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Rail campaigners have accepted a "Big Give" challenge in a bid to raise more than £200,000 to extend a railway into the town of Holt in Norfolk.
The county council has agreed to sell the necessary land to the Norfolk Orbital Railway so the North Norfolk Railway can return to the centre of Holt.
Now NOR is trying to raise £15,000 by 14 October 2012, which Big Give has pledged to double.
NOR is hoping to raise a further £30,000 in the run-up to Christmas.
"The more we get from the public and other supporters, the more we get from the Big Give," said Trevor Bailey, a trustee of the Melton Constable Trust.
"Of course, without donations from supporters we shall get nothing from the Big Give!"
David Rees, chairman of the trust, said: "We want to return rail services to Holt by extending the North Norfolk Railway from its present terminus at High Kelling, along the wide by-pass verge, to near the site of Holt's original station at Station Road.
“First and foremost we want to give Holt a proper transport service of modern trains by linking it to the national rail system. This has become possible now that the North Norfolk Railway has been connected to the Bittern Line at Sheringham.
"Everything we are doing is aimed at reducing car use and pressure on parking.
“Ultimately we hope to restore the line beyond Holt, through Melton Constable and Fakenham to join the Mid Norfolk Railway to Dereham and Wymondham. With existing Network Rail lines this will create the Norfolk Orbital Railway.”
"This is both the best and the last chance we have to restore a service to Holt," said NOR director David Bill who explained that the aim is to reintroduce a regular service to Holt as an extension of the Bittern Line service from Norwich to Sheringham.
This could take the form of one through train in the morning and in the early evening with heritage services on the North Norfolk Railway using the line during the rest of the day.
Extensive negotiations which have yet to take place will be needed.
The Big Give was founded by Sir Alec Reed of Reed Specialist Recruitment and the Reed Foundation. A board of philanthropists seeks out other donors to provide the Big Give with its resources.
It has already given many millions of pounds to its favoured charities. One of its funders, Charity Champions, has specifically selected the Holt railway extension project as worthy of support.
For more details or to make a pledge of over £100 before the 14 October deadline, go to BG
or NOR