A major milestone in the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) was reached on 29th July with the completion of Baker Viaduct across the River Calder at Ravensthorpe in West Yorkshire.

The viaduct is 350m long and weighs 2,400 tonnes, and now crosses two waterways, after a span was installed across the Calder & Hebble Navigation Canal last year. To mark the occasion, representatives of the Transpennine Route Upgrade welcomed members of Kirklees Council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority to view the new structure.

Work will now continue to connect the viaduct to a new grade-separated flyover to accommodate four-track rail alignments. To connect the railway between the viaduct and the flyover, approximately 130,000 m³ of material was used last year for earthwork structures such as embankments and retaining walls, and a similar volume is expected to be used this year. As well as the new viaduct, a new station is being built 200 metres west of the original station at Ravensthorpe, which will provide train services to Leeds and Wakefield.

In February last year, a time capsule was placed in the foundations of the viaduct to commemorate Railway 200, which celebrated the 200th anniversary of the birth of the modern railway.

“Baker Viaduct now spanning the River Calder is a significant milestone for TRU. This is an impressive feat of engineering and we’re really proud of everyone across our teams who have made it possible. When completed, Baker Viaduct will unlock faster, more reliable services for customers in the North. Work is also progressing well on the new Ravensthorpe station which, when reopened in 2028, will have a footbridge with lifts for step-free access, a new forecourt area and drop-off facilities, and new, extended island platforms so longer trains with more seats can stop there. Overhead line equipment (OLE) will also be installed throughout the area to power greener, electrified services.”

Adam Bunce, Senior Project Manager, TRU

“Today’s lift is the penultimate and thirty first installation lift of the Baker Viaduct and follows over sixty offline assembly lifts since we started on site last September. Installing the final drop-in span is a very proud achievement for the Severfield Bridge team. 3D modelling of the structure started back in 2024, so the final lifts on site this week mark nearly two years of meticulous planning and engineering to successfully fabricate, deliver and install the 2,400t viaduct.”

Gareth Day, Projects Associate Director for Severfield