Organiser Eddie White said tickets for the two return shuttle trips from Warrnambool to Allansford had sold out, and the day trip from Melbourne to Warrnambool was nearly full.

A bi-plane will take to the skies above Camperdown to race the train to Allansford.

The train will arrive at Warrnambool station at 1.55pm and depart about 6.50pm after the engine is spun on the turntable about 4pm.

Mr White said at least 600 tickets were sold for the short shuttle rides and more than 270 people booked to take the trip from Melbourne to Warrnambool for the day.

Some of those day trippers will take a sightseeing tour of the area and visit a winery at Killarney.

Other passengers will join a pub tour of Warrnambool and Allansford.

Mr White said excitement was building for this trip with those who missed out on last year's train journey making sure they got tickets this time around.

"They've seen it's been done before and missed out on the last one and want to be involved in this one," he said. It was Mr White's dream to bring the steam train back to Warrnambool, something that hadn't happened for 14 years, and last year he pulled it off.

The weekend's visit won't be last visit by a steam train with Mr White already working on plans for next year.

Adventure Flight Co pilot Jordan Koursaris, who is based at Peterborough, said the weather would probably have the biggest say in who takes line honours in the race between the plane and train.

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