Three guest locomotives will make their Watercress Line debuts alongside newly-restored flagship engine 35005 Canadian Pacific for the heritage railway’s Spring Steam Gala from April 25 to 27.

All four stations - Alresford, Ropley, Medstead & Four Marks and Alton - will welcome visitors along the ten-mile route.

The London and South Western Railway T3 Class No 563 is visiting thanks to the Swanage Railway Trust and the 563 Locomotive Group.

Built in 1893, it clocked up 1.5 million miles in service before being withdrawn in 1945. It was saved from scrap and now sports an 1890s Drummond passenger green livery.

The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway A Class 52322 is coming courtesy of Andy Booth and the East Lancashire Railway.

Built in 1895 at Horwich, it entered service in 1896 and later ran under London, Midland and Scottish Railway and British Rail numbers.

The final guest locomotive ran for the Lancashire and Yorkshire and London, Midland and Scottish railways, as number 752 and 11456 respectively, and is visiting courtesy of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Trust.

Built as a tender engine in 1881, it was rebuilt as a saddle tank by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway in 1896.

The Watercress Line’s own stars will include Southern Railway Merchant Navy Class 35005 Canadian Pacific, S15 Class 506 - a ‘fast freight’ engine, built in 1920 - courtesy of the Urie Locomotive Society, and 41312 Ivatt, a Southern Region veteran.

Adults can operate the DS58 steam crane, there will be tours of the Ropley engineering works, Queen Mary brake van rides on the goods train, miniature railway displays and a goods shed exhibition at Medstead & Four Marks station. There will be railway society stands, displays, and railway art stalls at Ropley and Alresford.

The gala runs from 9.30am to 6pm each day. For tickets visit https://watercressline.co.uk/special-days/spring-steam-gala/