A RESCUED relic of the diesel generation is to help take railway enthusiasts on a trip back to the pre-electric era next month.

The Deltic Preservation Society (DPS) is recreating a run of a locomotive between Newcastle and London King's Cross, on Saturday, June 7.

It will haul a one-off charter train for enthusiasts and day-trippers alike, with readers of The Northern Echo offered a cut-price deal.

The Alycidon was one of 22 Deltic locos which were the mainstay of the Edinburgh to King's Cross route, via the North-East, during the 1960s and 1970s.

It is one of three diesel locomotives preserved by the society, two of which occasionally run on the East Coast Main Line.

Like several other locomotives of its time, the Alycidon was named after a famous race horse of the day, in this case a Derby winner of the mid-1950s.

Nigel Paine, of DPS, said that despite the image, Deltic locos were much-loved among rail connoisseurs.

Due to maintenance work on a stretch of the East Coast Main Line, the Deltic charter trip, reaching speeds of up to 100mph, is expected to take about five hours from Newcastle to King's Cross.

It leaves Newcastle at 7.15am, with pick-ups at Darlington, York and Doncaster, before taking a diversion via Lincolnshire due to the line maintenance work.

There will be a five-hour stay in London before the return journey, reaching Newcastle at around 10.30pm.

All society charters include a commemorative ticket and brochure, while the train's buffet carriage will offer hot and cold drinks, sandwiches and a limited edition bottled beer.

A special price of £50 for adults and £30 for children, saving about 25 per cent off normal fares, is available to readers of The Northern Echo.

Full details of the trip are available on the website www.thedps.co.uk, where a booking form can be downloaded.

Alternatively, bookings can be taken by credit card or Switch by calling the DPS Railtours Officer, on (01254) 53733.