A CHARITY train which has raised more than £100,000 has reached the end of the line.

Organisers of the St James' Day Tripper, which has run up to three times a year for nearly 20 years, have confirmed this September's trip will be their last.

They say their decision is, in part, due to the fact it is becoming harder to book charter trains at the weekend because of engineering work.

And Network Rail has recently extended the number of routes where steam trains will not be allowed for fear of slowing down regular services.

The St James' Day Tripper was launched in 1987 to help raise money for the church of the same name, in St James Road, Blackburn.

The Day Tripper normally stops at most of the stations on the East Lancashire line between Burnley and Preston, picking up hundreds of passengers in Blackburn, Accrington and Burnley.

The first two mystery destination' trips failed to make a profit but the third one did after organisers agreed to tell people where they would be travelling to in advance.

Since then, more than £120,000 has been raised for charity, including £38,000 for the St James' Church development fund, set up to help repair the religious building.

Dozens of other charities, including local, national and international ones, have also received cash.

But Ian Stocks, a former church warden and one of the main organisers, said this September's trip to York would certainly be the last.

He said: "There are a number of reasons why we have decided this will be our last, and one of the reasons is that none of us are getting any younger.

"But it is also becoming much, much harder to get track access from Network Rail and engineering works at the weekend are restricting access too.

"When we use a steam train it is becoming harder to get on to certain lines, which is why we have chosen York for this last one."

Mr Stocks added that a community had formed as a result of the trips.

He said: "There is a core of people who travel and many people have become friends as a result of the trips.

"We're sorry it is coming to an end but the trains are becoming harder to fill and organise."

A spokesman for Network Rail, which controls access to the nation's rail network, said: "Most lines carry more services than they used to, making it harder to find space for one-off services.

"We try and fit them in where we can without damaging existing services."

The name plate for the train, which is attached to the front of every locomotive either steam of diesel pulling it is kept at St James' Church when not in use.

The ticket office for the September trip is expected to open in May. Details are available from www.daytripper.org or by ringing 08701 999 426.