Watch as historic 192-year-old Austhorpe Lane railway bridge in Leeds is demolished
Austhorpe Lane railway bridge was built between 1830 and 1834
A historic railway bridge in Leeds has been demolished.
Austhorpe Lane railway bridge, which was constructed for the Leeds and Selby Railway between 1830 and 1834, has been demolished and will now be rebuilt as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade’s programme of improvements to deliver more frequent, faster, greener trains on a better, more reliable railway.
Designed by James Walker & Alfred Burges, who also designed the lighthouses in Whitby, the historic bridge must be reconstructed as it is currently too low to accommodate the overhead electric line equipment needed to electrify the line between York, Leeds and Manchester.
Network Rail has now shared video showcasing the demolition of the bridge - which was completed as planned last weekend (June 6-7).
Work will now begin to prepare the site - ahead of the planned installation of the new bridge in August - and the route will remain closed to all vehicles and pedestrians until January 2027.
Full project timeline - these dates may be subject to change
- April to May 2026: Closure of Austhorpe Lane over the railway for demolition preparation. This will include the removal of the road surface, the diversion of utility services, the removal of bridge parapents and infill material.
- June 2026: Demolition of Austhorpe Lane road bridge and footbridge. The gas main will also be lifted using a crane at ground level. There will be impact on adjacent properties during the crane works due to space required, and during demolition due to size of plant needed and spoil generated.
- June to August 2026: Installation preparation. Workers will be excavating into the slope for piling platforms, then piling and pouring concrete to enable the creation of the new bridge abutment platforms. Some additional traffic management will be in place to ensure safe access for adjacent residents.
- August 2026: Installation of new bridge. A large crane will be set up on the south of the bridge. Steel and pre-cast concrete units will be delivered from the compound to the site. There will be impact on access to adjacent properties during the crane works due to space required for the crane and the steel and concrete sections being installed.
- August 2026 to January 2027: Structure works and highway build. Engineers will pour the remaining concrete elements, install waterproofing, back-fill the new bridge deck ends and complete masonry work to the bridge parapets in line with our heritage agreements.
- Final steps: TRU engineers will then construct the new road alignment, install drainage, kerbs and safety barriers, then install the new road surface, white lining and road signage. Changes to both the road alignment and level may temporarily impact access to adjacent properties.