Location of former Crumlin Viaduct?

[Sun Chariot]

Hoping a reader with local knowledge can guide me on this:

An unexpected bereavement on my wife's side, this week, necessitated a trip to Ebbw Vale. I had not explored the area during my "track bashing" years, as the line was still freight-only.
As we drove through Crumlin, I was struck by the splendour of the two valleys and the huge efforts of the original railway engineers.
I could see the location previously taken up by Crumlin Low Level station. I also tried to spot the location of the former cast-iron viaduct (the highest in the UK at the time); I believe its pier-foundations are still present - but I was unable to see them from the car.

We took the B4471 Crumlin Road around the valley north of Crumlin, rather than the A467. I've tried both roads on Google Maps and I tried to find the public house shown in the photo at the top of Wikipedia's page:

Crumlin Viaduct - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Alas, no joy. So - can any of you steer me, where the stone / concrete foundations exist? We'll return to Ebbw next week, so I will have a chance to look then.

Many thanks.

 

[John Webb]

Click on the photo below to go to the larger original on the Geograph website:
Northward in Ebbw Valley at site of Crumlin Viaduct, 1990

© Copyright Ben Brooksbank and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

You will find a map showing the location on the photo's page.

A photo showing the viaduct:
Crumlin viaduct from Celynen North

© Copyright Richard Green and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

 

[Sun Chariot]

That is brilliant @John Webb thanks ever so much

 

[robert thomas]

Here is a photo I took from the viaduct on 1st August 1963 which may help

 

[Sun Chariot]

That's an amazing photo @robert thomas Many thanks for sharing. Yes, that - plus the OS map linked in post #2 - gives me a really clear indication of where I will look.

Much appreciated.

 

[Cowley]

Here is a photo I took from the viaduct on 1st August 1963 which may help

That photo could be a candidate for the “When the real thing looks a model” thread on Rmweb.

 

[DelW]

The NLS side-by-side viewer can be helpful for situations like this (though it can be fiddly to use - I find the still-available "old" version works better for me).

Screenshots attached of west abutment, east abutment, and the whole thing. It looks as though the east abutment is still visible, but the west is overgrown.

I went up the line in a charter before it reopened, and I think I could see the east abutment from the train. That would have been around 2010 so might not be the case now.

 

[Sun Chariot]

That photo could be a candidate for the “When the real thing looks a model” thread on Rmweb.

Ironically, I had a wicked thought to tag you on my post #5 and ask when we'll see the 7mm version with 1980s coal trains.

 

[John Webb]

That is brilliant @John Webb thanks ever so much

My pleasure!

Here is a photo I took from the viaduct on 1st August 1963 which may help

I was on a school trip to South Wales, I think in July of 1963. It was primarily to see the then-new steelworks at Llanwern, just east of Newport. We stayed at the Youth Hostel at Chepstow and the day after the steelworks visit we did a trip up Ebbw Vale, across the head of the valleys and back down the Wye Valley from Monmouth. I remember passing under the viaduct but regrettably we couldn't stop the coach to get a good photo of it. But it certainly stuck in my memory!

 

[Gloster]

Not only was the viaduct a film star, it appears briefly near the end of Arabesque, but there are number of bits of film to be found of both the filming and the demolition. Arabesque is a visually impressive but utterly confusing film with Gregory Peck and Sophia Loren, but the few glimpses of the viaduct, complete with a Birds’ Demolition notice may be of interest.

 

[DerekC]

There is a good photo of the west abutment on Flickr here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/cerij4242/4521135364/in/photostream/

The link to the Crumlin Viaduct website mentioned on the Flickr page is unfortunately broken.

 

[leighsw2]

Here's the film clip (from Arabesque) on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ben_salter/4578821897/

 

[Sun Chariot]

Here's the film clip (from Arabesque) on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ben_salter/4578821897/

Actors bumping and jostling across a rather frail truss deck and then across a very narrow maintenance walkway under the rail deck. Health & Safety would have a fit!