AN Atherton-born scientist who died five years ago after Britain snubbed his maverick ideas on train travel has finally achieved his goal from beyond the grave.

China has launched its £750 million new magnetic train, the brainchild of Atherton's Professor Eric Laithwaite -- and hailed as the fastest, non-polluting train in the world.

Sadly, Prof Laithwaite, born in Atherton in 1921 and who served in the RAF during the Second World War, retired disappointed in the 1970s after his Hovertrain -- designed on similar lines at Maglev -- was abruptly cancelled by the Government.

He was labelled a crank but China has proved his critics wrong and experts are now predicting that he will soon be remembered as one of Britain's all-time greats.

China launched Maglev, which stands for magnetic levitation, with passengers describing the train as like "flying without wings".

The train, powered by magnets instead of fuel, made its first journey on New Year's Eve.

If the train is a success, there are plans to build an 800-mile connection to Beijing at a cost of £24 billion.

Before his death in 1997, Prof Laithwaite said: "I have been saying what a good idea this was since 1947.

"I didn't need anyone to pat me on the head and say that I was right. I always knew I was."

Chances of the high speed train, which can reach speeds of 310 mph, of being built in Britain however are slim, according to railway experts because of high costs.