Famed Ribblehead Viaduct future secured as major restoration work completed

When Yorkshire’s stunning Ribblehead Viaduct was built in the 1870s so many workers lost their lives through accidents, fighting and a smallpox outbreak that the Midland Railway company famously paid to extend the local graveyard.

A restoration of the sweeping Grade II* listed bridge completed this week has, thankfully, not come at quite the same price.

Scaffolding has now come down following the major £2.1 million, six-month upgrade to the 24-arch, 104 ft tall structure. And railways bosses say the work – the first in almost 30 years – has succeeded in securing its future as both a historical landmark and a vital railway link across the Yorkshire Dales.

“The teams have worked throughout a harsh winter to restore this hugely important and impressive piece of Victorian engineering for the future and I’m hugely proud of the work we’ve carried out,” said Philippa Britton of Network Rail.

Among the painstaking operations carried out were re-pointing hundreds of eroded mortar joints and replacing broken stones. Detailed laser and drone surveys were taken to offer the first ever detailed record of the viaduct’s condition so it can be closely monitored down the coming decades.

“We’ve worked incredibly closely with heritage experts and conservationists to make sure the repairs were sympathetic to the historical structure, but would also last the test of time,” said Britton. “Now, these once-in-a-generation repairs are complete, we hope you won’t see scaffolding on this scale at Ribblehead again for many decades to come.”

Crucially, she added, it meant the bridge – one of the north’s great tourist attractions – would now be open ahead of an expected bumper summer of staycations following the easing of coronavirus restrictions.

As well as attracting visitors, the bridge, which was opened in 1876, remains a vital transport corridor for both passengers and freight on the world-famous Settle to Carlisle line across the Dales.