Tornado, the first new main line steam locomotive to be built in Britain for almost 50 years, is returning to the North East on Saturday 24th April 2010 with ‘The Tyne-Tees Tornado’ excursion. The train, promoted by Pathfinder Tours (www.pathfindertours.co.uk), starts diesel-hauled at Gloucester and winds its way to York picking up passengers at stations on the way. Tornado takes over the train at York and then on to Newcastle. On the return journey Tornado hauls ‘The Tyne-Tees Tornado’ back as far as her Darlington birthplace where she is detached. Diesel traction then takes the train back along the same route to Gloucester whist Tornado travels the short distance to ‘Locomotion: The National Railway Museum at Shildon’ where she will be on display until Wednesday 5th May 2010.

The excursion starts diesel-hauled at Gloucester, with joining stations then to Chesterfield and York. Here our diesel is replaced by Peppercorn A1 Class Pacific 60163 Tornado, ready for the run to Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and the train will race along at near the maximum permitted speed across the Plain of York to Northallerton, then over the River Tees into County Durham. On this outward run Tornado will speed through Darlington, there crossing the legendary Stockton & Darlington Railway of 1825. Northwards there is varied scenery before Durham, where the railway viaduct offers a superb vista of the Cathedral and Castle and then the descent to the Tyne Valley, welcomed by the Angel of the North. Tornado will slow for the crossing of the Tyne on one of the many bridges that lead from Gateshead to Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and where passengers are able to take a 3½ hour break. For passengers happy with a shorter break, Tornado will set off for a circular trip round the 'Blyth & Tyne' line through Bedlington to Morpeth, then back down the main line to Newcastle, where the train pick-up the rest of its passengers. Tornado will then re-cross the Tyne, climbing to Durham then down to Ferryhill, where she will take the normally 'freight only' line to Norton and Stockton, then on the 1825 opened line to Darlington. From here a diesel locomotive will return the train to Gloucester.

The timings are as follows:

York  d 09.59

Thirsk  10.25       

Northallerton  10.33       

Darlington  10.45       

Durham  11.05       

Newcastle  a 11.20