The Pont-Y-Cafnau bridge in Merthyr Tydfil, believed to be the world’s oldest surviving iron railway bridge, is currently undergoing a major restoration – a joint project between the Welsh Government and Merthyr Tydfil CBC. It is scheduled to be completed by Autumn 2025 and will focus on essential structural repairs to ensure the bridge’s safety for future generations to enjoy.

Designed by Watkin George, and built in 1793 for the pioneering Cyfarthfa Ironworks Company  the structure is a 14.2-metre long iron truss bridge spanning the River Taff. It is a Grade II* listed structure and a scheduled monument, highlighting its historical and architectural significance. Its unique design featured an upper water channel, a middle tramroad deck, and a lower water channel – a three-story engineering solution that perfectly captured the practical innovation of the era.