Cowbridge U3A History Group visit Newport

Article in FONTB magazine

FONTB = Friends of Newport Transporter Bridge

On August the 24th, 32 members and friends went on a day’s outing to Newport.

The coach left the Town Hall at 9.30am, and our first stop was for coffee in the Morgan Room at Tredegar Park, where, along with the coffee, we sampled the famous National Trust shortbread.

We then made our way to the Newport Transporter Bridge, where building of the bridge commenced in 1902. It was completed and opened in 1906, at a cost of £98,000.

The bridge is one of only eight of its kind remaining in use in the world.

Some 12 members opted to climb the staircase and walk along the top to the other side, returning on the gondola. Other members took the gondola, both ways.

Newport Transporter Bridge statistics

From the bridge, we crossed over to the Waterloo Hotel, a Grade two listed building and former dockers’ pub, refurbished ten years ago into a hotel and bistro, at the cost of one and a half million pounds, but retaining the décor of long ago.

The landlord informed us that, when the dockers used to finish their shifts, there would be 600 pints of beer and 300 whiskies lined up ready.

Here we enjoyed a hot and cold buffet, laid on by the hotel.

Our last visit was to view the restoration of the 15th century Newport Ship.

This was discovered in June 2002 on the west bank of the river Usk, during the building of the Riverfront Arts Centre.

Members were split up into 3 groups, with a guide each, who informed us of the history and on-going restoration work being done.

Afterwards, we returned to Cowbridge, arriving home at four thirty.

Our thanks go to Val and Steve Monaghan for organizing the trip with

their usual attention to detail, which made it a very enjoyable and rewarding day out.

June Morgan