Peppercorn Class A1 60163 Tornado Steaming Schedule

The following news release was posted this evening (1/26/09) on the Trains.com Newswire.


British "Tornado" to make first passenger runs

Published: Monday, January 26, 2009 (http://www.trains.com/trn/default.aspx?c=a&id=4547)
YORK, England - Tornado, the first new mainline steam locomotive to be built in Britain for almost 50 years, will haul her first passenger train on the Network Rail main line this Saturday, Jan. 31. The Pacific will pull a train from York to Newcastle-upon-Tyne and return. The train, dubbed the The Peppercorn Pioneer, is being run for the supporters of the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust [see "They really did build a new 4-6-2," February 2009 TRAINS] who raised the funds to build the new Peppercorn class A1 steam locomotive over the past 19 years.

The train is a repeat of the one hauled by the last Peppercorn class A1, 60145 Saint Mungo, on Dec. 31, 1965, shortly before it was scrapped. The train will consist of 13 cars, equating to about 500 tons, and will run at up to 75 mph. The new Peppercorn class A1 60163 Tornado will be wearing its apple green livery with "British Railways" on the tender, as carried by the first 30 of the original 49 Peppercorn class A1s when built. The new locomotive cost £3 million (about $4.2 million) to build.

The Tornado will follow the following schedule from York to Newcastle and return on Jan. 31:

Depart York station at 12:07 p.m.
Pass Northallerton at 12:36 p.m.
Pass Darlington at 12:48 p.m.
Pass Durham at 1:06 p.m.
Arrive Newcastle Central Station at 1:21 p.m.

Depart Newcastle Central station at 4:34 p.m.
Pass Durham at 4:51 p.m.
Pass Darlington at 5:10 p.m.
Pass Northallerton at 5:22 p.m.
Arrive York station at 6:00 p.m.

The second run of The Peppercorn Pioneer will be on Sunday, Feb. 1. The train will start from Doncaster, picking up riders at York, and running through to Durham. The return trip will be hauled by Tornado from Durham to York with a diesel returning the train from York to Doncaster. A limited number of tickets are now available to the general public on this second train, the first public opportunity to travel behind Tornado on the main line. They are priced at £69.00 for Standard Class and £95.00 First Class and are available through the Trust's booking agent, Steam Dreams, by calling 01483 209886.

The Feb. 1 run will run on the following timings from Doncaster to Durham and return:

Doncaster - Platform 1 at 11:56 a.m.
York - Platform 11, 12:27-12:48 p.m.
Durham - Platform 2, 2:10-2:15 p.m.

Durham - Platform 1, 5:50-5:53 p.m.
York, 6:57-7:28 p.m.
Doncaster at 7:52 p.m.

The next tours organized by The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust for Tornado are:

Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009 - The Talisman - Darlington and York to London King's Cross. Tickets are Standard £79.50, First Class £119 (non dining), and Premier Dining £175.

Saturday, April 18, 2009 - The Yorkshire Pullman - King's Cross to York and return by Tornado, hauling the VSOE British Pullman train. Only Pullman class is available, at £449 per person.

Booking agent for all of the above can be arranged through Steam Dreams by calling 01483 209886.

Other operations are planned for Tornado in March, April, and May.

For more information contact Mark Allatt, Chairman, The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, on 07710 878979 or mark.allatt@a1steam.com .

 

Hank, it is really admirable, what the British have done to build this beauty from scratch. I was a lukewarm participant in the "let's build a Hudson" program years ago, but realized that American railfans aren't willing to spend the money for such a project. At my age now, I wouldn't even consider getting involved, as I'll never live to see the end result. Hope some young people will get enthused and try this again. :tb-biggrin:

 

New build

Fitz, never say never. I suggest you Google The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust.
I live a little over two miles from the East Coast main line here in the UK in a village called Brompton, located 1.5 miles from Northallerton which is on the main line. I have looked at the steaming days for Tornado on the site above, and will have a chance to either watch it go through on one of its trips, or go to The North Yorkshire Moors Railway and stand next to it later in the year. You guys should do all you can to encourage others in your country to start a new build of a loco. even if like one of the founders of the A1 society, you do not live to see the finished product. We have an amazing legacy with this loco, which in time could end up being the only working steam loco as the remaining originals wear out.
People want something safe to invest in these days, get them to invest small amounts in an American modern legacy. I have only ever seen some of your magnificent locos on film. If it takes ten years to build a new one, I could well still be around to see it, and you never know, it might get here to run on our rails. Never say never.
Midman(Chris)

 

Hi Chris, welcome to the Trainboard, we are very happy to have you aboard.

Jim (Fitz) and I, and many like us wish that the US had the same pro-rail culture that you in the UK have had for years, and still have. Sadly, ours is an automobile based culture for travel under 500 miles. We abandoned and tore up all our urban and interurban rail passenger transit 50 or more years ago. With the exception of UP 844 and 3985 which are maintained and operated by Union Pacific, there are only a handful of 3 and 4 axle steam locomotives remaining in the US that are operational, and these thanks to volunteers who must continuously beg for funds. I believe that building a new steam locomotive from the ground up in the US is a wonderful dream, but without a corporate or charity sponsor with very deep pockets, it would remain just that.

 

Chris, welcome to Trainboard! You have to understand that over the years I have become a real curmudgeon when it comes to a "let's build one" here in the USA. As Hank pointed out, we in USA have gone "off track" when it comes to railroads. Very sad. I hope you get to see the Tornado run, ride behind her and get lots of good photos for posterity. :tb-biggrin: