Self Explanatory Picture !!
Yesterday the tender tank was delivered to Darlington and was successfully trial fitted to the frames – and it fits !!
News
The project to build Tornado has had a high media profile since its launch in 1990 but never more so than following her first public move in steam on 1st August 2008.
Over the years articles have appeared in almost every UK national newspaper, many regional papers, national and local television and radio, and the specialist engineering and railway press. It’s not just the UK press that has covered the story. Tornado has appeared in the media in many overseas countries including Australia, China, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Russia and the USA.
Media contact
Media enquiries should be made to The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust office in Darlington, at or on +44 (0) 1325 460163.
Fantastic Progress !
A special thanks to all those who have contributed towards our current target to get Tornado steaming on the main line this year. As you can see from the ‘gauge’ above we edge ever closer to the target – please do help us bridge that final gap.
Successful Steam Test
The funding gap needed to be bridged to complete Tornado has shrunk from £49,434 to £27,009 over the past month.
Buy the romance of steam…
Buy the romance of steam for your man this Valentine’s Day
“This Valentine’s Day will be the last one when you can buy a part of new steam locomotive Tornado for the man in your life”, said Mark Allatt, Chairman of The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, the registered charity that is building the first new main line steam locomotive in Britain almost 50 years, “and what could be more romantic than helping to recreate the lost days of the steam age”.
Full steam ahead..
Full steam ahead for new main line steam locomotive as 60163 Tornado steams 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 the boiler for Peppercorn class A1 60163 Tornado had received its boiler certificate following a successful steam test in Darlington on Friday 11 January 2008, at Darlington Locomotive Works, Hopetown Lane, Darlington.
First Fire Lit !!
Today, 9th January, at just after 2-00pm Mrs Dorothy Mather, President of The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust lit the first fire for Tornado thus marking a truly momentous moment in the history of The Trust and one which we have all been eagerly anticipating.
The fire was lit with Tornado inside the works:
Hydraulic Test Passed !!
Yesterday, 7th January, at approx 12:00hrs, witnessed by boiler inspector John Glaze and Paul Molyneux-Berry of the Vehicle Acceptance Body, Tornado successfully passed its boiler hydraulic test.
Super-Heater elements all fitted !!
Thanks to the generosity of our many supporters work has been able to be continued at a fast pace in Darlington Locomotive Works. As the momentous day of the steam test draws nearer the super-heater elements are now all in place:
Finance and Fundraising
The funding gap needed to be bridged to complete Tornado has shrunk from £55,052 to £49,434 over the past month.
Mark Allatt, chairman of The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust commented: “With less than a month to go until Tornado’s steam test you can feel the sense of anticipation in Darlington Locomotive Works. The Trust’s engineering team is working flat out to achieve this deadline with up to thirteen people working on the locomotive at any one time, excluding the multitude of contactors working on numerous components offsite. The laying of the track for the steam test outside Darlington Locomotive Works marks the achievement of another milestone for the project.
Boiler arrives in Darlington
LAST MAJOR HURDLE OVERCOME AS BOILER FOR TORNADO ARRIVES IN DARLINGTON
The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, the registered charity that is building the first new mainline steam locomotive in Britain for over 40 years, has announced that the completed boiler for No. 60163 Tornado was unloaded in Darlington today (Sunday 16th July 2006) following its journey from Germany. It was taken off the low-loader using a 200 ton crane and moved inside Darlington Locomotive Works in Hopetown Lane, Darlington, joining the rest of the part- finished locomotive, now 75% complete. The boiler will be mounted on Tornado’s frames in April next year.
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The boiler was manufactured by Dampflokwerk Meiningen (Steam Locomotive Works Meiningen), a workshop of the Deutsche Bahn (the German Federal Railway), to a modified version of the original LNER Diagram 118 boiler incorporating modern materials, welded construction and a steel rather than copper firebox. The boiler was completed on time and to budget and passed its hydraulic test on Monday witnessed by German and British certification authorities before beginning its journey to the UK on Thursday.
The A1 Trust is building Peppercorn Class A1 Pacific No. 60163 Tornado at its Darlington Locomotive Works and when complete at the end of 2007, and certified for mainline use by May 2008, it will be used on charter trains operating on Network Rail. To enable the Trust to achieve this target only another £195,000 of a total cost of £2.56m needs to be raised in addition to what has already been donated and pledged.
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Mark Allatt, chairman of The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust commented: “The completion of the boiler is tremendous news for Tornado and the future of mainline steam in Britain. The boiler is the single most expensive component of Tornado and its completion marks the overcoming of the last major engineering hurdle in the construction programme. When this project was launched in 1990 many people said that it could not be done. The delivery of Tornado’s boiler proves the doubters wrong and means that there is only £195,000 and 100 weeks between now and Tornado’s mainline début.
With the boiler delivered, it is now a matter of when, not if, Tornado will be completed and the achievement of our end of 2007 target is simply down to how much money we can raise. We are now looking to railway enthusiasts throughout the country to help us complete Tornado through 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!”