OLD friends of a railway classic came together at the weekend to mark the 50th anniversary of the last passenger train on an historic stretch of track.

The last through passenger train on the Wensleydale Railway, North Yorkshire, ran between Northallerton and Garsdale on April 24, 1954.

About 120 people, including ten of the passengers who were on the 1954 train, retraced the journey on Saturday, setting off from Leeming Bar station in a modern train operated by the Wensleydale Railway.

Among them was 77-year-old Derick Appleton, from Thirsk, who secured his place in railway history as the fireman on the 1954 train.

The occasion was even more special for him as he is celebrating his golden wedding anniversary this year.

One of the other 1954 passengers, David Barraclough, 69, from West Witton, near Leyburn joined Mr Appleton for the celebrations.

He said: "The weather was certainly a lot better - the weather 50 years ago was in keeping with the event.

"The Wensleydale Railway have done a lot of hard work and have got things into a good condition. It was a very good day."

Passenger trains began running on the line again last summer and there are plans to reinstate the 18 miles of track that were torn up after the line closed to passengers.

Ruth Annison, of the railway group, said Saturday's event was also about looking to the future.

"The Wensleydale Railway was built in the 19th Cent-ury, closed to passengers in the 20th Century and it is re-opening in stages in the 21st," she said.