RAIL passengers have booked themselves a magical memory on a steam train to promote the latest Harry Potter novel.

Bury's East Lancs Railway is running a weekend of rides aboard the Hogwarts Express which recently generated massive Press publicity.

The loco, built in the 1940s, was used by Harry Potter author Joanne Rowling's publishers to travel on a week-long nationwide publicity tour for her latest book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

After arriving back at its base, the Hogwarts Express has again been pressed into service to carry passengers along the East Lancs Railway line between Bury and Rawstentall.

The three-day event, which began yesterday, allows up to 400 passengers in six carriages to ride behind the famous loco. The steam locomotive, real name Taw Valley, was originally constructed in the 1940s and underwent rebuilding work in the '50s.

It operated between London and the south coast until the advent of steam came to an end in the 1960s.

Ray Vevers, publicity officer for the East Lancs Railway, said: "The loco is owned by one of our members, Bert Hitchen. It was rescued from a rail scrapyard in Barry, South Wales.

"It was hired by a marketing firm on behalf of the publishers to do the Harry Potter tour. They wanted a big engine which was similar to the one featured in the book."

To give it greater authenticity and to strictly fit in with the loco's description in the novel, the loco was painted red.

But it will soon revert back to its original green livery.