THE historic Volk’s Railway will not run this summer because of major delays in its regeneration project.

Work to restore the world’s oldest operating electric railway has been delayed by several months following the discovery of an old but still live underground gas pipe.

It will be the first disruption to the much-loved Brighton beachfront attraction since its closure between 1940 and 1948 because of the Second World War.

The delay is another blow to businesses in Madeira Drive which already has limited access because of the closure of the Victorian Terraces.

It had been hoped the railway could reopen in late spring but it is now expected trains will not start running until the autumn.

The works are part of a £1.65 million Heritage Lottery funded project to restore three original train carriages, create a heritage visitor centre at the Aquarium station and a conservation workshop on the site of former train sheds.

It was during the demolition of the sheds that an unknown gas supply was found.

It is believed the pipe once supplied the traffic superintendents’ office on the Banjo Groyne which was capped off but not disconnected several generations ago.

Southern Gas Networks specialists had to be brought in to disconnect the pipe and make the area safe before work could resume. Work was also held up while an electrical cable was located and isolated on the north side allowing construction to now get under way as intended in November.

During the delays the Volk’s team has replaced the eastern passing loop and all the 70-year-old concrete sleepers meaning the track will be in a “very fine condition” and should not need major attention for at least five years. Peter Williams, from the Volk’s Electric Railway Association, said: “It’s ironic that work to restore the world’s oldest electric railway should be delayed due to a gas pipe.

“But now that the problem has been resolved we will continue to work closely with the council to minimise delays as much as we can and get the restored Volk’s Railway up and running as soon as practically possible.”

Concorde 2 managing director Russell Haynes said: “If they are not running the Volk’s then they should subsidise a bus to run along Madeira Drive.

“There’s stairs east and west of the Concorde and that’s it for the whole of Madeira Drive.

“I said two years ago they needed to run buses down here, we have bus stops where cars can’t park but no buses.”

Yellowave Beach Sports director Katie Mintram said: "We're really disappointed that the Volk's Railway won't be open this year.

"It's incredibly important attraction to the Madeira Drive traders and the city, lots of people arrive at Yellowave Beach Sports Venue after getting of at the half way station.

"It's such a shame that building works haven't been able to be completed over winter."