PASSENGERS travelling to London could soon take advantage of a Rossendale rail link direct from Rawtenstall.

Director of the East Lancashire Light Railway Company Trevor Jones, said the company had secured a light railway order to run the line between Rawtenstall and Bury through Ramsbottom to Heywood.

Trevor said: "Rossendale will effectively have a train going to the Capital. We will put Rawtenstall back on the map at London Euston.

"I reckon give it 12 months and we will have trains from Rawtenstall to London and steam-hauled to Settle and Blackpool. Our dream has come true."

It has been a long haul for the volunteer-run railway station to get back connected to the main rail network.

When the Metrolink was introduced in Bury the nine-mile track was effectively cut off from the rest of the country.

Trevor said: "We first had plans to run to Heywood in May 1988 and we must have made this application in the early '90s.

"We have had to build bridges, new railway stations and overcome problems with the introduction of the Metrolink trams.

"We have also had to deal with a lot of changes in legislation over those years, but this is a great step forward."

Trevor said restoring the link had been no easy task for the enthusiasts, who this time have had to carry out all the work themselves -- when the Rawtenstall line was restored the Army helped with work at Irwell Vale.

Once the Heywood link is officially opened the railway will be the only preserved line in the country to cross a motorway -- the M66 at Heap Bridge.

The addition of Heywood to the nine-mile Rawtenstall to Bury line has cost about £6million.

Trevor added: "We still have to get further approval in order for the line to be open for passengers, but we are now talking about a reasonable amount of time, although I don't think we will be able to open this year."