FYLDE'S railway network faces a critical test in the years to come, claims a railway historian.

The coast's rail system could be on track for serious problems unless the Government gets to grips with privatised rail operators, warns writer Barry McLoughlin.

In a new book, he acknowledges privatisation has led to some improvements in services but says this is due to huge public subsidies.

In a hard-hitting conclusion he argues that the railways could have improved as much, if not more, if they had stayed in the state sector and been given the sort of Government money received by the privatised companies. First North Western - which runs local services - and Virgin Trains has also been attacked for delays on the West Coast main line.

But Marton-based Mr McLoughlin told the Citizen it was unlikely the Fylde's railways could ever suffer an accident like the Paddington disaster.

He said: "Much of the local system is controlled by the old style semaphore signals rather than the modern colour light signals, but the intensity of the operation on our routes is nothing like those in London."

The new edition of his best-selling book, Railways of Blackpool and the Fylde, traces the story from the arrival of the railway in 1840 to the much-reduced services of today. With more than 200 photographs, maps and illustrations the book combines reminiscences of railway workers, anecdotes and local history.

The story is brought up to date with Virgin's restoration of the through Blackpool-London services, the return of a steam locomotive to the resort after three decades and plans for a conference complex on the old Central Station site. The book also examines the coast's minature lines and the role of local railways in the Second World War.

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