PASSENGERS wishing to visit an annual North-East food fair can for the first time travel to it by heritage railway.

Weardale Railway will be taking its train into Bishop Auckland station at the weekend for the annual Bishop Auckland Food Festival.

The railway, which is run by a Community Interest Company, is carrying passengers in for the first time in five years as part of a large enthusiast event, which is being held to celebrate the history of the Class 31 locomotive.

However, now normal single and return tickets will be offered from Stanhope, Frosterley, Wolsingham and Witton-le-Wear so that Wear Valley residents can visit the celebration of food, which takes place on Saturday and Sunday.

A railway spokesman said the move would assist people to use public transport, particularly on Sunday when there was no bus service in the Wear Valley.

They added: “It is one of a number of community-focussed initiatives in which the railway is involved, which have also included recently providing land for a new public footpath in the Frosterley area.”

For more information about timetables, tickets and the railway’s gala weekend visit ba-rail.co.uk/weardale-railway/