The boss of the reborn Ongar to Epping railway this week angrily denied claims that the project was behind schedule.

Instead, former Ford chief Bill Camplisson pledged commuter trains would be running again before the target date of October 2000.

Mr Camplisson was speaking a year after Transport Minister Glenda Jackson agreed to the sale of the line to his consortium.

This week he said: "It's all going splendidly and we're going to beat the target handsomely.''

He was speaking after rivals, Ongar Railway Preservation Society, had alleged work was behind schedule.

Vice-chairman David Rumble said he had walked the track and was appalled at the lack of progress. He claimed lines had still to be lifted and relaid and that work still needed to be done to lower the track under the M11 bridge.

Mr Rumble said: ''The society thinks, even more now, that this is a great land rip-off and that they plan to sell the land for redevelopment."

He also claimed that Epping Ongar Railway Ltd had problems at the Epping end of the line because its trains could not run into the Central Line station and it would have to build a station of its own 200 yards away.

Bur Mr Camplisson replied: "We've spent the winter improving the track. Already 200 tons of low branches and vegetation have been cut back and work is proceeding to lower the track under the M11."

He denied there was a problem at Epping and said there never was any intention of running diesel or steam trains into the station.

"We intend to build a platform with seats, a cover and lighting as near to Epping station as possible. We're describing it as a halt, similar to those on the Docklands Light Railway.''

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