Thanks to funding received from the Keighley Towns Fund, and The Railway Heritage Trust, work has started to transform a historic water tower at Keighley on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway (KWVR) into a contemporary visitor centre.
The funding amounted to £100,000 from the Government-funded Keighley Towns Fund and £42,000 additional funding from The Railway Heritage Trust. The water tower is located on platform four at Keighley Station, and visitors will see signs of the work as scaffolding has now been erected around the tower.
On the roof of the tower is a 30,000-gallon water tank that provides water for the railway's steam locomotives. The tower will be transformed by restoring its interior to create an accessible visitor centre to provide visitors with information about the history of the line and its locomotives, but will not affect to operational integrity of the water tower.
Work carried out so far includes clearing vegetation, laying an access pathway at the back of the building, carrying out minor repairs on the water tank, repairing the tank's water level indicator, and fitting a new float valve.
Inside the building, the walls have been fully cleaned ready for it to be repainted in white-wash, whilst work is soon due to start on fitting a new raised floor.
The Keighley and Worth Valley Railway has more information about the project available online at https://kwvr.co.uk/keighley-water-tower/.
Bradford Council's Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Transport and Planning Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw said: “This historic water tower is believed to be the last functioning one of its kind left nationally. It is a really important structure, and we are delighted it will have a new lease of life for the future while maintaining the crucial purpose for which it was built.”
Chairman of the Keighley Towns Fund Ian Hayfield said: “The KWVR is one of the leading educational, heritage and tourist attractions across the district. This project is part of a whole list of projects considered and planned by the KWVR which will see it modernise and transform its offer, so it can continue to delight passengers and visitors for many years to come.”
