Black 5 44871 in perfect winter sunshine on The Christmas Sussex Belle -

Steam in the winter doesn’t get much better than this! With brilliant sunshine and the still air, Black 5 44871 took charge of Railway Touring Companies “Christmas Sussex Belle“ from London Victoria to Eastbourne. Sporting discs, and travelling on a virtually empty southern network, with the day being an ASLEF strike day, the Stanier loco is firstly captured near Coulsdon on the Redhill avoiding line. A water stop at Haywards Heath allowed for a second short prior to arriving at the south coast, captured from a foot crossing near Berwick. After the relatively short break in Eastbourne, of which the tour was the only passenger service to call at the terminus, the train is seen with the Class 47 hauling the train out of the station bound for Hastings. Here, 44871 would regain control for the run back to the capital running via Tonbridge, and is captured tackling the gradient through a completely deserted Stonegate station. •Facebook: