A GREENOCK family were put on track for online fame after their front lawn railway went viral among Twitter train lovers.

The Atkinson family were stunned when the defunct miniature rail line in the garden of their Lyle Road home drew the online attention of enthusiasts who have now offered to help get the defunct contraption back on track.

After a Twitter user posted a picture of the broken carriage online, British railway historian Tim Dunn - who has presented several television and radio programmes about trains - got in touch via a friend of the Atkinsons and offered to fundraise for the mini railway's restoration.

His only condition was that the rejuvenated railway be opened for rides one day next year to raise money for charity.

Mr Dunn believes that when operational, the track could be Scotland's shortest railway.

Homeowner Ali Atkinson says it would be fantastic to have the railway restored.

She told the Tele that the funicular railway had been designed in the late 1990s by her house's former owner, James Morrison, who left behind detailed documents outlining the cable-pulled railcar's design, operation and maintenance.

When Ali and her husband Owen first moved into the Lyle Road house in 2010, the railway was still operational and the couple frequently used it to help get shopping up the steep path to their front door.

Unfortunately, the railway hit the buffers around a decade ago when its cable ran over itself, which caused its motor to burn out.

Ali said: "It's clear that the project was a real labour of love.

"The letters on the side of the carriage, G and R, stand for Glen Railway - and Glen is the name of the house.

"It's extraordinarily well-made, it's even been used in the past to carry a piano up to the front door.

"It was great when it was working, but we've not been able to get it fixed since it was broken.

"Health and safety rules have changed so much since it was built and I'm not sure if we'd be able to restore it exactly as it was.

"But if we can get it going again that would be great.

"I've been overwhelmed by the interest it's had."