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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/oct/28/civil-engineer-proposes-statue-of-mythical-giant-to-prop-up-wales-bridge
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| Civil engineer proposes statue of mythical giant to prop up Wales bridge | Civil engineer proposes statue of mythical giant to prop up Wales bridge |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| The Welsh government says it will consider a proposal to prop up a new £130m bridge across the Menai Strait with a mythical Welsh giant. | The Welsh government says it will consider a proposal to prop up a new £130m bridge across the Menai Strait with a mythical Welsh giant. |
| Civil engineer Benji Poulton, from Bangor in north-west Wales, came up with the idea after dismissing the existing designs for a new bridge between Gwynedd and Anglesey as “underwhelming”. | Civil engineer Benji Poulton, from Bangor in north-west Wales, came up with the idea after dismissing the existing designs for a new bridge between Gwynedd and Anglesey as “underwhelming”. |
| His design replaces the central support with a giant statue of Bendigeidfran (Brân the Blessed), who went over to Ireland to wage war against the king, Matholwch. | His design replaces the central support with a giant statue of Bendigeidfran (Brân the Blessed), who went over to Ireland to wage war against the king, Matholwch. |
| According to the legend, the Irish soldiers retreated over the River Shannon and burnt all the bridges. Bendigeidfran lay over the river, uttering “A fo ben, bid bont.” (“He who would be a leader, let him be a bridge” – now a popular Welsh proverb.) | According to the legend, the Irish soldiers retreated over the River Shannon and burnt all the bridges. Bendigeidfran lay over the river, uttering “A fo ben, bid bont.” (“He who would be a leader, let him be a bridge” – now a popular Welsh proverb.) |
| Wales on rails: fine food and great views on the Holyhead to Cardiff | |
| Poulton said his design would enhance “this legendary landscape of dragons, of kings and giants and myths and legends”. | Poulton said his design would enhance “this legendary landscape of dragons, of kings and giants and myths and legends”. |
| Though unusual, such a design is “not unheard of”, he argued in a presentation to the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE). “Split supports and even curved concrete supports can be found on many other bridges. All we are really doing is adding a head.” | Though unusual, such a design is “not unheard of”, he argued in a presentation to the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE). “Split supports and even curved concrete supports can be found on many other bridges. All we are really doing is adding a head.” |
| He has been inspired by a new bridge near Da Nang, Vietnam, which appears to be held up by a pair of giant stone hands. | He has been inspired by a new bridge near Da Nang, Vietnam, which appears to be held up by a pair of giant stone hands. |
| The Welsh government is committed to building a third crossing of the Menai Strait and earlier this month revealed its preferred route, just to the east of the existing Britannia Bridge. | The Welsh government is committed to building a third crossing of the Menai Strait and earlier this month revealed its preferred route, just to the east of the existing Britannia Bridge. |
| A government spokesperson said “all options” would be considered. | A government spokesperson said “all options” would be considered. |
| What it feels like to cross the world's longest sea bridge | |
| If his design is chosen, passengers on the London-Holyhead railway line on the lower deck of the Britannia Bridge would be treated to a close-up face-to-face encounter with the giant, which is “guaranteed to be a highlight of any journey along this line”, he argues. | If his design is chosen, passengers on the London-Holyhead railway line on the lower deck of the Britannia Bridge would be treated to a close-up face-to-face encounter with the giant, which is “guaranteed to be a highlight of any journey along this line”, he argues. |
| Poulton’s design won the Welsh regional final of Pitch 200, a competition run by the ICE. He will compete in the final on 26 November against other engineers from around the world. | Poulton’s design won the Welsh regional final of Pitch 200, a competition run by the ICE. He will compete in the final on 26 November against other engineers from around the world. |
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