Harper Bridges

Abercynon, R. Taff , c.1898

 Taff Valley

Anacynon, Taff Valley, Wales. Abercynon is a post industrial town in the Taff valley with numerous reminders of a more prosperous past. We had identified seven crossings in the area and all were checked, but none was a suspension bridge. Coming across a roads department we asked one of the drivers if he recognised the photo we had of the bridge on its completion. After some head scratching he said he thought he recognised the hillside as being above the old Navigation mine. The railway that crossed the bridge served the mine (and didn't cross the river) and a ridge on the hillside above was an earlier railway. He had however no knowledge of a suspension bridge. He suggested that we go down to the farm at the old mine and then walk down a track which should pass under the railway bridge of the photo, beyond which would be the site of the bridge. We parked the car at the gate of the farm and made our way across the yard and through the gate at the far side. As we walked down I could see that we were on the remains of a tarmac road. However our first disappointment was that the ironwork of the bridge didn't match that of the photograph. Our second disappointment was that there was no sign of footings on the bank beyond. Were we in the right place? more...