The Wenslydale Railway is going from strength to strength. Francis Griss reports on the company's expansion plans.

INVESTORS are being invited to climb aboard and share in the success of the Wensleydale Railway Company.

Already, thousands of people have supported the venture, and now the company is hoping to attract more investors with a second share issue.

Initially, £1.2m was raised and it is hoped that, if fully subscribed, the second issue will bring in another £2.75m, which will be invested in the line and rolling stock.

Since trains began running last summer, the company has achieved the number and range of passengers it anticipated. This summer, despite starting services quite late due to engineering works, the line has achieved a milestone - its first commuter.

Chief executive Scott Handley said: "We try to put out timetables that are as useful to as wide a cross section as we can. Because we run the same timetable every day of the week, people can look at it as a reliable service.

"We are planning to continue operating this winter, but we are not sure of the timetable yet. What we are trying to do is open new stations and improve services over the next five-year period as we get the line in better condition."

The priority for the company is to bring the line into Northallerton instead of its present terminus at Leeming Bar. This will allow passengers to link directly with the main line station without having to use another means of transport. Although the existing station will not be used, several other options are being considered.

Mr Handley is restricted in the information he can give at the moment because of the new share issue, which he said is proving popular. He said: "It is looking fairly encouraging. We are getting a lot of applications every day from all over the country. It is mainly those with an interest in ethical investments, public transport or the Yorkshire Dales.

"The minimum investment is £100, but we have had investments of all kinds up to several thousand pounds.

"We have three-and-a-half thousand share holders already, who all get travel benefits as well as their share in the company."

According to the prospectus, the new influx of capital will enable the company to develop stations at Northallerton, Scruton, Newton-le-willows, Bedale, Finghall and Redmire - some already have trains stopping there.

Alongside station improvements, there is necessary work to the track, which will increase speed to keep the total journey time down despite more stops.

Another issue facing the railway is that it is single track, which means there can be only one train on its entire 22-mile length at any one time. This summer, passing loops have been created, allowing more than one train to operate at a time and increase capacity for freight, which could provide welcome new business.

Throughout the ten years of the campaign to restore the Wensleydale Railway, it has been seen as a means to improve the economic situation for all kinds of businesses along the rail corridor.

Mr Handley said passengers were certainly helping the local economy.

"We get good reports from businesses in Leyburn saying they have noticed an increase in takings since the railway started. We opened Bedale Station just recently and initial reports are that business is increasing in that area too.

"We are encouraged that this year we had quite a lot of groups visiting the line. It is another reason for coach tours to come to Wensleydale. I think that to increase passenger numbers now, we have to increase the service."

Initially, the supporters of the railway did not want to run it themselves, they just wanted to persuade someone else to re-open the line.

From that starting point, they have developed into a company that operates trains, has operated buses and plans to start up other bus links, has three cafes and two shops, as well as being landlord to all kinds of leaseholders, from residents of former stations to industrial units and pipelines crossing the former track bed.

This increasingly complex business is growing steadily and is living up to expectations. Everyone involved is hoping the latest share issue will sustain that continued progress towards the ultimate aim of reinstating the cross-Pennine link.