Work has started on the construction of a new platform on a Yorkshire Dales railway line which was closed to passenger trains 34 years ago.

Railway company RMS Locotec of Dewsbury plan to have the platform completed by today in time for 550 train enthusiasts travelling from London's King's Cross to Swinden, six miles north of Skipton, tomorrow.

The project faced delay because HM Railway Inspectorate had to approve the designs of the platform before it could be used by the public and it was feared the platform wouldn't be ready in time.

But RMS managing director John Hummel said he was now confident the platform and necessary documentation would hit deadline.

"We have sent photographs and measurements of the platform and we are expecting a fax approving the scheme from the inspectorate today. We don't envisage any problems," he said.

The project is being backed by the Yorkshire Dales National Park and quarry company Tilcon, which has allowed part of the site to be used for the platform.

The line from Skipton is used only for freight trains servicing Swinden quarry and was axed to passenger trains in the 1960s.

A national park spokesman said: "This is a milestone in the national park's policy of developing an integrated transport system in the Dales involving rail and bus to provide an attractive alternative to the car."

A spokesman for HM Railway Inspectorate said discussions were still on-going with the railway company and details of the platform had been submitted.

The trip has been organised by Hertfordshire Tours and the train is expected to arrive at Swinden at about 1.30pm on Saturday.

The passengers will be met by officials from the national park, the railway company and quarry bosses before they board coaches, which will take them the two miles into Grassington for the Dickensian festival. The train is due to leave for its return journey to London at about 4pm.

The platform is a steel and timber construction similar to a type RMS has built at other lines and on the Dartmoor Railway, which the company owns and runs as a tourist line.

Passenger services from Skipton into the park were axed in 1965 but the Swinden line has remained open as a freight route from Skipton to the quarry.

A short section of track is missing which branches off to the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Railway, a heritage track, where volunteer owners have long-term plans to link with the Swinden line and with Skipton.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.