Tornado

My shots of Tornado on Thursday now up at:

http://mark-walker.fotopic.net/c1716364_1.html


Cheers,
Mark

 

Looks like Tornado is popular in Haywards Heath because the Tornado book by Robin Jones has only 1 copy left and last week there were loads left.

 

Ah yes,the book,i just finished reading that today,fantastic book well worth the money,some awesome pics and write ups! =D> =D>


Oh,and i was rather surprised to note my own fot on the centre spread (in the NRM) so thanks to the guys at the A1ST for using it!

Cheers,
Mark

 

How do they do it?
the Channel 5 programme is repeated tonight with a short bit about making tornado
7.30pm

 

I think it's selling very well. They sold a lot on the Father's Day trips. And they have disappeared pretty quickly in local branches of WHsmith. I went to get one on the day they were released and they were nearly all gone then. Depends how many they put out to begin with though.

 

They had restocked Haywards Heath by Saturday but none in Crawley and will be looking in Haywards Heath again tomorrow. Although I have the book which is great and when I got it about 2/3 weeks ago I've read it nearly everyday.

 

This question may have been asked before but Im too lazy to read all the posts in this thread because there is quite alot but why does Tornado have an old A4's chime whistle? From what my dad was saying to me the A1's never had chime whistles.

 

You could always try typing in "Tornado" and "whistle" into the forum search at the top of the page ...

Richard

 

Does anybody here know the age of the youngest crews to have worked on Tornado yet? Thanks!

 

Hello SeanMargerison,

Concerning the chime whistle on Tornado, why not, I believe it is the whistle, original, if my memory serves me correctly, that was carried by Class A4 60011 Empire of India. Also as the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust stated right from the off, 60163 Tornado is not a reproduction, nor is she a replica, she is a "development" of the Peppercorn Class A1.

Looking forward to seeing her again on Sunday, hauling the Torbay Express down to Kingswear. Then going up to Exeter St.David's to see 34067 Tangmere bringing the Cathedral's Express in.
Best regards SteamHawk216.

 

If anyone has any photos of Tornado on the evening trip of the Cathedrals Express on 21st June could they please contact gill.morland@a1steam.com. Thanks Mark

 

Sorry, it should read gillian.morland@a1steam.com

 

Even after a year, Tornado = Media Coverage.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/oxfordshire/8222307.stm

 

Nice interview at Barrow Hill with BBC Sheffield's Gareth Evans - http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p004nrcl/Gareth_Evans_15_10_2009/ (25 mins in)

 

Here are links to a couple of pictures taken in the evening gloom at Broadstairs.

http://phil-edwards.photobook.org.uk/p59178712.html
http://phil-edwards.photobook.org.uk/p59178724.html

 

The "Tornado" Effect

Having just returned from the Severn Valley Railway, and witnessed packed trains and stations, it really does appear that "Tornado" has captured the public's imagination. I congratulate the "Tornado" team for their ongoing marketing and publicity effort, which appears most successful. Long may it continue.

I think there were more people at Kidderminster than for the last steam gala, and I have never before seen Bridgnorth's platform one packed from end to end as it was today. Even allowing for it being half-term, and a lovely warm sunny day, the public have still turned out in considerable numbers to see Tornado and ride on the SVR. Despite the pressures of so many people out and about, the SVR appeared to be coping, and the visitors enjoying themselves.

You need to be in Kidderminster SVR car-park by 10-00 at the latest if you want to park your car.

And an honourable mention for that fabulous GNR Tank. What a machine, striding around with eight packed BR Mk1's with no trouble! Ride behind it if you get the chance. (...and Tornado of course...)

46118

 

Tornado on the Valley

I too visited Tornado at the SVR and was kindly allowed to take detailed shots on the footplate. Unfortunatly due to other commitments, though I missed the best of the weather.

Photos from Tuesday and Thursday here: http://www.chappers.fotopic.net/c1775460.html

 

No one can deny that the building of Tornado was a superb effort by all concerned. The trouble is with her putting in regular record breaking performances and effortless 75mp running is it getting a little boring? There was huge coverage of the superb machine in this months SR but what about all the rest? The A1's publicity machine is second to none but how are they going to make it more interesting for the enthusiast?

 

90mph running? Let us not forget that there is a heck of a lot of debt to repay still on this locomotive and if it was any other owning group it would probably cripple them. That the PR from the A1 trust is so good means that debts are being repaid on time and the group can at some point look towards gaining money towards it's first overhaul. Lastly, as an enthusiast what excites me most about this loco is how it has captured Joe Public's imagination. To see the reports coming back from the SVR of packed trains, 3 generations of families visiting and young kids jumping up and down in excitement at the sight of this loco can only be good for Heritage railways and the future as a whole. This is probably more famous than another apple green LNER loco at the moment, we should make hay whilst the sun shines. Maybe it is boring one or two enthusiasts but it is exciting non enthusiasts and giving them 'the bug', steam trains are suddenly 'cool' again -this should excite us all.

 

Personally i find her record-breaking performances and effortless high speed running two of the things that make her so appealing, i'd be surprised if that ever became boring.

That said given how much interest there always is over liveries, the repaint into Blue and BR green is something to look forward to and help rejuvenate people's interests; especially the latter one.

Chris