Steam train travels through Hastings, St Leonards and Bexhill

The steam train travelled through Hastings and St Leonards today SUS-191126-162620001

Fans of vintage locomotives were in for a treat this afternoon when a steam train travelled through Hastings and St Leonards.

The Black 5 steam locomotive No. 45407, which travelled down from London Victoria at 10.30am, arrived in Hastings at 3.08pm.

It left at approximately 3.13pm, travelling through West St Leonards station at 3.18pm on its way to Battle, through Robertsbridge before making its way back up to London.

Earlier, it arrived in Eastbourne at 12.57pm, where the train was serviced for around 90 minutes.

The steam train travelled through Hastings and St Leonards today SUS-191126-162606001

After leaving Eastbourne, the diesel-hauled train headed along the Sussex coast through Normans Bay, Cooden Beach, and Bexhill to Hastings.

At Hastings, the train reversed direction of travel and left with the steam locomotive in charge.

It continued its journey north through Crowhurst and Battle, and then passing through Mountfield Tunnel and up to Royal Tunbridge Wells.

It is due at London Victoria at 5.20pm.

The steam train travelled through Hastings and St Leonards today SUS-191126-162553001

Constructed between 1934 and 1951, the Stanier Black Fives have a reputation for being do-anything and go-anywhere engines.

A total of 842 locomotives were built; making them one of the most numerous classes of British steam locomotives ever built.