COMMUTERS on the Wharfedale Line are enjoying the luxury of a new fleet of trains - but could face months more of weekend delays on the line.

Rail travellers from Guiseley, Menston, Burley, Ben Rhydding and Ilkley hoped the replacement of ageing rolling stock with

state-of-the-art Class 333 trains would bring an end to breakdowns and cancelled trains.

The entire 16-strong fleet of trains have now been brought into service by train operator Arriva, formerly Northern Spirit.

But rail bosses say disruption on the Wharfedale Line is inevitable while Railtrack continues on its revamp of Leeds City Station.

And stations between Guiseley and Ilkley will lose their rail service this Saturday, and on Bank Holiday Monday, as Railtrack starts work on extending the platforms at Menston and Burley stations. Regular bus service will replace the trains.

Arriva Trains Northern regional director Peter Cushing said the platform extensions were necessary to accommodate an extra fourth carriage for the Class 333 trains - which have so far run with just three carriages.

The company hopes extending the trains will prevent overcrowding on the weekday rush-hour commuter trains.

Passengers have been campaigning for years for newer, bigger trains.

Mr Cushing said: "The fourth cars are on order now. We're hoping most of the work will be done, but there could be one or two other closures at a later date."

Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for Railtrack said the revamp project at Leeds Station is scheduled to go on until May next year, and there would be some weekend disruption to Wharfedale trains running to Leeds for at least the next few months.

Trains to Leeds will start and terminate at Guiseley on Saturday and Bank Holiday Monday. There will be no rail services on the Wharfedale Line on Sunday, and replacement bus services will run hourly from Ilkley to Leeds and Bradford.

l The Wharfedale Rail Users' Group (WRUG) is very concerned at the way in which the new summer timetable, introduced on May 20, is already out of date.

There have been last minute changes to the Sunday services throughout the summer, and WRUG says that no publicity has been

displayed at local stations concerning further alterations over this weekend.

While the published timetable leaflets

indicate that Sunday travellers between Leeds and Ilkley have to change at Shipley, a late change of plan now means that the Leeds-Shipley section of the journey will be by bus, rather than train.

It appears, say WRUG, that this has become necessary because of Railtrack's continuing difficulties with the rebuilding of Leeds Station.

While recognising the need to complete vital stages of track work at Leeds, WRUG believes that Arriva Trains Northern should provide direct buses between Leeds and Guiseley, to connect into the Bradford-Ilkley service, rather than at Shipley.

Tom Wesley, chairman of WRUG said: "It is essential that more information be provided detailing alterations to the published timetable.

"Posters should be displayed at each station, and advertisements placed in the press giving the actual times of replacement buses.

"We are also concerned that Ilkley's tourist industry will be hit on Sundays all through the summer as many people will be put off by the hour's travelling time between Leeds and Ilkley because of the bus replacement service."

Mr Wesley said that in a letter to rail users, Arriva Trains regional director Peter Cushing advises passengers to check times in advance by calling the National Rail Enquiry Service on (08457) 484950, or by visiting (www.nationalrail.co.uk) or by picking up a timetable from a staffed station.

But Mr Wesley said: "Last week, however, none of these sources were providing accurate information."