Tornado, the first new main line steam locomotive to be built in Britain for almost 50 years, will haul her first train to London on Saturday 7th February 2009. This train, The Talisman, will start at Darlington where new Peppercorn class A1 60163 Tornado was constructed, picking up at York and travelling on to London King’s Cross station. This will be the first time a once-familiar Peppercorn class A1 has been to London for over 40 years.
The Talisman was British Railway’s prestigious London-Edinburgh express which symbolised the post-war renaissance of the East Coast Main Line. It was first run on 17th September 1956 and was regularly hauled by Tornado’s now extinct class members. The 2009 train will consist of 13 carriages, equating to about 500 tons, and will run at up to 75mph. The new £3 million Peppercorn class A1 60163 Tornado will be wearing her glorious apple green livery with ‘British Railways’ on the tender as carried by the first 30 of the original 49 Peppercorn class A1s when built.
Speaking about Tornado’s first passenger train to London King’s Cross station, Mark Allatt, chairman of The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust said:
“Tornado’s first train to London is the opening of a new chapter in the story of a project that many said could never be completed. In 1990 a group was formed with a vision and the determination to make it succeed – to build and operate a Peppercorn class A1 Pacific steam locomotive for main line and preserved railway use. 19 years later, and thanks to that shared vision and determination, Tornado hauled her first passenger train on the Network Rail main line in front of the world’s press and an estimated 10,000 people on 31st January 2009. It is thanks to our more than 2,000 regular monthly and other donors, our sponsors led by William Cook Cast Products Limited and the hard work of our volunteers and contractors that the project has achieved so much. The Trust is now looking to the great British public to help us keep Tornado on the main line by making a donation, sponsoring a component, taking part in our covenant scheme and/or our £500,000 bond issue to help repay the £832,000 borrowed to complete her construction.”
On Saturday 7th February 2009, Tornado will follow the timings below from Darlington and York to London King’s Cross station:
Departs Darlington – 07:45hrs
Passes Northallerton – 08:01hrs
Passes Thirsk – 08:09hrs
Passes Tollerton – 08:20hrs
Arrives York – 08:35hrs – pick-up platform 11 and waterstop
Departs York – 08:56hrs
Passes Doncaster - 09.38hrs
Waters Retford - 10:04-10:19hrs
Passes Newark - 10:41hrs
Passes Grantham - 10:55hrs
Waters Peterborough Yard - 11:31-11:56hrs
Passes Peterborough - 12:00hrs
Passes Huntingdon - 12:21hrs
Passes Sandy - 12:29hrs
Passes Biggleswade - 12:34hrs
Passes Hitchin - 12:46hrs
Passes Stevenage - 12:53hrs
Passes Welwyn GC - 13:05hrs
Passes Potters Bar - 13.17hrs
Passes Alexandra Palace - 13:30hrs
Passes Finsbury Park - 13:38hrs
Arrives London King's Cross - 13:47hrs
Thanks to National Express East Coast, Tornado will be on display at London King's Cross station for about an hour after arrival
The return of The Talisman to York and Darlington is with modern traction:
Departs London King's Cross 17:48hrs
Arrives York 21:17hrs
Arrives Darlington 21:58hrs
There are still a small number of places available on The Talisman but they are selling fast. Seats are priced at Standard £79.50, First Class £119.00 (non dining) and Premier Dining £175.00 and can be purchased from the Trust's booking agent Steam Dreams on 01483 209886.
The next tour organised by The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust for Tornado is:
Saturday 18th April 2009 - The Yorkshire Pullman - Kings Cross to York and return by Tornado hauling the VSOE British Pullman train.
Only Pullman class available at £449 per person
Booking agent for the above is Steam Dreams on 01483 209886.
Other operations confirmed for Tornado are:
Saturday 14th February – Valentine’s Luncheon/Dinner – Steam Dreams
Web: www.steamdreams.com; Tel: 01483 209888; Email: info@steamdreams.co.uk
Saturday 28th February – The Auld Reekie Express – York - Edinburgh – Past-Time Rail Ltd
Web: www.past-timerail.co.uk; Tel: 01543 411971
Thursday 12th March – The Tyne Tornado - York - Newcastle – Pathfinder
Web: www.pathfindertours.co.uk; Tel: 01453 835414/834477 Email: office@pathfindertours.co.uk
Weekend of 4th/4th April - Barrow Hill LNER Gala with Peppercorn class A2 60532 Blue Peter
Web: www.barrowhill.org; Tel: 01246 472450; Email: project_man@barrowhill.org.uk
Friday 1st to Sunday 10th May – North Yorkshire Moors Railway – Spring Steam Gala
Web: www.nymr.co.uk; Tel: 01751 472508
The Trust respectfully requests that anyone wanting to see Tornado's first 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.
Journalists wishing to travel on The Talisman on 7th February should email Mark Allatt at mark.allatt@a1steam.com
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. Over £2.9m has been raised to-date through deeds of covenant, commercial sponsorship (principal sponsor William Cook Cast Products Limited) and through a bond issue. 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.
For more information please contact:
Mark Allatt, chairman, The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, on 07710 878979 or mark.allatt@a1steam.com