The first phase of a £1 million project to transform a defunct railway track into a leisure trail, is under way.

Work has begun to waterproof Cullingworth viaduct at the start of the Great Northern Trail along the old Cullingworth to Queensbury line.

The work is being spearheaded by the Great Northern Trail Forum, which aims to establish a public walking, cycling and horse riding route.

The first phase between Cullingworth and Denholme, which includes the two grade II listed viaducts, Cullingworth and Hewenden, is expected to cost about £500,000.

The forum has won £85,000 from the Railway Heritage Trust and £66,000 from European coffers.

Bradford Council planners have received an application for permission to develop access routes along the line, where the path will need to deviate because bridges have been demolished.

Jeff McQuillan, the forum's chairman, said: "We want to get the first phase up and running. Once people see how magnificent the route is, it will help the momentum with the second phase."

He said work was under way to prevent further water penetration to Cullingworth viaduct and negotiations had also started to acquire land next to the railway, where access was needed.

Sustrans member and keen cyclist Tony Wright, former lead singer of Terrorvision, was at the forefront of the campaign to re-open the route.

And David Hall, regional manager of SUSTRANS, the sustainable transport lobby, said negotiations were now under way with landowners along the route.

"It is an ambitious project and these preliminary works on site mark the real beginning of the restoration of the route to public use," he said.

The Great Northern line was closed to passengers in 1955 although it continued in use for goods until the mid 1960s.

British Rail sold off the track piecemeal and was eventually acquired by about 30 separate landowners.

Redevelopment of the track for leisure use has been backed by 98 per cent of 1,500 local people when they were consulted, last year.

The Great Northern Railway's Bradford to Keighley line, which joined a branch from Halifax at the triangular junction, was built between 1876 and 1884.