IT’S full steam ahead to take passengers on a charity train tour next weekend.

Charity Railtours, will be taking guests on a train tour in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support through a variety of towns including Colchester, Manningtree and Harwich on Sunday, April 15.

The train, pulled by historic locomotives, will set off from London before heading to Colchester.

It will pass then through Ipswich and various other stations around Suffolk.

It will then head back to Ipswich and take passengers to Manningtree North Junction where the track turns into the Mayflower Line.

The train will then go through Parkeston, Harwich International and end in Harwich in the afternoon where passengers can get off the train and explore the town.

Harwich Society is opening its visitor attractions close to Harwich Railway Station in support of the event.

Colin Farnell, Harwich Society chairman, said: “The visit will last at least a couple of hours so we have agreed to open our visitor attractions close to the station so that passengers have options to visit while in Harwich.”

The High lighthouse, Maritime Museum and Treadwheel Crane will be open throughout the visit and Harwich Society guides will be on hand to assist visitors.

After the Harwich visit, the train heads head back up The Mayflower Line to Colchester and returns to London.

A Charity Railtours spokesman said the event has taken two and a half years to organise and the original plan was to use a steam train.

However, the steam train was not permitted through Woodbridge Station, in Suffolk, so instead the train used will be pulled by heritage ex BR diesel locomotives.

He said: “The train will have a locomotive at each end. We hope that the train operating company West Coast Railway will supply a 58-year-old Class 33 or possibly a more youthful 57 year old Class 37.

“The locomotive hauling the train from Ipswich Griffin Wharf to Harwich Town will be 47580, a Class 47 locomotive named “County Of Essex” which is privately owned by The Stratford 47 Group who have very kindly donated their machine free of charge.”

For ticket prices and more information call, 07518 045077, email enquiries@charity-railtours.co.uk or visit, http://www.charity-railtours.co.uk/Mayflower_Brochure_and_Form31-03-18.pdf.