CAMPAIGNERS who restored timetabled passenger trains to Wensleydale two years ago may reach the end of the line unless they can raise £100,000 in the next seven weeks.

Wensleydale Railway Association is seeking what it describes as ''financial angels'' among its members to help bridge a shortfall, because the running costs of operations between Leeming Bar and Redmire are outstripping income.

A quarter of the railway's ticket revenue goes to pay for insurance costs - which amount to almost £50,000. A further £28,000 goes in rent to Network Rail, and a "further significant sum" goes to British Transport Police.

The WRA wants its financial angels to help plug the gap, suggesting the goal would be met if 30 people could donate £1,000, 100 or more supporters gave £250 and if several hundred chipped in up to £100 each.

"Our aim is to attract donations of £100,000 by the end of July," the association said in a letter sent to members this week.

The cash crisis has been revealed on the eve of the 15th annual meeting of the WRA tomorrow at Bedale High School, where many questions are expected to be asked about future prospects for the line, brought

back into public use 49 years after the last passenger trains were withdrawn.

Present passenger services are run by the WRA's operational arm, Wensleydale Railway, a public company which employs a mixture of paid staff and volunteers.

It leased the 22-mile branch between Northallerton and Redmire from Network Rail for 99 years and relaunched trains in a blaze of publicity in 2003.

At first, trains ran only between Leeming Bar and Leyburn but services were later extended to the present western terminus at Redmire and stations at Bedale and Finghall were reopened.

Investigation into a vital link to the main line at Northallerton, which would free Wensleydale Railway from the constraints of its present operations and generate additional passengers, is continuing.

The branch line is used by occasional trains operated for the Ministry of Defence, which pumped £750,000 into an upgrade almost ten years ago after the line was mothballed following the loss of daily limestone shipments in 1992, but early Wensleydale Railway hopes of attracting more freight have not materialised.

Last weekend saw another popular two-day event involving Thomas the Tank Engine at Leeming Bar and the first steam locomotive for 38 years running between Leeming Bar and Northallerton, a section not yet open to scheduled passenger services.

Plans are well advanced to restore the Bedale station buildings as a ticket and travel information point for Wensleydale Railway as part of a wider £1.1m scheme by Hambleton District Council to redevelop the former goods yard with ten workshops and an exhibition centre.

The station buildings are owned by Hambleton and would be leased to the train operator.

The rail revival has received a negligible amount of public funding and developments so far have been financed by private investment, two share issues and donations from WRA members and other supporters.

Four leading officers of the WRA have now told members, however, that there will be no future unless the organisation can find ways of plugging a revenue gap and replenishing reserves by raising £100,000 in donations by the end of July.

WRA secretary Ruth Annison said: ''There are already strong indications that the appeal letter has reached a sympathetic audience. The first cheque received was for £1,000, but we are also receiving supportive e-mails and phone calls from members far and wide.''

l The appeal to members for help: see page 3