The transformation of a train on the busy London to Paris route is to mark the autumn relaunch of the 1968 Beatles animated fantasy film of the same name.

Hundreds of metres of plastic panels will be used to cover 18 carriages of the train. These will then be decorated with 400 metres of psychedelic cartoons.

A Eurostar train will have a fantasy make-over

A spokeswoman said: "It is a very interesting and exciting venture which will see a train transformed into a Yellow Submarine travelling under the Channel."

The "submarine" is not expected to make its first cross-Channel journey until after the Merseyside debut of the film, which has been digitally-enhanced for the relaunch.

The yellow train is the latest of the group's ideas to promote the re-worked film, as well as a remix of the album that accompanied it.

Both will be the centrepieces of a special millennium tribute to the Fab Four.

The film will include scenes that were edited out of the original.

The album features new mixes of songs such as With A Little Help From My Friends and Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds.

In May, the Beatles also announced the autumn release of a long-lost track, believed to be an out-take from the 1968 Abbey Road sessions for the film.

EMI Records is behind the promotional push for Yellow Submarine. The film has been unavailable on video for a decade.

The Yellow Submarine album and fillm are set for an autumn re-release

It is also the first time a Beatles album has ever been remixed, according to EMI.

The record company is also promoting tie-in merchandise and said to be considering hiring a real yellow submarine to sail up the River Mersey in Liverpool.

Also included in the millennium tribute project to the Beatles is a special concert in Liverpool.