TWO historic engines gave railway enthusiasts a treat when they visited York to recreate one of the great railway journeys as part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee year.

The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust recreated the Elizabethan Express yesterday, giving those passengers lucky enough to have a ticket the chance to experience a journey from London to Edinburgh, stopping off at York, on board a service pulled by a Deltic D9009 Alycidon.

The return journey saw the historic carriages pulled by the famous Tornado steam locomotive.

Pulling into Edinburgh’s Waverley Station, Mark Allatt, chairman of the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, said the journey was proving a huge success.

He said: “Everyone is in high spirits and has really enjoyed the trip.

“The Deltic is an iconic sound on the East Coast Main Line and we are all now looking forward to the trip back to York.”

According to the trust, the departure of Tornado from Edinburgh yesterday marked the first time a Brunswick Green liveried Peppercorn class A1 has left Waverley Station since the 1960s, including the carriages in their historic carmine and cream livery.

The Elizabethan Express was steam-hauled from 1953 to 1961 and Deltic diesel- hauled in 1962.

This year marks the 50th year since The Elizabethan service was withdrawn and 2013 will mark the 60th year since the service was introduced.

The service was immortalised in the 1954 British Transport Film Elizabethan Express.

The film followed the progress of the non-stop service from London to Edinburgh along the East Coast Main Line.