THERE's a treat in store for railway enthusiasts and nostalgists at Okehampton Station this Saturday — steam returns in the impressive shape of a former Southern Railway express locomotive.

Bodmin, a Westcountry class pacific, will steam into Okehampton at 2.30pm hauling an enthusiasts charter trip of around 450 people from the Mid Hants railway via Guildford, Aldershot, Honiton and Exeter.

Up until the 1960s West Country class locos like Bodmin were regular visitors to Okehampton when it was a station on the Plymouth to Waterloo main line.

Ian Rudd, commercial manager of Dartmoor Railway, said: 'We are also taking the train up to Meldon and back. Certainly there have not been very many steam trains here for years — we are hoping for many more.'

So the visitors get the chance to visit Okehampton during the afternoon, the chamber of commerce has organised two buses, one a vintage, to run a shuttle between the station and Fore Street.

Ian Bailey, chamber chairman, said: We are anticipating quite a few people will be coming to Okehampton to see it. I've been told that some people are even coming up from Cornwall — there should be a lot of people in the town on Saturday afternoon.'

The train will return journey at 4.20pm.

On Sunday, Dartmoor Railway are running two trains to Sampford Courtenay and back from Okehampton Station, using track not often used, to coincide with the bus festival at Winkleigh.

There's a special fare for the round trip from Okehampton to Meldon and Sampford Courtenay of £6.50 for adults, with concessions. The trains will leave Okehampton at 1pm, returning at 2.55pm and at 3pm returning at 4.55pm.