EARLY risers caught a glimpse of a famous engine as it steamed through Oxfordshire this morning.

The B1 Mayflower, returning to service after a major refurbishment, made the trip from Chinnor, through the county and onto the south coast.

It departed Chinnor Station - made famous by BBC’s Miss Marple - at 6am, arriving at Oxford Parkway at 7.30am and onto Weymouth.

Built for the London & North Eastern Railway, 61306 Mayflower is one of two surviving locomotives of its type.

Capable of hauling both express passenger trains as well as freight traffic, the powerful engines worked across most of the UK rail network from East Anglia to Scotland.

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David Griffin took this picture near Hinksey yard in Oxford

After her final trip in September 1967, Mayflower was purchased for preservation and worked a number of rail tours during the 1970s.

During her most recent refurbishment, her original 1948 early British Railways apple green paintwork was restored.

The Mayflower was the latest historic steam engine to grace Oxfordshire in recent weeks.

On June 15, Flying Scotsman and Clun Castle were both out on the tracks.

YOUR PICTURES: Flying Scotsman back in Oxfordshire

Today's trip was organised by the company Steam Dreams and took people down to the seaside for the day.

The engine is due to make its return journey back through Oxfordshire in the late evening.