A 20-year-old train enthusiast who secured £25,000 from a mystery benefactor is steaming ahead with his vision to bring a defunct train back into service.

Brad Wright, who is currently studying Graphic and BA Art Practice at West Suffolk College, in Bury St Edmunds, has bought a BR class 309 EMU No. 62 train, known as the Clacton Express, with the aim of restoring it.

It was made possible by a generous donation of £25,000 from a generous benefactor which saved the train from being broken up and used for scrap metal.

Brad, who lives in Needham Market, said: "My grandfather used to take me to various steam railways around the region and my love sort of grew from there.

"Owning a train myself was something I have always wanted, but it was always very much a pie in the sky dream, I never really thought it would come into fruition."

Brad set up the Clacton Express Preservation Group in order to raise more money to get the train, which was the first electric train to reach 100mph, back in circulation.

The train is currently in Sussex, so the next big mission for Brad is to get the train from Sussex to Suffolk and onto land nearby.

Measuring 180 metres long and with 192 seats, the BR class train used to run between London Liverpool Street and Clacton-on-Sea, but ceased in 1992, and hasn't held passengers since 2001.

The former Ipswich resident added: "The dream would be, provided enough funding and backing, to recreate those runs again from London to Clacton.

“I set up a company called the Clacton Preservation Group last September and what we are trying to do is restore the train to its former glory. We want to refurbish it, paint it back in to its original Network East colour scheme and eventually get it back on the line."

This year marks 60 years since the train's launch in 1962.

Brad can't wait to bring the train back to where it was made to operate.

He continued: "I'm doing this not only because I love trains but this is a bit of our history that I'm looking to bring back to everyone and I want my life to make a difference.

"It's certainly a big project and it's not something most 20-year-olds would do.

"But I've loved being involved in this. I'm living my dream."