THE Kent & East Sussex Railway launched its 2023 season with a prestigious national award for one of its volunteers, by releasing details of the landmark visit of Bulleid Pacific No. 34072 257 Squadron that will include the line’s first major steam gala for more than three years, and by welcoming a stunning response to an appeal that within months has exceeded its target nearly three-fold.
The award went to Geoff Colvin, the railway’s chief stationmaster, who won the high-profile nationwide ‘tourism superstar’ competition, run by VisitEngland in partnership with the Mirror newspaper.
