UK: Steam locomotive takes home passengers stranded by snow-delayed modern trains

The Daily Mail (U.K.) ^ | December 23, 2009 | James White

[Stoat]

Passengers stranded when modern-day trains fell victim to the freezing weather have been rescued by the crew of a steam engine.

About 100 passengers climbed aboard the first mainline steam locomotive to be built in Britain for almost half a century at London Victoria when electric trains were delayed.
 

The 1940s technology used to power Tornado, a £3million Peppercorn class A1 Pacific, was able to withstand the snow and ice that brought much of the South East to a standstill on Monday night.

Historic solution: The Tornado A1 locomotive came to the aid of stranded passengers let down by modern trains in freezing conditions

The locomotive's 'Cathedrals Express' service was offering festive trips in the region when staff on board heard about the stranded passengers.
 

The travellers were offered free seats and were dropped off at stations as it chuffed through Kent, said Mark Allatt, chairman of the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, the charity which built Tornado.

Mr Allatt said they were pleased to be able to help some of London's stranded commuters 'get home in style' and joked that rail operators could learn lessons from them.

[Stoat]

Please also see:

FR thread from last year which is all about the train featured in this article, and includes many great photos

Really chuffed First full-size British steam locomotive for 50 years fires up

and

Rail Britannia Newly found pix reveal train travel was once glorious experience, not shabby ordeal

[Stoat]

[Frantzie]

A real beauty she is too.

[IAMIUBU]

Makes my day!

[Kirkwood]

The Hogwarts express?

[smokingfrog]

Nothin’ beats steam power.

[WOBBLY BOB]

The Willie G Boondoggle Sled.

[Joe Boucher]

nap,
just Thomas the train.

[Mr. Lucky]

Why would a kingdom able to build such an engineering masterpiece choose to so meekly surrender to the muslim hoardes?

[CholeraJoe]

OMG! It’s the Hogwarts Express!

[sionnsar]

Too cool!

[Constitutions Grandchild]

I love steam engines and really love the whistles. When I was young my mother talked how the sound of the trains would be so relaxing. I thought to myself, being a child of the diesel and jet age, “Well, if you like trains, we'll just buy a house next to the airport and you can really get a thrill!” HOWEVER, and its a BIG HOWEVER, THE FIRST TIME THE OLD NARROW GAUGE RAIL STEAM ENGINE CAME DOWN THE TRACKS AND BLEW IT'S WHISTLE (and MAN COULD HE MAKE IT SING), I was hooked.

The peaceful chug, chug, chug and the haunting sweet whistle had me at “hello”. From that point on, being in a small town outside of St. Louis, Missouri, we used to head over to the tracks and wave like Hoosiers every time we heard that whistle blow. I realized then that Mother and I were talking apples and oranges and there IS NOTHING LIKE the sound of a train — at least the ones she remembered.

[mad_as_he$$]

Three drive axles - interesting. Track radius issue?

[AFreeBird]

When all else fails - low tech rules!

[Mr. Lucky]

Probably no flange on the middle set of wheels.

[Karma Police]

Reading your post gave me goosebumps!

[Tax-chick]

Wrong color ;-).

[ASOC]

If you like photos of trains you will love
this
site with Russian trains. Some working, some as junk, all very interesting.

WARNING - if you are a photo junkie (and even if you are not) the site can be addictive.

[IAMIUBU]

Thanks for the link!

[BallyBill]

Since getting DISH network, the greatest thing has been "trains and locomotives" on RFD-TV every Monday at 6PM.

if it ain't steam, it ain't a locomotive in my mind.