European Railroad Discussion > The four ages of Newport

Newport, on the River Usk, is Wales' third city (after Cardiff and Swansea) with a population of 145,000. It lies some 10 miles east of Cardiff and a similar distance to the border with England. It's predominantly a Victorian / Edwardian industrial city with a busy port and a very active railway scene. But it's origins go back much further as you can see from this picture of a Cardiff to Holyhead passenger service crossing the Usk last Monday.

The fortifications, protecting the Usk crossing are Medieval replacing the Roman fortifications in Caerleon, a couple of miles up river (which is now a suburb of Newport), which dated back to around the end of the 1st century CE. No trace of the Roman bridge over the Usk remains.

The train is crossing the Victorian 1880 Usk bridge, built to supplement the original bridge (designed by Brunel) which had opened in 1850. The former was widened to four tracks in the 1920s when the Brunel bridge was finally retired.

In the background is the tower of Newport's Art Deco Civic Centre, construction of which started in 1937 when King George VI dug the first sod.

And behind the train is a brand new work space building with offices / studios / workshops which incorporates 2TEU shippng containers in the design. It was the Post Office sorting office when mail still went by rail. How you view it is very much a matter of taste; some love it, whist others think it's a ridiculous carbuncle. I rather like it, it makes a dramatic backdrop to pictures taken on Newport station platform.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 06/28/22 10:51 by 86235.

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Amost excellent melding of the modern and historical.
Thanks for your insightful photo posting.
ALLEN

Thanks for your description of the scene. Well rendered photograph with very interesting details.

I like the shipping container building!  And the train.   Great photo. 

I like it too, the juxtaposition of the old in the foreground and new in the background. Also, nice pop of colour.

Good to see the 67 sets out, TfW seems to have been experiencing a number of issues with them recently to the point of using 150s and even double 153 formations all the way to Holyhead!

Hexagon789 Wrote:
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> Good to see the 67 sets out, TfW seems to have
> been experiencing a number of issues with them
> recently to the point of using 150s and even
> double 153 formations all the way to Holyhead!

Yes, with just three sets if one goes belly up, like 1V91 did the other day, out come the 153s.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/28/22 12:53 by 86235.

Very nice composition, it's quite a while since I've been around these parts. chris uk

That photograph has a very high WoW factor.