AN author has delved into the past to recreate the story of a railway that was reborn.

The Wensleydale Railway re-opened amid a fanfare of publicity earlier this month, almost 50 years after it last hauled passengers.

Regular services resumed following years of campaigning and effort by a team of enthusiasts dedicated to taking trains back into the Dales.

In the past, several books have been published about the railway, looking at everything from the rolling stock to the stations.

But historian Tony Eaton has concentrated on the characters who lived and worked on the railway in its heyday.

And in his book Memories of the Wensleydale Railway, he has pieced together stories from people including station masters, porters, engine drivers and track-walkers.

Mr Eaton, a 66-year-old former firefighter who lives in Northallerton, interviewed dozens of the surviving staff who once worked on the line as well as the families of former employees.

The result is a glossy 135-page book, illustrated with colour and black-and-white photographs, the vast majority of which have never been published before.

"I was never really into railways until I started on this book but the stories I came up with were so fascinating that it became a real joy to work on it," said Mr Eaton yesterday.

"Although a lot of the stories are humorous I didn't think it would ring quite true if some of the more serious and sad events weren't included. Therefore, I've also covered the accidents that occurred and the heartbreak they caused."

* Memories of the Wensleydale Railway, published by ReCall Publications, is available from Ottakar's in Northallerton andDarlington for £12.95.