Crossing the Towy

The bascule bridge over the River Towy at Carmarthen carries the South Wales main line railway. It was built in 1911 by the Cleveland Bridge and Engineering Company and was last opened in 1950.

This Bascule type opening railway bridge was constructed to replace the original structure designed by Brunel, which is believed to have been an opening bridge of the Roll-Back type. As now constructed there are one fixed span (skew) of 44ft, four fixed skew spans of 62ft and an opening bascule span of 80ft. The fixed spans have 6ft deep main girders at 28ft 6in centres; cross girders and a troughing deck. The bascule girders are Pratt trusses. The bridge is no longer opened and the electric lifting gear has been removed.