THE GREEN light to re-open the Warcop to Appleby railway line has led to an expansion in the volunteer team at Eden Valley Railway Trust.

The Trust has appointed a buildings and works manager, Keith Lowthian, with his father-in-law Tom Newton second in command, to keep the project on track. And Keith s dog, Jaz has also joined the team as the railway's vermin patrol.

Trustee and guardsman on the brake van over the bank holiday weekend, David Heywood, said: "We have got the first three-quarters-of-a-mile of track in working condition just another five-and-a-quarter miles to go.

"The line has suffered from 40 years of neglect, but the line is in situ. We are working on repairing bridges, improving drainage and replacing sleepers."

The first passengers for 42 years enjoyed riding the first three-quarters-of-a-mile of the Warcop to Appleby line over the Bank Holiday weekend.

The last passenger train to leave Warcop station heading west was on January 20, 1962, and the Eden Valley Railway Trust hopes to have the full six miles of track open and running a regular service next year.

The charity behind plans to reopen the railway, which still connects with the Settle and Carlisle railway at Appleby, is celebrating the granting of the Eden Valley Railway (Transport and Works) Order.

The order, which came into force on the August 3, transfers the statutory powers required to operate the railway from the British Railways Board to the Trust.

Since 1998, Trust volunteers have transformed the former Warcop goods yard site from a wasteland into the headquarters for the project.

This site has seen the successful operation of brake van rides on recent bank holidays and has an open area for the public on Sunday afternoons.

The open weekend, held over the August bank holiday, saw the first brake van rides towards Appleby.