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Friday 4 Apr 2025

Steam train whistles in new era for Keighley station after £9.9m transformation

Region & Route:

Eastern

| Eastern: North & East

Keighley station’s stunning transformation is complete following a £9.9m investment.

The grade II-listed station – built in 1885 – had been showing signs of age, with parts closed off because of safety concerns.

An 18-month overhaul has seen it restored in its classic colours of yellow vanilla and “Keighley maroon” – but the changes have gone way beyond a new lick of paint.

The project has included:

• complete refurbishment of the station forecourt, frontage, waiting room, footbridges, drainage and masonry
• repair and renewal of timber in the ramps and roofs across the premises – including stabilising the café’s gable end
• extensive structural strengthening, including work to allow the western elevation link bridge to reopen
• masonry and drainage repairs to the western corner at the Skipton end of the station car park

Guests at the official unveiling today (Friday 4 April) were treated to a steam train trip along the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, pulled by a loco dating from the era when Keighley station was built.

The painstaking refurbishment has included installing hand-built timber frames for some of the 100-plus new window panes, replacing old cast iron drainpipes with matching vintage designs made of aluminium, and rebuilding chimneys brick by brick.

Network Rail worked closely with Keighley & Worth Valley Railway (KWVR), which had significant input on the project – and has also transformed the historical water tower into a visitor centre.

The KWVR side of the station has also seen a huge beam added to strengthen the girder on the western bridge to platforms 3 and 4, allowing this area to reopen. It was decided to leave the beam uncovered to illustrate the “old meets new” aspect of the project.

The work – supported by a £160,000 Railway Heritage Trust grant – included strengthening the road bridge, relaying the forecourt, reopening the platform 1 waiting room and installing a partition between the Northern and KWVR halves of the station.

The ticket office and café have been fully renovated, with steel “goalposts” added above the café ceiling to strengthen the structure.

A major challenge was dealing with rotten timber in these areas, which was much more extensive than anticipated – but this resulted in a more thorough refurbishment.

Jonny Ham, Network Rail lead portfolio manager, said: “Everyone involved in transforming Keighley station has taken great pride and care at every stage, knowing that we’re providing passenger benefits now and preserving the heritage for generations to come.

“The station has remained open, so visitors were able to see some of the changes – but it was when the scaffolding came down that the real difference became clear.

“Keighley caters for everyday visitors and heritage enthusiasts, and we’ve delivered a station which we’re sure will delight them all.”

Matthew Stroh, Keighley & Worth Valley Railway chairman, said: “The Keighley station project has been a true partnership effort. We have worked closely with Network Rail and their contractors, temporarily closing our line to allow them the time and space needed to work effectively – benefiting everyone involved.

“Thanks to their dedication, the station is being restored to its former glory, and we’ve been able to enhance this by extending the refurbishment to include the canopy over our platform and the ramp connecting our passengers from the forecourt. This work has been long-awaited, but the results speak for themselves – the thorough refurbishment has truly transformed the station, inside and out.”

Chris Pennock, AmcoGiffen framework director, said: “It’s been a privilege for AmcoGiffen to work on the upgrade of this historic station, delivering essential improvements for the community while preserving its heritage.

“While on site we were able to inspire the next generation by hosting a site tour for 30 construction college students from Keighley College, offering a real-world insight into our industry. Our site team also visited the college allowing us to share our expertise, introduce our company values and early career programmes, and discuss the importance of effective subcontractor management.”

Kerry Peters, regional director for Northern across Yorkshire, said: “The completion of this multi-million pound project by Network Rail will be much welcomed by the more than 1.5m people that use Keighley station to board one of our services. The station is looking better than ever and is a transport hub the town can be proud of for many years to come.”

Robbie Moore, MP for Keighley and Ilkley, said: “It is fantastic to see the works to Keighley Railway Station finally come to fruition, after years of meetings with Network Rail and lobbying in Parliament.

“This £9.9 million project is the gateway to our town, for commuters and tourists alike. These works are not merely a facelift, and ensure our station will last for decades to come whilst also reopening facilities like the Platform 1 waiting room.

“Combined with the excellent work undertaken by the KWVR to restore the station water tower it is a great example of levelling up in action.

“My thanks go to everyone who played a part in getting this project completed and I will keep working with all local people to deliver the tens of millions investment secured under the last government that is still in the pipeline across Keighley.“