RAILWAY passenger services in Wensleydale were back on track yesterday after the strain proved too much for the train.

The 42-year-old diesel multiple train set which Wensleydale Railway is using for scheduled services between Leeming Bar and Leyburn was out of action for most of this week following a gearbox failure on Sunday afternoon at Leyburn.

It was the first major technical problem to hit the operations of the company since it began running services over the 12-mile route on July 4.

The three-car "heritage" set, which has a driving compartment at either end, has been used seven days a week and is said to be greatly appreciated by passengers because of the uninterrupted views from its windows.

It has been leased for five years from a firm at Embsay, near Skipton, by Wensleydale Railway, whose chief executive Scott Handley said: "One set of gearboxes seized on Sunday and, although the train managed to get back to Leeming Bar under its own power, we did not want to put it back into service.

"We did have a spare unit but it could not be fitted because of the end of the train at which the failure occurred.

"Wensleydale Railway leased the train from the provider with maintenance included, and the fact that the provider has responded so quickly has been very encouraging.

"The unit which failed has gone away to a centre and we will have a new spare unit for a few weeks so that we can continue services."

Wensleydale Railway has a second three-car diesel set with which it hopes to increase the frequency of services or to run longer trains, but Mr Handley said this could not be used as a replacement because the interior was being refurbished.

He said: "We are obviously very disappointed this happened because loading figures were continuing to be very encouraging after the holidays.

"It wasn't really anyone's fault. It was just one of those things which happen."

Wensleydale Railway marketing director Ruth Annison said yesterday morning that a new unit had arrived and would resume services by 10.30am.