Tornado, the first new main line steam locomotive to be built in Britain for almost 50 years, will be bringing back the romance of steam with ‘The Cathedrals Express’ on Valentine’s Day, Sunday 14th February 2010 and depart from Brunel’s masterpiece, London Paddington station, for the first time. The timings are:
London Paddington: 10:06hrs
Acton West: 10:16hrs
Southall: 10:22hrs
Slough: a 10:35hrs; d 10:37hrs
Maidenhead: 10:46hrs
Reading: a 11:01hrs; d 11:09hrs
Theale: 18.58hrs
Newbury: a 11:36hrs; d 11:50hrs (water)
Bedwyn: 12:09hrs
Woodborough: 12:22hrs
Lavington: 12:32hrs
Heywood Road Junction: 12:41hrs
Westbury: 12:44hrs
Warminster: 12:56hrs
Wyle: 13:07hrs
Salisbury: a 13:23hrs; d 13:38hrs (water)
Andover: 13:59hrs
Basingstoke: 14:23hrs
Southcote Junction: 14:46hrs
Reading: a 14:54hrs; d 14:58hrs
Maidenhead: 15:16hrs
Slough: a 15:24hrs; d 15:26hrs
Southall: 15:39hrs
Acton Main Line: 15:46hrs
London Paddington: a 15:56hrs
Tornado starred in an episode of ‘Top Gear’, first shown in 2009 and watched by over seven million people, racing a Jaguar XK120 car and Vincent Black Shadow motorcycle from London to Edinburgh, with presenter Jeremy Clarkson on-board. The new £3m Peppercorn class A1 pacific steam locomotive was built over almost 20 years by The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, a registered charity, at its Darlington Locomotive Works. Frequently headlined in the press and on TV, 60163 Tornado was the subject of a BBC documentary ‘Absolutely Chuffed: The Men Who Built a Steam Engine’ broadcast on Christmas Eve on BBC2 last year and now available from the Trust on DVD. The locomotive was officially named Tornado by TRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall in February 2009 and has since entered service on excursion trains on the Network Rail main line.
Mark Allatt, Chairman of The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, said:
“Conjuring up the romance of steam with a trip behind Tornado on ‘The Cathedrals Express’ is the ideal way to celebrate Valentine’s Day. This is an ideal opportunity to not only give a present with a difference this Valentine’s Day but also to play an important part in keeping Tornado on the main line. And in today’s world it’s not just the boys who would like to be engine drivers!”
A variety of gifts featuring Tornado, ranging from models of the locomotive to DVDs and books about her construction are available from the Trust’s on-line shop at www.a1steam.com.
To book tickets on 'The Cathedrals Express' please contact Steam Dreams (www.steamdreams.com Tel: 01483 209888 Email: info@steamdreams.co.uk)
To trespass on the railway is a criminal offence. The Trust respectfully requests that anyone wanting to see Tornado follows the rules of the railway and only goes where permitted.