PLANS to run the first regular steam trains through East Lancashire for more than 35 years have hit the buffers due to lack of interest.

Ribblesdale Railtours of Settle was to run The Dalesman steam locomotive from Preston to Carlisle on Wednesdays and Thursdays. The route takes in the famous Settle to Carlisle run.

But the service has been postponed, after tickets for the much-anticipated service failed to sell at full pelt, and a shortened route is now scheduled to start in two weeks.

Ribblesdale Railtours proprietor Roger Hardingham said: "We have strived for 12 months to introduce a regular steam service to the line.

"We had sent out hundreds of leaflets of leaflets and answered hundreds of telephone queries, but sufficient support was not forthcoming. The trains cost tens of thousands of pounds a week to run and, as a small business, major losses just cannot be accumulated."

Ribblesdale Railtours is now to run a shorter steam locomotive service from Hellifield to Carlisle from July 31 to August 29.

Pressure group Ribble Valley Rail campaigned for years for the restoration of of a train service from Clitheroe to Blackburn and Manchester.

Secretary Ron Birch said: "It's regrettable that such an excellent initiative hasn't been taken up by the public. We would like to see these ventures get going, as they're a great way to promote the line."

There is now a two-hourly Sunday service between Manchester and Clitheroe and plans are afoot for a Manchester to Blackburn run at 11.09pm, with a dedicated Clitheroe bus link.

Further details and tickets for the new shortened service are available from Ribblesdale Railtours on 0870 747 2983.