Tornado, the first new main line steam locomotive to be built in Britain for almost 50 years, will haul her next train, The Tyne Tornado, from York to Newcastle and back on Thursday 12th March 2009, organised by railtour promoter Pathfinder Tours.
The train times are as follows:
York d 12.04
Tollerton Jc 12.18
Thirsk 12.29
Northallerton 12.36
Darlington 12.48
Ferryhill S Jc 12.58
Tursdale Jc a 13.03; d 13.15
Durham 13.26
Birtley 13.36
Newcastle a 13.43Newcastle d 17.20
Birtley 17.28
Durham 17.37
Ferryhill S Jc 17.46
Darlington 17.55
Northallerton 18.06
Thirsk 18.14
Tollerton Jc 18.28
York a 18.48
The Trust respectfully requests that anyone wanting to see Tornado's main line passenger trains follows the rules of the railway and only goes where permitted.
- ENDS -Photographs of original A1s and
Tornado are available on request.
Note to Editors The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, a registered charity, built Peppercorn class A1 Pacific 60163 Tornado at its Darlington Locomotive Works to haul charter trains operating on Network Rail. Fitted with additional water capacity and the latest railway safety electronics, Tornado is fully equipped for today’s main line railway. The class A1s were designed by Arthur H Peppercorn for the London & North Eastern Railway and 49 were built in 1948/49 by British Railways. However, following the dieselisation of the railways, all were scrapped by 1966. The project to build a new Peppercorn class A1 was launched in 1990 and after 18 years of planning, construction and fundraising the £3 million locomotive was completed in August 2008. Following tests and trials, first on the Great Central Railway, Loughborough and latterly on the Network Rail main line based out of the National Railway Museum, York, Tornado hauled her first main line passenger train on 31st January 2009. Tornado was named by TRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall at York station on 19th February 2009. Funds to build Tornado have been raised through deeds of covenant, commercial sponsorship (principal sponsor William Cook Cast Products Limited), commercial loans and through a bond issue. The Trust is still seeking to raise funds to repay the £832,000 borrowed to complete her construction.
For details of how to help or where to travel behind Tornado telephone 01325 4 60163, visit www.a1steam.com or email enquiries@a1steam.com
Pathfinder Tours: Web: www.pathfindertours.co.uk; Tel: 01453 835414/834477 Email: office@pathfindertours.co.uk
For more information please contact:Mark Allatt, chairman, The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, on 07710 878979 or
mark.allatt@a1steam.com