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.
The train departs from Brunel’s masterpiece, London’s Paddington station, at 10:00hrs calling at Slough at 10:30hrs and Reading at 11:00hrs. From there ‘The Cathedrals Express’ will travel via Westbury and the scenic Berks and Hants route to Salisbury passing the historic white horses en route. From Salisbury Tornado will return to London via Andover and Basingstoke calling at Reading at 15:00hrs, Slough at 15:30hrs and returning to London Paddington at around 16:00hrs. Prices for this romantic lunchtime journey are Standard £59.50, First Class £89.00, Premier Dining £149.00 and Pullman Style Dining £199.00.
For the romantic evening trip Tornado will again head ‘The Cathedrals Express’ around the Surrey Hills. Departing from London’s magnificent Waterloo station at 19:00hrs there will be a leisurely three and a half hours to enjoy each other’s company on-board the vintage 1950s coaches. The day will culminate with a fast run from Guildford via Surbiton and Wimbledon non stop back to Waterloo station. Prices for this romantic dinner are Standard £55.00, First Class £79.00, Premier Dining £139.00 and Pullman Style Dining £175.00.
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: