A CEREMONY attended by 150 civic dignitaries marked the handover of 22 miles of railway to a company.
Councillors, mayors and council chairmen were among those celebrating with Wensleydale Railway plc at Leeming Bar station.
The occasion saw a token, a key denoting possession of the line between Northallerton and Redmire, handed over by Network Rail to Scott Handley, chief executive of Wensleydale Railway plc.
The company's marketing director, Ruth Annison, said the event was a success, attended not only by councillors, but also by local businesses and organisations along the line.
She said: "The purpose was to let them come and see what we have been doing and share with us the duty of handing over the token."
The first passenger services are scheduled to start next month.
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