A RAIL users group is celebrating 25 years.
And they have an excellent track record.
The Huddersfield, Penistone and Shef- field Rail Users Association was formed in 1981 to combat closure plans on the route.
In its early years, success seemed limited to buying time before an inevitable closure.
The association argued the Penistone Line timetable was responsible for poor usage and an increase in trains would increase take up.
This argument has been proved correct as 25 years on the line is still operational and boasting more than four times as many passengers.
More than a million passengers now use the service annually.
Peter Marshall, of the association, said: "I'm tremendously proud of what was a small group set up to stop closure of the line 25 years ago.
"We have managed to maintain pressure throughout, gaining vastly improved services, facilities and two new stations on the line since we began.
"We have not finished yet by any means though.
"Although we have achieved many more trains, including a Sunday service when there was previously none, Sunday trains are still only two-hourly.
"With Meadowhall now on the route, those Sunday trains can get very congested."
