A £1.25 MILLION project at Keighley & Worth Valley Railway (KWVR) has taken a major step forward.
The one-mile Haworth to Oxenhope section of the railway is currently shut until September 20, while KWVR completes its biggest-ever volunteer-led project.
This is the replacement of the 135-year-old Bridge 27.
The bridge carries KWVR - one of Britain's leading heritage steam railways - over Bridgehouse Beck, one of the River Worth's main tributaries.
Yesterday, as you can see from the below video by Glynn Beck, the bridge deck was successfully installed as onlookers cheered.
A KWVR spokesperson said: "We are pleased to say that shortly after 3pm the new Bridge 27 deck was safely dropped into place."
They said the job would be finished off over the next six days.
Work on Bridge 27 was enabled when KWVR was awarded £1m from the last Government.
The bridge being replaced was built in 1889 as part of a reconstruction of a previous bridge erected in 1867 for the opening of the line.
Speaking before the project started on September 2, James Barlow, KWVR 's civil engineer, says: "We had the replacement of Bridge 27 on our radar for more than 10 years and have planned its renewal since around 2015.
"Our regular inspections picked up the deterioration that has to be expected in a structure of its age. Its replacement is the culmination of nearly 10 years of effort by our volunteer engineering team, supported by specialist designers and contractors.
"Replacing the existing structure with one that requires less maintenance in the future will enable our volunteers to focus on the maintenance and improvement of other areas of the railway.
"In addition, by installing a longer-spanned structure than the existing bridge and removing the central pier, it will help lower flood risk in the area.
"This is by far the largest civil engineering project ever undertaken by KWVR, with volunteers leading the project and undertaking a significant amount of the site works supported by our designers, contractors and equipment suppliers.
"We are incredibly grateful to our volunteers and the local community for the support shown during this job."
The remaining Keighley to Haworth section of the Victorian branch line is staying open to weekend passenger services while the bridge work, which was planned to immediately follow the key school summer holiday period when train services operate daily, is carried out.
On September 21, the railway will reopen with steam services operating along the full length of the line between Keighley and Oxenhope.
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