Rail bridge repairs to three historic Devon structures

Castle Bridge, Exeter, following repairs

Three historical railway bridges in Devon have had extensive repair work following a £243,000 investment.

Dartmoor's Wortha Mill Bridge, Castle Bridge in Exeter and Broadpark Road Bridge at Brentor all benefited from work by National Highways Historical Railway Estate, project leaders said.

Repairs will ensure they "retain distinct characters" and remain safe.

The work included brickwork repointing, masonry repairs and removing damaging vegetation, bosses said.

Castle Bridge during eight weeks of work

Ecology surveys were also undertaken and enhancements, such as bat and bird boxes, were due to be installed at the sites later in the year, they added.

HRE civil engineer Matthew Irwin said: "All our structures are inspected yearly by a team of skilled examiners and, where there are known to be rare species present, they will be accompanied by qualified ecologists.

"These examinations allow us to plan work well in advance and ensure that the most critical tasks are prioritised.

"They also allows us to programme ecological surveys to ensure that no harm is caused to the wildlife as well as suggesting measures that enhance the local biodiversity."

The bridges are among 154 structures in Devon which were once part of the British rail network and now part of the nation's Historical Railways Estate.

They are looked after by National Highways on behalf of the Department for Transport.