IN sidings behind the now deserted Royal Engineers depot at Long Marston lies an apparently ramshackle collection of railway coaches, engines and hoppers in varying states of repair or disrepair.

The bulk of them - about 30 pieces of mostly industrial rolling stock - belong to the Stratford and Broadway Railway Society, a 350-member organisation whose aim is to restore the trains and the line that used to run from Stratford to Honeybourne, and then on to Broadway.

It is not entirely a vain hope, as the line has been identified in the Warwickshire Structure Plan as a site suitable for tourism and leisure.

"The ultimate aim is to link with Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Steam Railway and in so doing recreate the rail link between Stratford and Cheltenham," said Simon Barratt, member and acting editor of the society's magazine, The Shakespeare Express.

But the volunteer enthusiasts, who spend most weekends and some weekdays repairing the coaches and engines they have bought, know in their hearts that there are some pretty formidable obstacles in the their way.

The immediate aim is to run train services from Long Marston to Honeybourne two-and-a-half miles away.

"We could do that within weeks," said society chairman Derek Jeynes.

"The track is there. It can take a 66-type diesel engine so it must be in reasonable condition," said Derek.

He is referring to a recent test run along the line by Ford, which is considering using the depot as a site to store cars in the event of supply problems.

To run a service along the line will require a "token", which all operators' require. The society would also need permission from track owner Railtrack and the Ministry of Defence, which has proved to be a slight problem as the MoD has concerns about public liability even though the society has up to £2 million cover.

However, Derek and his fellow members hope these problems can be ironed out and that they will soon be able to use their engines and coaches to run pleasure trips along the branch line.

"We have four or five parties booked if we can get operating," said Derek.

In the meantime, the society's core members beaver away refurbishing their rolling stock, some of which will be worth £4,000 to £5,000 when restored.

Among the gems of the collection is a 1942 diesel engine called Mulberry that was used during the D-Day landings and has been named after the famous floating harbour.

There is also a steam engine that was built in Bristol in 1926 and spent most of its working life hauling wagons in a quarry at Matlock, Derbyshire.

The society is also keen to acquire a 1927 coach, owned by the British Army Museum at Chelsea, which was captured at Dunkirk and ended up in Berlin but is currently rotting away at Long Marston.

A major headache for the society is vandalism. Last month 50 carriage windows were smashed by "mindless yobs" who ran amok hurling stones. Two youths, aged 15 and 16, have been cautioned by police but the volunteers are left wondering who will pay for the damage, which runs to £50 a window.

Still, the members remain undaunted and determined that their dream of trains running from Stratford to Cheltenham will one day become a reality.

"There are things going on down there. We are alive and kicking," said Derek.