By Ray Duff

It's going to be a bumper few days for steam train enthusiasts in Shepway and South East Kent with three locos steaming through the county.

Saturday (18 June) The Canterbury 'Tornado'.

Headed by the built from new LNER A1 class 4.6.2 loco 60163 at the head an excursion starting from Poole in Dorset. Tornado joins at London then runs into Kent via Tonbridge, Ashford (1324) and Canterbury West (a: 1345). Journey departs Canterbury West (1650) and runs via Dover (1755) and Folkestone Central (1805) before returning to London via Tonbridge.

See: http://www.uksteam.info/tours/t11/t0618a.htm [4] for full timings

Sunday (19 June)  The Cathedrals Express

LMS class 8F 2.8.0 Nr 48151 with a train from Aldershot via London and then through Kent via Tonbridge, Ashford (1339) and Canterbury West (a 1405) It returns via North Kent Line dept Canterbury West ( 1651) Whitstable, (1739-1755), then via Faversham to London and on to Alton.

See: http://www.uksteam.info/tours/t11/t0619b.htm [5]  for full timings.

Tuesday (21 June)

The Sussex Belle. with LMS 8F Class 2.8.0 Nr 48151 heading a train from London via Ashford and down the Marsh line to Rye, Hastings and then back via Tunbridge Wells line to London. Timings not yet available but likely to pass Ashford around 1240.

See: http://www.uksteam.info/tours/trs11.htm#twk [6]  for full timings

For future excursions through Kent, and around the UK, see www.uksteam.info [7]  website. Click on right hand side 'This Week', or 2011 Tours and watch for details. Timings usually appear 4-7 days before the events.

Hawkinge Gazette and Channel Coast News 2011©