A TWO-year battle to increase railway passenger services between Newquay and Par will be realised next week when a special promotional train hits the tracks.

Daily passenger services between the two Restormel Borough towns will increase from four to seven from Monday, December 15.

And to celebrate the imminent increase in services, a special promotional train will run between Par and Newquay on November 11.

Departing from Par at 11.41am, the two-carriage train will promote the new services as well as providing information on new timetables.

Local campaign group Friends of Atlantic Coast Line (FOCAL) has fought for improvements to the local services for two years.

Geoff Mason Brown, spokesman for the group, said they were delighted that local people would now reap the benefits of improved services.

"We feel this is a significant milestone for local communities," he said.

"We wish to publicise the additional services to encourage people to use rail instead of cars.

"Our aim is to simply promote the new service so that we get even more in 2009.

"We want commuters and visitors alike to be able to use the services at realistic times."

The promotional train journey will also see a host of local and regional dignitaries come along for the ride.

Included in those are Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall, Lady Mary Holborow; mayor of Newquay, Lynda Cherry; mayor of Restormel, Jacqui Bull; Charles Howeson, chairman of First Great Western and Julian Crow, regional manager of First Great Western.

A short film of the FOCAL group's concept for the future of Newquay Railway Station will be shown on the train and their 28ft model of Newquay station will be on display on the platform in Newquay.

After departing from Par at 11.41am, the train will arrive at Newquay at 12.31pm, where Cllr Lynda Cherry, will give a short speech. She will be followed by Lady Mary Holborow.

A reception at the Great Western Hotel, on Cliff Road in Newquay, will be held at around 12.50pm.

● A two-minute silence will be held at Par Railway Station at 11.31am to honour the men and women who died on the railways during conflict.

For more information on the journey and on the new passenger services, contact FOCAL via their website at www.focal.org.uk