66) Pontrhydyfen Viaduct

Some villages have all the luck. Pontrhydyfen isn’t very big, but it is one of my favourite corners of Port Talbot. Most people who have heard of the village could tell you that it’s the birthplace of Richard Burton – true – and some could even tell you that it’s also the birthplace of Ivor ‘Zulu’ Emmanuel. While I respect this, it’s not the reason why I like it so much. The main reasons are two large scale pieces of civil engineering, the Aqueduct, and this Viaduct. The single track railway line which used to cross its ten arches was still working when I was born in 1964, but only just, closing for good in December of that year. As it should be, it is Grade II listed, and I’ve taken many pleasant walks across it in my time.