D-Drill help to preserve a 190-year-old aqueduct in South Wales.

Skilled diamond drillers at one of the UK’s leading specialist construction contractors have helped to preserve a 190-year-old aqueduct in South Wales.

The team at D-Drill, which has an office in Bridgend, was called into drill more than 500 holes into Pontrhydfen Aqueduct, which is better known as Bont Fawr – ‘the big bridge’, in the district of Neath Port Talbot.

Under strict, controlled conditions, operatives from D-Drill worked in two four-week phases to drill the 50mm diameter holes to depths of up to two-and-a-half metres.

The holes were required to allow contractor Goldhawk to insert steel pins to help strengthen the aqueduct.

Alun Burnell, of D-Drill, led the team and said they took great pride in helping to preserve a piece of local history.

He said: “It wasn’t about to fall down, or anything like that, but the work was undertaken to help preserve Bont Fawr for generations to come.

“It’s no longer used as an aqueduct but it is a historic monument for the area and, in the shadow of where our work was taking place, is the former home of Richard Burton!

“So it was a great project to work on and, as a company, we are very proud to have worked on a piece of history.”

He added: “We couldn’t go up on the scaffolding to work if it was too windy but we certainly had to work through some quite heavy rain at times to get the job done.

“We were drilling into Brecon Blue Stone with which made it a tougher job but our experienced team were well equipped to make sure they got it done.

“The client was extremely happy with the work we had done and future generations can continue to enjoy Bont Fawr for many years to come.”

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