A historic steam train is touring across Kent today, giving enthusiasts an opportunity to take a step back in time and see it thunder through the countryside.

Onlookers will be able to catch a glimpse of the impressive Armistice Kentish Belle at various locations throughout the day.

The train, hauled by Bahamas, leaves London Victoria mid-morning today and travels via Bromley South where passengers will be picked up.

The journey will continue via the South Eastern & Chatham main line through Sevenoaks to Tonbridge.

It will then follow the Ashford line eastwards as far as Paddock Wood, where it will leave the main line and join the Medway Valley line to Maidstone West and Strood.

This “attractive” line follows the river Medway all the way to Maidstone and onwards to Rochester and Strood. It is also a route that does not see steam-hauled trains all that frequently.

At Strood, the train will reverse its direction of travel and run diesel hauled past Rochester Castle and Cathedral and follow the North Kent line through Chatham.

On the approach to Sittingbourne, it will leave the main line at Western Junction and join the Sheerness branch.

After this, it will cross the river Swale and run across the Isle of Sheppey to the end of the line at Sheerness-on-Sea, where a short break will be taken/

The Armistice Kentish Belle will then return to the main line junction at Sittingbourne and make it’s way to Faversham where it will join the Canterbury East line.

From Canterbury East, it is a long climb to Shepherds Well summit before it descends steeply towards Dover.

The historic train will then pass beneath the White Cliffs of Dover.

After Folkestone, where the surrounding area is dominated by the Channel Tunnel Shuttle Terminal, it will head inland to Ashford, where it will follow the line to Maidstone East, passing over our earlier route taken through Maidstone West.

After Swanley, it will retrace the previous route back through Bromley South to London Victoria.