A historic railway is getting a 21st Century make-over.

Plans to replace one of the stations on the Volk's Railway, the first public electric railway in Great Britain and the second in the world, have been approved by Brighton and Hove City Council.

The new station at the aquarium end of the track will be bigger so it can cope more easily with tourists and will include a new exhibition about the railway and a sales kiosk.

The station is being replaced because the steel supports in the old building have corroded.

The new station will be a welcome addition as it will mean the temporary, modern ticket office and ice cream stand, which were erected in front of the station because it was unsafe, will finally be taken away.

The railway began carrying passengers along Brighton seafront on August 4, 1883. Nearly 120 years later the trains still ferry tourists and holidaymakers the one and a quarter miles between the Palace Pier and Black Rock, five minutes from Brighton Marina.

The railway was the brainchild of local inventor Magnus Volk, the son of a German clockmaker.

Today the railway is still one of Brighton's most popular tourist attractions.

A spokesman for EML, the council's consultants, which is in charge of the development, said it hopes to finish the project by next summer.

He said: "Our intention, once funding has been found, is to progress to tenders as soon as possible and start building early next year. If all goes well we hope to have the station up and running by next summer but it all depends on budgeting restraints."

There are also plans to make more improvements.

"We have refurbished two trains this summer, and two more are to be done this winter, and there are other plans to put more improvements into the railway.

"The engines shouldn't need more work for another ten or 15 years."

Councillor Bob Carden, acting chairman of planning at the council, has welcomed the plans.

He said: "I think it's a terrific idea.

"I hope it will bring more cash and add to the tourist attractions of the city."