YORK council's transport plan aims to reopen smaller railway stations on the outskirts of the city. This will, it is hoped, take traffic off the roads and help to ease congestion. But there was a time, not so long ago, when villages south of York had their very own line.

If the Derwent Valley Light Railway had not closed, it could have provided a very useful service in and out of York today. Alas it did close, 20 years ago this Thursday. Most of the track has vanished, but the memories have not, and they never will if the Derwent Valley Light Railway Society has anything to do with it.

This dedicated band of volunteers is hosting a special event at their base, the Yorkshire Museum of Farming at Murton, near York, on Sunday to mark the anniversary of the railway's farewell. The locomotive Churchill, a survivor from the old days, will be among the trains running along the short stretch of track.

York city councillor Mark Waudby remembers travelling along the Derwent Valley Light Railway in the 1970s. More recently he became the society's historian. He is so involved with the railway that he held his wedding reception there two weeks ago.

Mark explained that the Light Railways Act of 1896 allowed for the construction of these small, slow railways, predominantly in rural areas.

The main difference between a light railway and a branch line is speed.

"The trains were considerably slower, travelling at only about 25mph. An express at that time would reach speeds of 80 and 90mph."

Because of the slow speeds involved, light railways did not have to have gated railway crossings. That also cut back on the costs.

Farming communities in south-east York were keen to see a light railway constructed to make it easier for them to transport their produce to market. A number of landowners, including Lord Deramore, approached Escrick and Riccall rural councils to see if it would be possible to build one.

Escrick was the first to support the idea in 1898, with Riccall following suit a year later. They even pledged funds.

"This may sound odd," said Mark. "But it wasn't entirely unusual. The old Easingwold railway was the only council-run railway in the country."

But recession followed, and the councils withdrew their offer. So the original small group of landowners issued another 100 shares to raise the cash needed.

Construction of the track between Cliff Common and Wheldrake began in 1911.

"Towards the end of 1912, they were still waiting to run a train on it because they hadn't finished the northern end.

"A lot of the farmers were pressing them to open the southern part because they had a harvest to get in."

The southern end was unofficially opened in October 1912. But it wasn't until July 19, 1913 that Lady Deramore snipped a ribbon at Layerthorpe station to officially open the entire line. On that day, a train of local dignitaries, shareholders, local MPs and the Lord Mayor of York travelled the full length of the line.

There were 11 stations on the 16-mile line. Beginning at Layerthorpe in York, it travelled to Osbaldwick, where the industrial estate is today. Then it was on to Murton and the two Dunnington stations: Dunnington Holt on York Road - look over the railway bridge today and you can see the building's foundations - and Dunnington Common Road. After that, trains called at Elvington, Wheldrake, Cottingwith, Thorganby, Skipwith and Cliff Common.

Profit margins were small. At first the line had no engines of its own: the much bigger LNER loaned it locomotives.

The primary users of the line were farmers anxious to transport their goods. Cattle were transported on special wagons to Layerthorpe Station, which boasted its own cattle pens. Then they were herded down towards the York cattle market, where the Barbican Centre stands today.

But there was also a passenger service. It began with three return trains a day plus one extra service between Layerthorpe and Wheldrake.

As time went by, passenger demand fell. Passenger numbers dropped from 49,000 at the end of the First World War, to just 18,000 in 1925. The passenger service ended a year later.

"By then you were getting bus services out to the villages, and they could undercut the cost of the railways," Mark said.

But the freight side was expanding. In the Thirties, as well as farm produce and livestock, the line transported minerals and agricultural chemicals, such as fertilisers.

Derwent Valley Light Railway survived the reorganisation of the network in 1923, which absorbed many light railways.

"Its finest hour was the Second World War," Mark said. "It diverted ordinary traffic, leaving the East Coast Main Line free for military materials and troops.

"And, we found out later, mustard gas was stored at Wheldrake - but of course they didn't tell anybody that at the time."

Legend has it that the Ministry of Defence flew over the line and took aerial photographs of the overgrown sidings and couldn't find the store. Defence experts surmised, "if we can't find it, the Luftwaffe can't find it".

"They were right!" said Mark.

The Derwent Valley Railway survived two wars and the nationalisation of the railways in 1948. It prospered until Beeching closed the Selby-Market Weighton line in 1964. This cut off the southern end of the line. Between February 1965 and January 1973, the line was slowly closed and cut back as far as Dunnington.

The section between Dunnington and Layerthorpe managed to soldier on. The railway company began renting out freed-up land to newly-created industrial estates, which boosted profits.

During the mid-Seventies, the line carried passengers again. A summer and Christmas steam train service between Layerthorpe and Dunnington proved quite a draw. But it was not enough to save the line from closure in 1981.

In December 1985 the Light Railway Order for the last remaining half mile of the Derwent Valley Railway was transferred to the Yorkshire Museum of Farming thanks to museum owner and train enthusiast James Stephenson.

Five years later the Great Yorkshire Railway Preservation Society moved onto the site and begin the preservation of the light railway. Since then Wheldrake Station has been rebuilt at Murton.

Sunday's anniversary celebrations will see trains run along the line from 11am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 4pm. Mark is still hoping to invite former railway driver Ken Bell as a guest of honour. He drove the last train along the Derwent Valley Light Railway.

Anyone who knows his whereabouts is asked to call Mark on (01904) 652556.