The 1200ft (366m) long viaduct carries the former South Wales Railway across the River Usk at Newport. It was originally built entirely of timber, to the designs of I.K.Brunel, but was completely destroyed by fire on 31 May 1848 during construction. When rebuilt, wrought-iron, bow-string girders were used for the centre span, the other ten spans being replaced in timber. The rebuilt bridge was opened on 18 June 1850, concurrently with the South Wales Railway. The bridge was again rebuilt, with masonry piers and steel girders, in 1911 and widened in 1925. The lower portion of the piers either side of the centre span are of a slightly different form to that above and to the other piers and possibly incorporate some of the 1850 masonry.
RCAHMW, 02 October 2009.