5 historical projects that show how civil engineers change lives

Since its inception, civil engineering, as a profession, has changed massively.

Despite the transformation over the years, nowadays focusing more on how we can build in harmony with nature, our purpose remains the same:

To improve lives by ensuring the world has the engineering capacity and infrastructure systems it needs to enable our planet and our people to thrive.

The modern world that we see all around us has come about through the work of the engineer. 

The projects listed below are a few examples from Wales that show the impact of civil engineering.

1. The first steam railway journey

In 2004, Keith supported an initiative to mark the bicentenary of Richard Trevithick’s famous steam railway journey at Merthyr Tydfil on 21 February 1804.

The first authenticated steam railway journey, it hauled a train of loaded wagons on the Merthyr Tramroad from the Penydarren ironworks in Merthyr Tydfil to the canal basin at Abercynon.

As part of these celebrations ICE Wales Cymru commissioned a nameplate, an additional casting of which is on display at Cardiff University’s School of Engineering.

From this run on the Merthyr tram road the railway age began and with it all the cultural, economic, social and environmental impacts it entailed.

The railway would define the 19th century, and its origins can be traced back to Penydarren.

2. London to Holyhead road

In 2007, Bob saw the 250th anniversary of Thomas Telford as the ideal opportunity to mark one of his major works in Wales: the London to Holyhead road, now the A5 trunk road.

The ICE’s first president, Thomas Telford designed this first major civilian state-funded road building project in Britain.

Five commemorative plaques were unveiled on 9 August 2007 along the A5, marking major features on the route.

A convoy of vehicles travelled the route stopping at each location to unveil reproductions of Telford’s original stone milestones with their cast iron panels.

Among the route is Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, now a World Heritage Site.

It’s one of Telford’s best-known works, crossing high over the Dee Valley and overcoming a major physical obstacle in what is an innovative engineering masterpiece.

Commemorated milestones included the Stanley Embankment, which Robert Stephenson would later choose to take his railway on a widened embankment.

The London to Holyhead road not only improved the travel time to Ireland, but also helped to put Wales on the tourist map by opening up the beautiful landscape in the north.

Telford’s road ended at Holyhead harbour and John Rennie’s Admiralty Pier. Another plaque was placed here.

Telford continued this strategic route to Ireland via Howth harbour, marking the final stage on Telford’s London to Dublin highway and a home to another plaque.

3. Menai and Conwy suspension bridges

The Menai and Conwy suspension bridges were also marked along the A5 route for their incredible contribution to civil engineering and Wales.

The Conwy Suspension Bridge was built as part of Telford’s planned improvements to the coast road from Chester to Bangor, near the England-Wales border.

It was built between 1822 and 1826 and is anchored into a medieval castle!

The bridge was the first crossing over the Conwy River. It helped replace an unreliable ferry crossing, making the movement of people and goods easier and safer, which boosted the local economy.

Work on the Menai Suspension Bridge began in 1819 and finished in 1826, as part of the London to Holyhead Road.

When completed it was the largest span in the world and represented a significant development of bridge engineering.

The Menai Bridge would bring the suspension bridge into the mainstream as a long span solution which, with wire cables replacing chain links, remains to this day.

It was the longest chain suspension bridge in Britain, until exceeded in 1864.

As the gateway to Anglesey, the town, known as Porthaethwy in Welsh, would grow as a vibrant community around the bridge, hence Menai Bridge Town.

Along with all the road improvements engineered by Telford, the Menai Bridge reduced the travelling time between London to Holyhead from 36 hours to 27 hours.

4. Mark II Inglis Bridge (forerunner to the Bailey bridge)

In 2008, we marked the centenary of the Territorial Army (TA).

A plaque was put up at a Mark II Inglis Bridge in Monmouth for its historical significance as one of only two still standing in Britain.

A forerunner of the better-known Bailey bridges, it was developed in the First World War.

This bridge was developed for use in combat conditions by Professor Sir Charles Inglis while he was serving as an officer in the Royal Engineers. Inglis was elected as ICE president for the 1941–42 session.

His bridge has few component parts and can be built using the least mechanical aids possible, since all components can be carried.

It’s judged to be the best military bridge of the time.

The TA plaque was the first designed by an old friend of mine, Owen Eardley.

Owen was a gifted artist, and in the years since then he designed dozens of historical engineering plaques and panels in Wales.

5. The Barry Railway

Last November, Owen designed the commemorative panel to mark the Barry Railway and its engineers, but sadly he didn’t live to see it mounted in pride of place at Barry Museum.

The extraordinary growth of Barry, South Wales came about with the construction of the largest integrated railway and dock system of its kind.

This was the last such development in South Wales and involved many industrialists and famous names from the world of engineering.

Barry Island Station is one of the last surviving buildings created by the railway and the terminus of the Barry Island branch line, which opened in 1896.

The opening of the station marked the start of Barry Island becoming a major tourist resort.