by Graham Tutthill

gtutthill@thekmgroup.co.uk

A 19th Century-style English road coach will be heading for Dover this weekend to mark the bi-centenary of the birth of Charles Dickens.

The coach, called Nimrod, will be drawn by four horses from the Coaching Troop of the Household Cavalry as it leaves the Charles Dickens museum, in London early on Saturday.

Four other teams of horses will be used during the journey including four elegant British Hackneys.

The 88-mile journey will take two days and this colourful spectacle of coach complete with red-coated guard and hornblower, tootling on a long coaching horn, will make various stops on the way, including an overnight stay at Bapchild.

John Brown of Tonbridge, the owner of Nimrod, said: “I am delighted that Mark Dickens, the great-great-grandson of Charles Dickens will be on the coach at Gad’s Hill, Dickens’ home, and will propose a toast to the author’s memory”.

The journey continues on Sunday, passing through Faversham, stopping at the Shepherd Neame Brewery, and on to Canterbury before arriving at Dover. It is due at The Bell at Lydden at 4.45pm and outside the Dover Marina Hotel on the seafront at 5.45pm.

All passengers on the coach have made a donation to the Barnardo’s charity for children and as the coach passes through towns and villages - no doubt stopping at the odd local as it would have done 150 years ago - a bucket collection will be made for the charity.

This unusual adventure is being undertaken by a group of friends who are all coaching four-in-hand enthusiasts.

Keep up-to-date with news via the Dover Mercury Facebook page and Twitter.