Tornado

I wonder if you are looking into the subject of livery a little too deeply?

Everyone - media, covenators, sponsors, well wishers, photographers, and everyone and their mother - has been told Tornado will wear all the possible liveries in operation over the next decade. Everyone will get the chance to see Tornado in apple green, brunswick green (early and late), and blue, albeit with a few periods inbetween with the apple green. That's been on the cards for a while.

I should hope no one would bat an eyelid when Tornado gets repainted, mainly because it's a) not up to anyone but the trust and its covenator base that owns the locomotive, what colour it goes into, and b) like all locomotives, it'll be repainted many dozens of times in the course of its lifetime, fulfilling everyone's satisfactions, be it apple green, blue or brunswick green.

No doubt, but they then are the ones who count; and if they are upset at the prospect of apple green being the "main colour", then they should be able to voice their opinion rationally, calmly, and politely, in number, to the trust and then perhaps the question could be taken further. Perhaps, timing each of the liveries equally over Tornado's working life. Democracy at work, after all the trust held a vote on the choice of livery for the first bachmann model, with the covenators ( for the record, it was BR Green), so it could again on liveries on the real thing, in the future.

The only caveat I would have - regarding both 60163 and 60532, would be the position of the smokebox numberplates. But it wouldn't be a deal breaker, nor the end of the world, if I didn't see the numberplate in the higher position on the loco's smokebox door. I'm quite content with my lot, seeing that which my late grandfather, sadly didn't.

 

Personally I don't mind what liviery Tornado gets painted in. I love the Apple Green and I can understand why the A1 Trust want to use it as they're core liviery. I also love the BR Express Blue liviery and a shame not more express locos aren't painted in this (only 60007 and soon 6023 are/will carry it at the moment). The Brunswick Green is my least favourite but I understand that many people wish to see it like this as thats how they remember them.

I'm sure that when Tornado is repainted at the end of the year the A1 Trust will bring back press attention as to whats happening with the loco.

Has it been confirmed whether Tornado will be in early or late crest when its repainted.

 

Dan, it'll be the early crest followed by the late crest, over the next year, I believe. There's an update on the trust's website somewhere (which I can't for the life of me find right now!) stating this, along with the dates/timings of the winter overhaul plan and repainting. It'll be back at the NRM for painting/repair in its stop-over winter gap.

 

Ah right thanks for confirming.

 

Why repaint at the NRM when the Trust has its own workshop at Darlington? Are the DArlington workshops in use for anything nowadays?

 

The new support coach for 60163 is being worked on there. As it is not rail connected I can understand why the A1SLT use the NRM facilities, as otherwise it would have to be roaded over there and back for its winter maintenance period.

I wonder how much it would cost to connect the Hopetown workshop to the line to Shildon?

Regards,

Dan

 

Besides, having it at the NRM under maintainance helps to keep her in the public's eye.

 

Well as Dan says it's used at the moment for Tornados support coach but I think the NELPG use it as well as Joem's overhaul was finished there.

 

The A1 Trust have just announced the winner of their Tornado livery competition. The winner was chosen for "its vibrancy and unique colouring combinations":
http://www.watercressline.co.uk/News/Latest/View/262

Richard

 

The Photters ain't gonna be happy.

 

1/2 a million quid was quoted 3 years ago, when we were on site viewing tornado.

Thats why york is the engineering base, its only 40 minutes away from darlington by car...

 

It looks even better in close-up:


Richard

 

The tender is almost Stroudley's 'improved engine green' now there's an idea...

An A1 in 'improved engine green'!

I'll be leaving now to my bombshelter!

 

Of course, there is another livery she could have, if any of you have seen or heard about Mark Allatt's Tornado models he has - GNER blue, for a start

 

If he's collecting a full set of ex-East Coast franchise liveries, I presume he's also got one of these:
http://fictitiousliveries.fotopic.net/p54973767.html

Richard

 

That's certainly different!

 

I hope Joseph is prepared for the howls of protest that that will cause.:behindsofa:

 

Sense of humour failure, much?