RAIL enthusiasts are going full steam ahead to try to re-open a station last used by fare-paying passengers in 1929.

Dean Forest Railway have until Christmas Eve to put together a £100,000 bid for cash to re-open Whitecroft station.

A four strong team is working up the proposals for the Local Action Group which is distributing £2.6 million of Euro funding across the Dean.

They are also putting together a planning application to refurbish the existing crumbling platform and erect a small station building.

The building would be a replica of the wooden original and will include a ticket office, waiting room and toilets.

If they are successful work could start as early as next April and Whitecroft could become an official destination on the tourist line by the end of 2011.

Miners Arms landlord Mario Constantinides is urging villagers to support the project which he believes will give Whitecroft a major shot in the arm.

He has started a campaign to get the station re-opened and is asking his regulars to write letters of support.

He said: "Re-opening the station would be great for the Forest and the village.

"It would keep our heritage alive and give Whitecroft something really special. When you look at a map of the Forest you cannot see Whitecroft.

"This would really put the village on the map and allow tourists to enjoy this beautiful area."

Restoring the crumbling facilities at Whitecroft has always been a dream of local rail enthusiasts.

But after re-opening Parkend station in 2006 it was difficult to find the extra manpower and money for another big project.

Now they are pinning their hopes on the LAG scheme which has helped numerous projects, including money for revamping Cinderford and Newent town centres.

DFR Chairman Peter Adams is on the team of four drawing up the bid.

"Re-opening a station is not an easy thing to do," he said.

"After Parkend we had a period of consolidation.

"Some people might say that with the economy being the way it is, now is not the best time to develop.

"It is bold and brave but there are some companies that develop in difficult times.

"This will be putting something back, both for the locality and for our membership. We want to involve the village and are pleased to hear that a local business is supporting us."

Apart from freight trains and miners' specials, the trains stopped calling into Whitecroft in 1929.

But in 1970 DFR decided to try and bring the branch line back to life and have opened stations at Norchard, Lydney and Parkend.