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Tours > Wales > The Menai Bridges
The Menai Bridges
The Menai Strait separates the island of Anglesey from the mainland of Wales; thirteen miles long, it varies in width from a mile to 200 yards. For centuries, it served as a sheltered inland route for many of the smaller ships coming and going to Liverpool. It was crossed only by ferry, and when Telford arrived to plan his suspension bridge, ship owners insisted on a height of 100 ft. His masterpiece, the Menai Suspension road bridge, was completed in 1826, closely following his first iron suspension bridge at Conwy. It is 1,000 ft long overall and 579 ft between the massive stone pillars.
The other Menai Bridge, the Britannia road and rail bridge, was a tubular railway bridge built by famous engineer Robert Stephenson (of the locomotive Rocket fame) between 1846 and 1850. After it was burnt down in 1970 by two boys exploring for bats carrying torches, the bridge was rebuilt to carry an extra deck to carry the A5 road into Anglesey.
Next Stop: Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch
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