| Completed and moves in steam for the first time |
| Thursday, 31 July 2008 00:00 |
New £3 million steam locomotive 60163 Tornado completed and moves for the first time The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, the registered charity that is building the first new main line steam locomotive in Britain for almost 50 years, today announced that 60163 Tornado has made her first public move in steam in Darlington. It was attended by Mrs Dorothy Mather, president of The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust and widow of the designer of the class A1s.Designed by Arthur Peppercorn as the final development of express passenger steam locomotives for the London & North Eastern Railway, the newly formed British Railways constructed 49 in 1948/49 at its Doncaster and Darlington Works. Following the decision to eliminate steam traction on Britain's railways, the last of the class A1s was scrapped in 1966 following a failed preservation attempt. 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 has now taken to the rails for the first time.  Mark Allatt, chairman of The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust commented:"Tornado's first public move in steam marks the beginning of the final phase for 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. 18 years later, and thanks to that shared vision and determination, Tornado has turned her wheels in anger for the first time. 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 all that remains now between Tornado and main line operations is the successful completion of her test and trials programme." Mark Allatt continued: "With 4th August marking the 40th anniversary of the end of British Railways steam and 6th August the 60th anniversary of the entry into traffic of the first Peppercorn class A1 60114 WP Allen, there could be no better time to celebrate steam's second coming and no better way than the completion of the first new main line steam locomotive in Britain for almost 50 years. When this project was launched in 1990 many people said that it could not be done. The completion of the construction programme proves the doubters wrong and means that there is only £66,000 to pay for test and trials and less than three months between now and Tornado's main line début. "Tornado's trials will start on the Great Central Railway at Loughborough later this month and will continue on Network Rail in the autumn. The Trust is now looking to the great British public to help us get Tornado onto the main line by making a donation, sponsoring a component, taking part in our covenant scheme and/or our £500,000 bond issue. It's time those who have been waiting for final proof that this project WILL succeed to help us to finish the job - there are no more excuses left!" The A1 Trust has built Peppercorn Class A1 Pacific 60163 Tornado at its Darlington Locomotive Works and when certified it will be used 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. Over £2.9m has been raised to-date through deeds of covenant, commercial sponsorship (principal sponsor William Cook Cast Products Limited), loans and a bond issue. In order to get Tornado on the main line as quickly as possible the Trust needs to raise a further £66,000 on top of its existing pledges. |
