There wasn't anything in Menai Bridge before the suspension bridge was built and Bangor was a small town before the Britannia Bridge, because it only really grew with the coming of the railway.
The Telford bridge (Menai Suspension Bridge) was built in 1826 and like the later Britannia, Bridge was ground-breaking in international civil engineering history.
The Admiralty insisted that a bridge spanning the Strait should be high enough for a sailing ship to get under, so it was one of the highest bridges of the time. It was built as part of Telford's road from London to Holyhead.
The A5 and Telford's bridge were all part of the first road that was directed by an Act of Parliament. Before then, all roads were either toll roads or privately owned. The act was passed to basically get Irish MPs down to Parliament in two days instead of four.
People were also absolutely fed up with the ferries across the Strait - some of the ferrymen would charge when you got on the boat and then charge again to get off - there was a lot of skullduggery going on. So the coming of the bridge was wonderful news for everyone.
Thomas Telford's father was a stonemason and Telford worked as an architect designing buildings, excavating Roman sites and building canals in Shropshire for a long time before he took on bridge-building. This shows the amazing versatility of his ability.
Then, a few decades after this bridge was built, rail transport was being developed which would be an even faster way of Irish MPs getting to London, so in 1850 Robert Stevenson was commissioned to put up a tubular steel bridge across the Menai Strait for the railway link.
It is again a unique bridge in international terms because the construction itself was created out of a box girder system with riveting - 2.2 million rivets were used and it was so strong and stable it was able to carry a full railway engine and train across.
Stevenson did actually put slots in the top of the stone structures just in case it didn't take the weight of the train and he would be able to put link chains across it, like the Telford bridge. But it was absolutely fine.
It was also the first time the designers worked out mathematically before building a bridge that it would actually take the weight of a steam train. William Day, the consulting civil engineer who looks after the bridges at the present time, says of the two bridges that is one of the most significant things about them. They proved it would work in theory and it did in practice.
But in 1970 the Britannia Bridge went on fire. It didn't burn down completely, but was left twisted and distorted because of the wooden railway coated with tar. The bridge itself was coated in tar, too, to stop it rusting, so they had to remove the box section and there wasn't a full rail service again until 1974. In 1980 the road deck was opened.
We decided to have a museum about Menai Bridge and Llanfair PG. We're linked to Bangor University School of Ocean Sciences and want to tell the story of the geology and ecology of the Menai Strait.
Each summer we've held an exhibition. In 2005 we were able to have the church hall and set up a small community museum and people very much enjoyed it. We're in the process of trying to buy the church hall and want to completely restore it, get it back to being used for community and education purposes and house a permanent small museum. Jean Baker
Students get valuable experience with Project Menai.
Remembering the Britannia Bridge fire.
Celebrations for the 250th anniversary of Telford's birth.
your comments
We're making some changes to the sites shortly and although this form will be closing, you will have other opportunities to contribute on our new-look site.
rosemary Johnson bedford
According to my family folklore my great great Grandfather Adam Williams once owned the Toll on Menai Bridge. he died in about 1886 so presumably this was early to mid 19th century. Are there any records related to toll owners?
Mon Feb 16 09:56:04 2009
Mr Glyn Owen Bangor
I think it's a shame that there is no longer access to the rememberance site for the old tubular bridge. I would have thought that the railway companies in charge would have a say in the matter of public access so that pressure be brought to bear to have the access road re-opened.
Mon Jan 7 09:38:30 2008
Tom Dillon, Buckley
I visited the original Britannia Bridge remembrance area on the Bangor side today and what I saw was a disgrace. There are no signs directing visitors to the site and when one does find the trail down there is a notice advising that it is a private road and to "Keep out". The site is muddy and overgrown, the lion monuments are completeley hidden in undergrowth and it is dangerous climbing up to them.
Stevenson was one of the finest engineers
ever and the Britannia Bridge was a magnificent engineering feat then and now.
Wales should be proud that it has such a fine piece of history within its boundary
and should encourage people come and admire
what it was and what is left.
The state of the area is as I have said a disgrace to Wales and a dishonour to such a Magnificent engineer.
Tue Nov 14 09:35:38 2006
Suzie, Old Llandegfan
My father told me that my great grandfather worked on the Menai bridge, and he used to walk along the chains at the top, with no safety rope at all. I would love to find out more about that, would there be any records displayed?
Mon Sep 11 13:11:19 2006
Michael Davies, Penrtaeth
In reply to Kevin Thomas, You are right that trains did cross from January 1972, but a full service was not resumed until 1974 as the article states as work was still being carried out on the bridge.
Fri May 5 15:53:44 2006
Kevin Thomas, Llangefni.
The rail service was actually resumed on Sunday, 30th of January 1972 (Northern Ireland's 'Bloody Sunday' in fact), and I was on the very first train to cross with my father- I was seven years old. My father was interviewed on the train by BBC TV's 'Heddiw' news programme.
Thu Mar 16 21:17:00 2006
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