Pontcysyllte Aqueduct

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is a Pont-canal vertiginous with the name considered unpronouncable (?), imagined and built by the engineers Thomas Telford and William Jessop. It crosses the Rivière Dee, above the valley of Llangollen, with the Wales. It was open in 1805.

Its name means in Welsh “the bridge which establishes a connection”. Pronounce: “bridge-keu-only-t-piece” or “bridge-koussieulterre”. It locally is called " The channel in the sky" (the channel in the sky)

A cast iron tank of 1000 feet

It is a long tank of cast iron, of which the elements are assembled in Dovetail and are embedded on solids Pilier S of masonry, forming a channel filled with water almost to the brim, with a narrow pavement bolted in Porte-à-faux (" cantilever") and a Parapet on a side, the vacuum of the other…

The local tradition brings back characteristics concerning the construction of the work: the joints of the elements of the tank were caulked using Flanelle of Wales soaked in ebullient sugar, before being definitively sealed with lead; ox blood would have used the composition of the mortar of lime used in the built parts…

It is also said that it been used forever for nothing, that he does not carry out nowhere…

If it were true, it would not have ensured a regular service during one century and half: started in 1796 and opened in 1805, it was unused with the transport of the Marchandises only in 1944.

A tourist vocation

Today rehabilitated for the pleasure sailing, it is a really single monument, which shows that the engineers of the Industrial revolution were ready with very to make progress the human adventure. It should be recognized that with its almost 40 meters in height, the work is really impressive, and it is not impossible that it holds the world records height in its category.

Inscription with the World heritage

The work was had a presentiment of in 2005 and 2006 to be registered with the World heritage of UNESCO.

In figures

length: 1000 foot S
19 arches of 45 feet each one
126 feet height above the valley Dee (that is to say approximately 40 m)
tank 11 feet broad and 5 feet of depth
capacity: 400.000 Gallon S

This channel, like much of others in England, is in " narrow gauge" , i.e. with small Gauge.

External bonds

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, on Structurae
''' PHOTOGRAPHS ''' of unpronouncable the showpiece of the Industrial revolution
''' Panorama 360° ''' on the site of the BBC-Shropshire.
''' Seen air ''' by Virtual Earth

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