Porthkerry Viaduct

Porthkerry Viaduct stands in the Vale of Glamorgan near Barry, Wales. It is a railway viaduct with sixteen arches, thirteen of them fifty feet wide and three at the Barry end forty-five feet wide. The structure rises to a height of 110 feet and spans the north-west end of Porthkerry Park. James Szlumper and William Szlumper designed the viaduct, while the Pethick Brothers carried out the building work. Construction began in 1894 but faced delays when piers nine and ten settled into the ground. The viaduct opened in December 1897 but required further repairs soon after. By January 1898, an embankment slip pushed pier thirteen forward and traffic had to be stopped. A diversion line was built while Price and Wills underpinned the affected piers. The viaduct reopened in January 1900 and became Grade II listed in 1963. It now carries passenger trains between Cardiff, Cardiff Airport and Bridgend, as well as some freight traffic. Visitors to Porthkerry Park can walk beneath the viaduct and admire its tall arches. The park itself offers woodlands, meadows and coastal views along the Bristol Channel. Thomas Frederick Worrall, a local watercolour artist, painted the viaduct during his time living in Barry. The structure remains a striking example of late 19th-century railway engineering.