Fragile Isle of Wight steam railway bridge to be pulled down

Isle of Wight Steam Railway said it would record in full detail the current bridge built in 1875

A 148-year-old bridge on a heritage railway line is to be pulled down after being found to be in a frail state,

Bridge 12 near Isle of Wight Steam Railway's Havenstreet station was built in 1875 as a landowner crossing.

The railway said following inspections the bridge, which has seen numerous patch-ups over the years, had reached a point where it needed replacing.

As it is no longer used as a crossing, the railway said it had "reluctantly" decided to have it removed.

Bridge 12 pictured during the 1970s

The railway said the bridge on the line between Havenstreet and Wootton had suffered ground movement due to "clay heave" for many years.

It said recent investigations by engineers had found cracks broadening and movement in its walls due to the clay underneath it shrinking in hot, dry weather.

As the land either side of the line is now owned by different people, the crossing is no longer needed, and "reluctantly the decision was made to remove the current structure", the railway said.

Costs gathered to repair the bridge came in at £100,000 and more than £350,000 for it to be replaced.

Isle of Wight Steam Railway runs steam trains between Havenstreet and Wootton

Peter Taylor, the railway's chairman, said: "As trustees we felt that there were better uses of the charity's funds, and that dismantling the bridge was ultimately in the best long-term interests of the railway.

"Taking the decision to dismantle part of the line's infrastructure was not taken lightly."

A dormouse crossing that sits above the bridge will be kept.

The railway said it would also make a full record of the bridge by photographing and laser-scanning the structure to act as a permanent record.

It added taking the bridge down would not rule out a future reconstruction of the bridge.

The bridge is expected to be taken down over the winter by volunteers at the railway.