TRANSPORT group First said last night it was hopeful of success in its bid to bring night mail trains back to the North-East.

First's subsidiary GB Railfreight is in negotiations with Royal Mail about putting mail back on the railways.

The night mail services were axed by Royal Mail after more than 160 years in favour of road and air transport, saving about £10m.

The last two Travelling Post Offices (TPOs) made their final journey back in January from Gateshead to London and Plymouth, via Durham, Darlington and York.

They were among ten operated across the country by English Welsh and Scottish Railway, with whom the Royal Mail failed to agree a "financially viable" deal for their continued use.

Last night, Stuart Bugg, of First, said of the discussions with Royal Mail: "We are hopeful it will be a done deal but discussions are ongoing and at this stage we cannot comment further."

Fran Critchley, of the North-East Rail Passengers' Committee, welcomed the news.

She said: "It was sad when the railways lost the mail business, so this is good news.

"It makes common sense, especially as the roads are already congested enough, so good luck to First."

The heyday of the TPOs, immortalised by the poem Night Mail, by WH Auden, was just before the First World War when 139 trains criss-crossed the country every night.

First Group already runs the Transpennine Express rail franchise and is in the running for the new Northern rail franchise, which covers much of the North-East.