Railtrack today defended its decision to spend £3,000 to charter a luxury steam train to let company executives carry out a track inspection on the Oxford-Banbury line.

The group of 20 managers and engineers set off from Solihull, West Midlands, stopped for lunch at Didcot and returned to Solihull.

The firm, which last year went into administration, said an observation deck in a Pulman-style saloon coach at the rear of the train gave passengers a better view of the track.

But the Rail Passengers Committee for the Midlands was surprised a saloon coach was considered the best option.

John Balmforth, deputy chairman of the committee, said: "You would not be able to get 20 people all looking down the track at once anyway. They would have to take it in turns or be looking at different parts of the track.

"If they are saying it is the only vehicle suitable to carry out this work, then I have to express great surprise because there are other vehicles they could use."

A Railtrack spokesman said: "We certainly could not get 20 people in the cab of a normal locomotive. It is a very cost-effective way of carrying out this kind of exercise."

Similar trips would normally cost about £4,000, he said, but the charter firm, Vintage Trains, had offered a discount because the trip was a training exercise.

The Oxford Mail revealed last week that Virgin hopes to start running tilting trains on its Cross Country service on the Oxford-Banbury route next year.