The legal advisor for the Settle to Carlisle Railway Trust has been awarded an OBE for services to railway heritage and to communities in the North of England.

Edward Album became the Friends' Legal Adviser in 1985 and has served the Settle to Carlisle Line ever since. During the ultimately successful campaign against closure of the Line in the 1980s, Mr Album became the London end of the campaign, and had regular liaison with the Department of Transport, Ministers, MPs and leading political figures of the day.

He was instrumental in setting up the Settle to Carlisle Railway Trust which was formed initially to raise funds for the repair of Ribblehead Viaduct, cited by British Railways as the main reason for closing the Line in 1989.

They had costed the repair as £10m and eventually it was repaired at a cost of only £2.5m, raised by the Trust, of which he was the first Chair.

Allison Cosgrove, Chair of the Friends, said " Mr Album has served the Line with expertise and distinction for almost 40 years and has been active across a wide range of areas.

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"After founding the Settle to Carlisle Railway Trust, he instigated the purchases of some of the dilapidated station buildings at Kirkby Stephen and Ribblehead and these have now been completely refurbished.

"He also led the purchase of the Station House at Dent on behalf of the Friends only a few years ago.

"Mr Album has been a highly valued and distinguished Committee member, and his service to the Line has been unparalleled . This Honour is exceedingly well deserved."