Cardiff Central railway station water tower
The water tower beside Cardiff Central station was built in 1932 to supply Great Western Railway steam locomotives and is now Grade II listed. Its tank is painted with a colourful mural of Welsh legends from the Mabinogion, making it one of the first things many visitors see when they arrive by train.
Photos
Jonbvn
A railway survivor
The 15-metre tower was completed in 1932 alongside the rebuilt station, to serve the fish platform and water steam engines on the Great Western Railway. It was listed Grade II in 1998, one of the few reminders of the steam era left at the station.
The mural
A daffodil design was painted on the tank in 1984. The present mural went up between late 2017 and spring 2018 as part of the Weird and Wonderful Wales project led by artists Pete Fowler and Gavin Johnson. It shows figures from the Mabinogion, including Blodeuwedd, Rhiannon and Bendigeidfran. The figures are large and colourful, so they are easy to pick out even from a passing train.
Seeing it
The tower stands by the western end of Platform 0, overlooking the River Taff. You get a good view from trains and the platforms, or from around the riverside near the Principality Stadium, which is only a few minutes' walk away. It is a quick stop rather than a destination in itself. Rugby fans heading to a match often pass it without realising it is listed, so it is worth a pause on the way out of the station.
Highlights
- Built in 1932 for Great Western Railway steam engines
- Grade II listed since 1998
- Mural of Mabinogion legends, completed 2018
- Beside Platform 0, overlooking the River Taff
Good to know
- It stands by the western end of Platform 0 at Cardiff Central, overlooking the River Taff.
Frequently asked questions
Nearby
Sources: en.wikipedia.org