Uncovering the Lost 18th Century Railway Viaduct of South Wales

Discover the hunt for the world's first railway viaduct in South Wales, as Time Team digs deep to unearth Blyne Niven's lost industrial marvel. Join the Time Team as they tackle one of their toughest archaeological challenges yet: finding the legendary 18th-century Blyne Niven viaduct, buried beneath layers of industrial waste in South Wales. This episode dives into the heart of the Industrial Revolution, revealing how a landscape was transformed by ironworks, coal mines, and pioneering railways. Using ground-penetrating radar, electrical imaging, and heavy machinery, the team races against time to uncover the forgotten viaduct, explore workers' cottages, and piece together the lives of the miners and ironworkers who powered an era of explosive change. Watch as experts navigate false leads, civil engineering challenges, and local memories to locate the viaduct’s remains. Along the way, they reconstruct the dramatic rise and fall of Blyne Niven’s ironworks, experiment with traditional iron smelting, and even cast a replica tram wheel using local ironstone. Through their discoveries, Time Team brings to light the hidden stories of ordinary workers, their homes, and the colossal structures that shaped modern industry. If you're fascinated by industrial archaeology, lost railways, or the untold history of Wales, this is an episode you can't miss! #Archaeology #IndustrialRevolution #TimeTeam #RailwayHistory #Blaenavon #LostViaduct #BritishHistory #Ironworks