A farewell tour for trains built in the 1970s raised £20,000 for charity this weekend.

Chiltern Railways and Branch Line Society arranged the tour to celebrate the iconic Mark III fleet, which has carried customers for 50 years and is set to leave Chiltern by the end of March.

The special trip - which took place on Sunday 22 February along the line between London Marylebone, Warwickshire and the West Midlands - sold out in 24 hours, with 250 rail enthusiasts on board the journey.

Enthusiasts flocked to stations along the route to see the Mark III, and some were even given the opportunity to enter the driver's cab before the train set off from Banbury in the morning. 

Money raised went to the Railway Children charity, which supports thousands of vulnerable children alone and at risk on the streets and on the rail network in the UK, Tanzania and India.

The Mark III coaches, which have served Chiltern Railways' customers since 2010, are being replaced by the operator's newest Mark 5A trains – recently named the 'Chiltern Explorer' fleet.

Richard Allan, managing director of Chiltern Railways, said: "I am delighted that £20,000 was raised for Railway Children, which is a charity close to my heart.

"It is the perfect way to celebrate these iconic coaches which have served our customers well for many years.

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"I am looking forward to the future, as we are replacing these coaches with the modern, Chiltern Explorer trains, which will significantly improve journeys for our customers."