CARRIAGES stored in a siding by a railway company that revived a country branch line have been criticised as an eyesore.

Aiskew and Leeming Bar Parish Council is writing to Wensleydale Railway about the condition of the carriages, which the company acquired with the intention of having them refurbished for use on passenger services, which were reinstated four years ago.

The latest council meeting was told that the graffiti-covered vehicles parked near Leeming Bar station were an eyesore to local residents.

The redundant main line carriages are visible to householders in Potlands and to passengers on trains operated by Wensleydale Railway between Leeming Bar and Redmire.

Councillor Robert Pocklington, who was asked to view them, said: "People in nearby houses are looking at them all the time.

If they were only given a coat of paint, that might help.

"People tend to get very frustrated when the carriages have been there for so long with nothing apparently happening."

Steve Deane, the mechanical engineering director of Wensleydale Railway, said: "The carriages are ultimately for use on the railway, but our resources are limited.

"They were bought for a purpose and are coming down bit by bit to be worked on by our volunteers.

Two are under work and two are awaiting work. We have only a finite capacity.

"They were reasonably decent carriages when they were acquired.

We did not bring in carriages covered in graffiti. That has been added since then by someone."

Parish councillors are seeking talks with the railway on other issues.

They include suggested alterations to the approaches to Aiskew Crossing, where the tracks run at an angle to the main road, posing a threat to cyclists.

Incidents have included three cyclists who fell off while negotiating the crossing.

Wensleydale Railway will also be contacted about the replacement of a stile over a public crossing near Otterbeck Way, in Aiskew, and about problems faced by disabled people with a gate at Bedale level crossing. The gate allows the public to cross the line inside the crossing instead of walking on the road, but is said to be too heavy to open easily.