Tornado

Anyway... Tornado. Just over a month and it'll be in steam with a fair wind.

 

All complaints will go away for about a month when the first pictures of it rolling out of Darlington with it's tender and British Railways printed in white on the tender with the sun catching the Green paint and once again there is a A1 out and about again. Then everyone can go to the GCR and watch it's running it and showing what it's made of.

 

If good regular main line work had been there for Truro, it would still be on the network now...

How many of us lot will be itred of the A1 once it's been out a couple of year? Let's celebrate this engineering feat long term, but I bet the steam world of instant gratification will not, and move on to demanding a return to steam of 4468 from their armchairs...

 

Would people get tired of it? Do people get tired with the likes of Rood Ashton, Sutherland & Tangmere? Any restoration/overhaul is an engineering feat, to a lesser or greater extent. Yet this all became taken for granted long ago. Look at 6023; a landmark restoration achieved mainly through voluntary effort, so far taking 18 years and costing £650,000. It isn't even finished, yet in the current issue of SR we already have some bloke asking for 6000 to be steamed! But that's the way things are.

If, after the initial euphoria, Tornado comfortably settles down into the top flight of mainline engines, then I think it will have achieved the gratification it deserves. Engines such as the King, Duke and Clan Line have been around for some time now, yet they are still held with high regard. Hopefully the A1 will be able to confidently join these elite ranks.

The thing is though, going by that strategy, 5051 should have left the mainline years before it did. In the 5 1/2 years it was out there, it averaged 3 trips a year. Yet would anybody argue that it wasn't a suitable engine to run on the mainline? If you don't put the effort in to find trips, you won't get them. And right now I think the NRM are rather more concerned with a pair of apple-green things. But then again, it's a colour which seems very much in-vogue at the moment!

 

I did Bradley Manors final two runs...

To be honest i was disapointed by the EMF for doing such a half ***** job of mainline running! Both trips were fantastic. They could have really earned some money with a more regular Birmingham-Bristol via Newport or something simular... Guagung was not a problem, as there were still local routes...

Anyways, thats all finished with! Rant over!

 

When Truro worked that bargain Plymouth to Bristol back in December 04 I moved heaven and earth to get on it.

So did about another thirty or so who appreciated the quality and heritage of what is now undoubtedly the last run it will ever make over its old stamping ground.

The sight and sound of it reeling off mile after mile at sixty or so, Bill Andrews munching his lunch in the cab at Taunton, the parallel run under the roof at BTM.

Yep - let 'em all run off for their 12 coach big engine days out - I'll stay with that for quality.

And the A1 - lets just hope they don't encounter the fiasco that has enveloped no 19!

 

I get the feeling that Tornado will be a tightly run locomotive. And I never get tired of mainline steam, whatever is up front. The fact that I am able to indulge my passion is an almost inbelievable honour.

 

Not so long ago I stayed up until the early hours of the morning to see something go through Didcot, as I thought it was worthwhile. It's not really something you could ever take for granted.

And it wasn't even a Swindon product.

 

Assume that was the same loco that rather surreally passed through Swindon in the dead of night on a test run not so long ago, probably a little after you saw it go through Didcot? I'd go as far as saying I'm a fan of the LMS first, the GWR second, the SR third, and the LNER last - and even so it was a rather special sight, I agree.

 

It made the most strange noise, like some vulgar American engine.

 

Well I suppose that when on the territory of the Gets Worse Railway that anything designed with flair and style will look a bit strange.

The fact that it really did 100 mph also is perhaps a little difficult to understand as well

I do believe that it will be away from those parts for the friendly north very shortly so don't worry - you can reassure yourselves amongst all that copper and brass again once its gone! \/

 

What are you lot on about?

 

I think thats a bit Late and Never Early Really !

 

Anyway... Tornado

 

Is Steam Railway going to make a magnificent gesture and provide the last 55,000 pounds needed Danny?

 

No Christmas in the Hopkins household this year then..... or next year

 

Or... No household in the Hopkins Christmas this year...lol

 

Imagine what kind of publicity could be made out of that? Surely you could find the money from somewhere?

 

ROFLMAO

Neil, nice sentiment, but EMAP might be big, but I'd be very surprised if they are big to the tune of 55-K in spare change.

 

Why not spead the final donation amongst the three main magazines

I am sure Steam Railway, Heritage Railway and Railway Magazine have sold just a few more mags due to news and stories on Tornado

It would be an excellent gesture from the press and I am sure they would make even more publicity from it.

But we don't quite live in the perfect world....do we