Following the decision of the Trustees of The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust to withdraw No. 60163 Tornado from traffic for the remainder of 2018 in order to complete the re-certification of the locomotive and repairs to the support coach the following arrangements have been made for the affected trains in the remainder of the 2018 programme:
- Saturday 1st December – ‘The Christmas Border Raider’ – West Midlands to Carlisle via the Settle & Carlisle Railway and return (this has now been re-dated as ‘The Border Raider’ to Saturday 13th April 2019 with Tornado coming on and off the train at Crewe) – bookings through UK Railtours
- Saturday 15th December – ‘The Chester Chuffer’ – Birmingham to Chester and return (will run with an alternative steam locomotive) – Pathfinder Tours
The further delays are due to additional administrative and audit tasks and delays to scheduled repair works on support coach 21249 that were planned to already be completed. Our engineering team are working as swiftly as possible to address these issues.
Whilst the Trust works with DB Cargo to re-certify the locomotive and support coach before undertaking the required main line test run, the Trustees have decided to take the opportunity for Tornado to haul its first Santa Steam Specials on a heritage railway since it was completed in 2008. The Trust is therefore pleased to announce that Tornado will be spending the remainder of 2018 and early 2019 on the Nene Valley Railway near Peterborough hauling its Santa Steam Specials, Mince Pie Specials, Winter Steam services and conducting some Driver Experience days.
For more details or to book online visit www.nvr.org.uk or telephone 01780 782833/784444 between 09:30hrs and 15:30hrs.
Due to the proximity of the Christmas holidays, it is anticipated that Tornado’s main line test run will not now take place until late in December or early in the New Year. However, with Tornado now back in steam and in service on the Nene Valley Railway, the Trust is confident that the locomotive will pick up its exciting 2019 programme with the first of the ‘The North Briton’ series of trains on Saturday 9th February from the East Midlands to Carlisle via the Settle & Carlisle Railway and return (bookings through UK Railtours).
The Trust would like to take this opportunity to apologise for any disappointment and inconvenience caused by the above changes to Tornado’s itinerary.
Tornado, now restored to rude good health, at Wansford - Alex Morton