Mr Hardy who played Siegfried in the James Herriot TV series, has officially launched the railway's Let's Make it a Million campaign.

£1million is needed for the share offer that aims to bring regular passenger train services back to a scenic Yorkshire dale.

People are being encouraged to log on to www.wensleydalerailway.com for a prospectus for the share offer, which is based on ordinary shares of £1 each. It is hoped that the first passenger trains will run on the line later this year.

Not far to go now! said Robert Hardy, launching the campaign with a passionate speech about railways in general and the Wensleydale Railway in particular. A gallant and effective enterprise.

Robert Hardy's interest in, and familiarity with, our plans for reopening the railway though Wensleydale are a great encouragement to us, said Wensleydale Railway's marketing director Ruth Annison.

This support for the future of the area complements his own achievements in recreating its past.

£840,000 has already been raised by the offer, which was launched in November 2000. With just over £160,000 to go to reach the million pound milestone, chief executive Scott Handley says that this is an opportunity for people to be a part of an exciting project that will be a model for future regeneration not just of a railway, but of remote rural communities.

Bringing trains back to a remote area that last saw regular passenger services forty years ago will have huge benefits. Trains bring people and people bring prosperity to communities that for years have been suffering from low incomes due to the depressed tourist industry and the crisis in hill farming.

The railway will also improve the public transport infrastructure in the area, with all the associated benefits of reducing parking problems in dales villages and minimising air pollution. The faster money comes in, the sooner trains will return to Wensleydale.

The Wensleydale Railway plc share offer aims to raise up to £2.5 million towards the cost of reinstating passenger rail services between the East Coast main line at Northallerton and the Settle-Carlisle line at Garsdale.

With a minimum investment of £100, the share issue has attracted buyers from across the UK and from as far afield as Singapore, Australia, Canada and Norway.

Anyone wishing to invest in Wensleydale Railway plc should first obtain a prospectus by logging on to www.wensleydalerailway.com, calling Freephone 0500 824166 during office hours or by writing to Wensleydale Railway plc, 35 High Street, Northallerton DL7 8EE.

Robert Hardy was greeted on arrival at Leyburn station by Scott Handley (Wensleydale Railway plc chief executive) and Ruth Annison (Wensleydale Railway plc marketing director) and was shown development work in progress on the site. He met Michael Bentley, who runs the new railway shop in the station buildings with a team of volunteers - all of whom are members of the 2700-strong Wensleydale Railway Association - and other key personnel associated with the plans for re-opening.

The original Wensleydale railway was closed in the 1950s. Over half of the 40-mile track (22 miles from Northallerton to Redmire and 18 miles to reconstruct between Redmire and Garsdale) remains in place and is currently used intermittently by the Ministry of Defence to transport armoured vehicles to and from Catterick garrison.

The issue of a share prospectus by Wensleydale Railway plc in November 2000 was the culmination of many years of hard work, initiated in 1990 by the Wensleydale Railway Association and its supporters. The share offer aims to raise up to £2.5 million, which would enable the company to upgrade the existing line between Northallerton and Leybum for passenger trains, re-open stations at Leeming Bar and Leybum and start to lay plans for re-instating the Hawes-Garsdale section of the line.

Wensleydale Railway plc has already secured some rolling stock and locomotives for use on the line.

An application has been made to the Office of the Rail Regulator for a licence to operate the railway and a Railway Safety Case has been submitted to the Health and Safety Executive. The takeover of the railway and the commencement of train services is now imminent, with the first train due to run later this year.

Information: Ruth Annison 01969 667487 and WRA at ropemakers.com Scott Handley 01609 779368 and dina at 1thp.freeserve.co.uk