The previous bridge at Church Fenton, built in 1901, was reaching the end of its lifespan. By carrying out the replacement works a year earlier than necessary, TRU maximised their time accessing the operational railway to modernise infrastructure while also working to prepare the railway for the future installation of overhead line equipment. This means further disruption to the local community will be minimised.
Work was rescheduled around Storm Boelo, enabling a temporary pause for safety during the height of the high winds and poor weather. Teams worked hard to stay on target and the railway re-opened to trains on time.
Following the installation of the new bridge at Church Fenton, work has now started to relocate diverted utility services within the new structure, before the road is restored and re-opened in June 2027.