Landmark Demolition
A Facebook post by Dennis Hughes recently sparked some research into the old Tycoch Bridge, which once crossed Pembrey Road near the Tycoch Cottages (then known by that name) next to where Travis Perkins now stands.
The bridge formed part of the branch line to the Mynyddygarreg limestone outcrop. Another branch ran through the Gwendraeth Valley, carrying miners to the collieries. These lines later became part of the Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway. The Kidwelly–Mynyddygarreg section was completed by September 1873, with regular traffic continuing until around 1959.
Interestingly, the Tycoch section was completed earlier than the rest of the line to Mynydd-y-Garreg. It was originally built to Brunel’s broad gauge, the system favoured by Isambard Kingdom Brunel for the Great Western and South Wales Railways, but was later converted to standard gauge.
According to the Western Mail, the bridge was demolished in May 1962. With a headroom clearance of only 14 feet 6 inches, buses and lorries were forced into the centre of the road to pass beneath it. Once the railway fell into disuse, the bridge became redundant, and its removal was the obvious solution to ease this bottleneck. Today, no trace of the bridge or railway line remains—the route has been transformed into a peaceful footpath.
Special thanks go to Kidwelly History, Denis Hughes, Teddy Hollands, and M.R.C. Price (author of The Gwendraeth Valley Railway, Kidwelly to Mynydd-y-Garreg) for their photos and invaluable information.
An observation from Teddy: in the photograph labelled “Demolition of Tycoch Bridge, Kidwelly”, Derek Clarke and Eirwyn “Coch” can be seen making sure health and safety precautions were fully observed.
A footnote here the Western Mail cutting is dated 1962 though other sauces state 1965 was demolition date, possibly the bridge went first then the associated yard, railway etc was removed by 1965!
The bridge is no more.