A large proportion of the engineering drawings needed as part of the Transport and Works Order application should be ready by the end of September 2001 although there will still be some detailed survey work to complete on the ground.

Traditionally, gathering the data for these drawings would have required many weeks of work by surveyors physically walking the line, taking measurements and plotting features.

To overcome the restrictions imposed by the foot and mouth outbreaks, a helicopter-borne laser plotting system was used. The technology existed but had to be upgraded and refined to gather enough data from the higher flight levels which this year's restrictions required.

This survey has created highly detailed digital maps and linked video of every feature of the line and the land for some distance either side. The information can also create three-dimensional "models" of the line so that the landscape and trackbed can be viewed from any direction.

All this work has been carried out by companies based in the north of England - OiS at Stockton and Corus Rail Consultancy at York.

Much information has also been collected for the environmental work which has to be done. Again there is more work to do on the ground when restrictions are lifted.

SOURCES OF FUNDING

Hundreds of people have already backed this project with their own money.

The proceeds of the Bond Issue earlier this year, approximately £155,000, have carried the work this far and will continue to support the process.

CKP has suggested that the money raised from the Bond Issue could be treated as "match funding" for grants from various other sources.

CKP Railways plc applied to the Strategic Rail Authority for Rail Passenger Partnership funding in January 2001. The SRA has not yet discussed this application in detail.

The Government has recently instructed the SRA to "support innovative proposals at regional and local level that develop rail use and promote modal shift and integration with other modes" and stated that the SRA "must secure investment for the wider development of the rail network".

Government funding of £15billion has recently been allocated to London Underground - enough to fully fund 500 projects the size of Keswick to Penrith.

Other grant sources are also being examined.

MAKING THE RAILWAY RELEVANT

The Keswick to Penrith line is listed as a prime candidate for reopening in the recently issued Transport 2000 report, funded by the Rail Passengers Council and supported by Railfuture, called Beeching in Reverse.

HOW MUCH SUPPORT IS THERE?

From time to time it is suggested that there is no real support for this project from people or organisations who matter, or implying that the Keswick to Penrith project is promoted and supported only by nostalgic enthusiasts who just want to recreate a bit of history, but with no prospect of it ever being a "proper" railway. This is not true.

These are just a few of the organisations who recognise the potential value of the totally modern Railway we are creating - a fast modern link with trains all day, every day linking Keswick into the UK and European rail network.

These organisations have become subscribers, bought bonds, spoken in support of the project or provided other valuable practical assistance:

Keswick Town Council,Keswick Tourism Association, Keswick Civic Society, Keswick on Derwentwater Launch Co, Keswick Timeshare Ltd, Lakeland Mines and Quarries Museum Ltd, Lakes Hospitality Association, Cumberland Pencil Co, Enesco European Giftware Ltd, Borough of Allerdale, The National Trust, Friends of the Lake District, Ramblers Association, Sustrans, Arriva Trains (North), Virgin Trains, Chiltern Railways, Direct Rail Services, Oasis Holiday Village, BBC Radio Cumbria, Lakes Line Action Group, Furness Line Action Group, Lancaster, Morecambe and District Rail Users Group, Cambridge-Sudbury Rail Renewal Association, Railfuture, Ove Arup and Partners, Brown and Root Services, Corus Rail Consultancy, Dodd and Co. Accountants, Eversheds, Cumbrian Railways Association, Railway Study Association, as well as numerous other businesses in and around Keswick.

Support and encouragement has come from all over the UK and around the world. Many people either having family roots in the area, visiting regularly, having business contacts in the Lake District or - more importantly - wanting to visit more regularly but finding the absence of a rail link to be a deterrent !

HOW YOU CAN HELP THE RE-CONSTRUCTION PROJECT

Iceni Enterprises Ltd sells re-chargeable phonecards which allow discounted calls to be made from any land line phone, not just payphones, in the UK and 48 other countries. BT callboxes charge 20p minimum - with our card it is just 3p and no coins needed.Cards cost £10 each, post free, and are supplied charged with £10 worth of calls. 15% commission is earned for the project on the sale and every re-charge of these cards.

For detailed reading, the illustrated report Return to Keswick - the case for a new Railway is £20 POST FREE from the address below, or order through bookshops by quoting ISBN 1-902543-02-5.

You can buy an annual subscription to "Updates", for yourself, a friend or colleague. Only £10 for a calendar year covering at least four issues. Subscriptions bought now will run until the end of 2002.

All of the above generate commissions or profits which support the project.