Tornado

The original schedule had Tornado hauling trains again by now (including Aberdonians). There have been delays with the new boilers and hence a decision to overhaul the existing one instead, all of which is understandable; but that update suggests a lot of other work is still not finished. Do we know why?

 

DBC, in so far as I know have no steam drivers passed for the Aberdeen route, in fact only have 3 steam drivers based north of London who haven't had any steam work since before Covid. the cost of providing conductor drivers makes it a loss for DBC plus trying to cover 6 drivers jobs whilst these men are doing the steam jobs or releasing them from booked work to route learn make it almost impossible for DBC to even consider running them.

 

The fact that DBC have agreed the new contract implies that it cannot possibly be as bad as that.

 

The Steam Railway Magazine article makes it clear that at least 3 DBC drivers will learn the Aberdeen route and hopefully more including one who isn’t yet fully passed out on steam. DBC have had only one tour AFAIK since Covid north of London. The alternative for DBC was pulling the plug on steam all together. I’m pleased they have decided to put their hands in their pocket and invest in steam operations with Scotland being the big benefit which is interesting given you can count the number of times they have operated north of the Central Belt in the last 10-15 years on one hand.

 

DBC have agreed to INVEST in steam operations presumably with newer members of staff passed out as fireman initially.

 

It is enormously pleasing to here that DBC will have crews learn the Aberdeen route. I must say I’ve been disappointed seeing DBC’s steam operations dwindle from an already small number. It will also hopefully benefit steam on other Scottish routes although I don’t know if other locos that weren’t mentioned in the Steam Railway Magazine article could occasionally be DBC operated.

 

After recently reuniting Tornado's tender frame with the wheel sets, the tender tank was lifted onto the frames. The tender will now receive its top coats of paint ahead of fitting out with ETCS equipment.

 

Ahead of the boiler’s return all of the boiler cladding screws have been cleaned and sorted:

 

Looks like the kind of job they'd give to the intern...

 

Rather like polishing all the brass jack plugs in an old telephone exchange...

 

Quote from The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust:

“Little” jobs like this can take the team of volunteers a long time but are a huge help to our Engineers!

 

Not so long ago when renovating a vintage motorcycle, I would strip as quickly as possible and throw all the fasteners and larger bits together into the one box as I was confident I would know where they all went. Nowadays I have to carefully bag and label them all. I can't imagine how a team working on a locomotive such as Tornado could manage without meticulous record keeping and care.

 

Tornado’s new home is coming along nicely:

 

Whats the loco or cab in frount of the hopetown works?

 

Looks like a 37 to me

 

D6898. Ex Network Rail cosmetically restored but I think its little more than a shell.

 

D6898.

Took a photo in the summer but the forum is preventing me from uploading it ...

Tom

 

D6898/37198, the last loco built by RSH in Darlington.

 

Is that the one that got a little too friendly with the TPO set at the GC?