Volk's Railway has been an attraction ever since it opened 120 years ago this month.

Amid all the celebrations this weekend, however, the future of the line needs to be seriously considered.

Small extensions at either end would mean it ran between two of the biggest attractions in the city, the Palace Pier and the marina.

This would increase the number of passengers enormously which, in turn, would bring in more cash for investment.

In the long term, it might be a good idea if Brighton and Hove City Council handed over the running of the railway to a trust.

This would enable a not-for-profit organisation to raise large sums of money which will be needed for the railway to survive and prosper.

The line needs upgrading and improving with smarter stations and new rolling stock that can be used all the year round in addition to the historic carriages.

There is also a need for some kind of rapid transit system between the marina and the pier and probably along the rest of the front stretching towards Shoreham Harbour.

Whether this is achieved by tram, guided bus or monorail, it is important to ensure Volk's Railway continues to exist as an attraction rather than a serious means of transport.

Magnus Volk, the railway's founder and a pioneer of transport, would have approved.