AN HISTORIC north Lancashire railway station is being beamed into the 21st century, thanks to the efforts of dedicated volunteers.

It is believed that Silverdale's small, 150-year-old village station, on the Furness Line, will be the first ever to have community-provided public broadband.

A microwave link is being set up between Silverdale Golf Club and the old station waiting room, so that commuters and tourists waiting on the platform will be able to use the internet on their smartphones and tablets.

The equipment has been supplied free of charge by B4RN - Broadband for the Rural North - based at Melling. Chris Conder, a volunteer, told the Gazette: "The Friends of Silverdale Station are really keeping Silverdale in the digital age. The problem with the station is there's no mobile signal in Silverdale to speak of, so you could be sitting there for ages and not know the train isn't coming."

Travellers catching the train from Silverdale include commuters to Lancaster and Barrow-in-Furness, visitors to the RSPB reserve at Leighton Moss, and pupils travelling to Lancaster's secondary schools.

Chris said safety was an important factor behind setting up Wi-Fi a, so that, for example, children could phone home if their train was delayed.

Tim Mackintosh, of the Friends of Silverdale Station, told the Gazette that the relay between the golf club and the station was complete, and Wi-Fi was "very close to being available for the travelling public".

Chris, of B4RN, paid tribute to Silverdale's volunteers, describing them as a "committed band of people working tirelessly" for the village.

The volunteer day at Silverdale railway station also saw villagers and staff from Network Rail, Community Rail Cumbria and train company Northern pulling together to spruce up the station, designed by Victorian architects Paley and Austin.

The platform was a sea of hi-vis jackets and hard hats as overgrown borders and planters were tidied up, earth shovelled, and peeling paintwork rubbed down and given a fresh coat of blue-and-white.

To celebrate the occasion, the "best crockery" was brought out so tea and cakes could be served to the rail workers.