A MAJOR project to replace a railway bridge is back on track after a theft threatened to derail it.

Work on the bridge replacement scheme near Haworth had to be suspended after a component from a key piece of machinery was stolen.

The theft occurred sometime overnight on Monday, May 13.

But following the sourcing of a new part, contractors ploughed ahead to get the work timetable back on schedule.

The volunteer-led civil engineering project is the biggest of its kind ever undertaken by the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway.

Bridge 27, a 135-year-old structure spanning Bridgehouse Beck just south of Haworth Station, is being replaced.

A £1 million grant was awarded from the Government’s Community Ownership Fund to carry out the work.

Rails over the bridge had been removed only 24 hours before thieves struck, so that contractor Keller could start pile drilling.

The theft was discovered when workers arrived to begin the operation.

Work had to be halted pending the arrival of repair engineers and replacement parts.

James Barlow, the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway's chief civil engineer and project lead, says: "Losing time at the start of the first week because of the theft was more than disappointing.

"However, I have to pay tribute to our volunteers and the contractors who pulled out all the stops so that we were back on track with our project programme by the end of the opening week.

"I would like to thank everybody for their hard work and commitment, and the local community for its patience during these works.

"Additionally, we would like to thank Wyedean Weaving for allowing us to use its car park as a site compound during this phase of work, without which the project would not be deliverable."

The current bridge consists of two separate structures, but both utilise the same abutments and pier.

One structure, which carries the line into Haworth yard, underwent extensive work in the late 1970s and doesn't form part of the latest project.

But the other structure, which carries the main Keighley & Worth Valley Railway line, has seen a deterioration in its condition and needs renewal.

As part of the scheme, there will be a partial closure of the five-mile steam heritage line in September.

The Haworth to Oxenhope section will be shut for up to four weeks; the remainder of the route will remain open to weekend passenger services.