about five miles west of Crewe railway station. The reservoir is capable of holding 85M gallons of water and the canal brings 12M gallons a day. Now that sounds a lot of water but in the aqueduct where the cross sectional area is a minimum, and known, that volume adds just one tenth of a metre per second to the velocity of the water in the canal needed to keep the locks filled when necessary.
At the south end of the aqueduct a boater rounds a bend and then they are straight on to the aqueduct; while at the north end is a junction with the Llangollen arm coming in from the west while just to the north is Pontcysyllte Basin and beyond the next road bridge a further basin. This once had five railway sidings where goods could be transhipped from the railway to the canal in a transfer shed and vice versa. The freight-only branch passed under the Ruabon to Barmouth line at Acrefair Station, but there was also a link to the line near Trevor Station, The line began life in 1802 as a horse tram-road to feed the canal and closed in 1963. The canal went on a short distance to the Plas Kynaston Chemical Works, later owned by Monsanto, the United States chemical giant. There is a website devoted to the area at: plaskynastoncanalgroup.org
The aqueduct, 11 miles of the canal and the countryside were made a World Heritage Site in 2009. In total there are 32 Listed Structures in the 11 miles, including another major aqueduct at Chirk and a tunnel. The WHS has its own website at: pontcysyllte-aqueduct.co.uk which even tells you to pronounce the name of the aqueduct. If you have already been to this location you will know just how magnificent the aqueduct is and how it is set in beautiful countryside; and if you have not been there yet you have a treat in store. This was, and is, a fascinating area for anyone interested in railways, canals, industrial history and archaeology, local history and geography. We will return to this area in due course.
A small part of the main sign at the south end of the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct on the morning of 24 May 2010. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A view north along the aqueduct. I wondered about the funny little kink in the stonework on the right, and then thought that it might be a design feature to remind boaters coming off the aqueduct to travel on the right of the waterway. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A view north along the west side of the aqueduct which is orientated north-south; there is no footway or fencing/handrail on this side. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A view north along the east side of the aqueduct showing how the various cast iron elements are bolted together. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A sign at the north end of the aqueduct on the evening of 24th May 2010. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A narrow boat heads south across the aqueduct filling the available width of the waterway which continues under the footway. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Looking north into the canal basin at the north end which was the start of the canal to Wrexham. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The abutment and the first span at the north end. Not only was the iron finely cast but the stonework was also well done. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Local locos
Mark Lynam
57604 sits in Penzance waiting time before departure with the up sleeper. The Scillonian ferry waits in the background. 14.06.2026, copyright Mark Lynam.
Beneath a super sunset, 57604 heads the up sleeper past Marazion. 14.06.2026, copyright Mark Lynam.
66712 leads the Goonbarrow-Fowey clay into Lostwithiel up goods loop. 15.06.2026, copyright Mark Lynam.
After collecting the token for the Fowey branch, 66712 powers away from Coulson Park, Lostwithiel with 6G09. 15.06.2026, copyright Mark Lynam.
A lovely selection Mark, thanks very much for sending them over.
Plym Valley Railway
Signalling Update
Chris Bellett
Latest signal erected at Marsh Mills. This is the Platform No.1 Starting signal (No.10 in the final scheme). This signal came from Lostwithiel (ex-Down Main Home Nos.59 and 60) and has been modified due to the restricted site access with the ladder at the front rather than conventionally at the rear.
Three more new signals to finish!
Three more new signals to finish!
Platform No.1 Starting signal installed at Plym Valley Marsh Mills. 15.06.2026, copyright Chris Bellett.
Many thanks Chris - keep up the good work!
Another date with 'Caroline'
Bill Elston
Another date with 'Caroline' and Loram 37418, as they departed Taunton yesterday heading for Derby, seen here passing Crech st Michael. 15.06.2026, copyright Bill Elston.
A going away shot of 'Caroline' at Creech. 15.06.2026, copyright Bill Elston.
Many thanks Bill - reports on the net suggest 37418 failed further up the line - rescue came in the shape of another '37'.
June 1976
Part 16
Roger Winnen
Victor fills up with water at Minehead. Christine possibly on the platform? 26.06.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.
A Prarie tank awaiting restoration at Minehead. 26.06.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.
Victor at Blue Anchor. 26.06.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.
Dunster Station. 26.06.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.