PALLS of smoke signalled the arrival of two giant steam locomotives of the past on an excursion from London as part of early Christmas celebrations.

The two steam engines - which originally worked on the former London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) pulled The Christmas Sussex Belle special.

A spokesman for the organisers, Railway Touring Company, of King’s Lynn, Norfolk, declared: “Our train travelled from London Victoria to the Sussex coast, crossing the north and south downs and passing through the beautiful countryside of the Weald. It was hauled by two Black Five locomotives.

“We journeyed south along the main line towards Brighton. We left the Brighton line at Keymer Junction, just after Wivelsfield and head south-eastwards through Cooksbridge to Lewes. Here we joined the East Coastway Line that runs from Brighton to Eastbourne, Hastings and Ashford.”

At Eastbourne the two steam engines were uncoupled from the train so that they could be serviced and replenished with coal and water, while the excursion continued to Hastings diesel hauled.

The two steam engines - numbers 44871 and 45407 - are members of the 5MT class, known in railway parlance as Black Fives, that first began appearing on the LMS in 1934 hauling passenger and freight trains.