A HERITAGE railway group in County Durham has joined forces with a train company to offer its biggest passenger service to date.

Weardale Railway Heritage Services (WRHS) will use two of Weardale Railway CIC’s locos and its cream tea carriages this weekend to put on a service with a maximum capacity of about 130 people.

The heritage group currently runs three services during its operational days in a 122 Bubble Car which can hold 63.

The two organisations, which already work in partnership, have come together for one bigger service on Saturday to accommodate a 60-strong group of enthusiasts from Norwich and any visitors who turn up on the day.

John Hill, volunteer and commercial director for WRHS, praised the partnership which could signal a future for more services of its kind on the line. He said: “This helps us tremendously because we don’t need to be restricted anymore.

“If there’s a train there and we can use it, it changes what we can do and offer and makes us more flexible.”

The service on Saturday will run at 3pm from Stanhope to Bishop Auckland and back. WHRS’s usual 122 Bubble Car services will also run at 10am, again from Stanhope to Bishop Auckland and back, and at 1pm from Stanhope to Witton-le-Wear and back.

For more information visit weardale-railway.org.uk