FIRST NEW MAIN LINE STEAM LOCOMOTIVE BUILT FOR ALMOST HALF A CENTURY HAULS TRAIN FROM LONDON TO SWANAGE ON 16th JUNE 2010

News Item and Press Release from Andrew P.M. Wright - dated 16th June 2010
Official photographer & press officer, Swanage Railway.
Photographs are copyright Andrew P.M. Wright unless otherwise noted.
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London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) Peppercorn A1 class No. 60163 'Tornado' at the head of the Purbeck Tornado stands ready on Platform 2 at London's Victoria Station on the morning of 16th June 2010 for its historic journey to Swanage. Photo Keith Morgan

History is being made in Purbeck today - Wednesday, 16 June 2010 - when the first new main line steam locomotive to be built in Britain for almost 50 years hauls a special train from London Victoria down to Corfe Castle and Swanage, returning to London Waterloo.

We have provided separate pages of reports as follows:
1) Press Release & departure from London Victoria here
2) Supporters' photos of the railtour en route to Swanage here
3) Official photos of Tornado Wareham to Swanage here
4) Official photos of Tornado at Swanage & empty carriage stock at Eldon's Sidings here
5) Official photos of Tornado Swanage to Wareham here
To see the full set of photos, please follow the links

London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) Peppercorn A1 class No. 60163 'Tornado' lubricators are filled at London's Victoria Station ready for its historic journey to Swanage. Photo Keith Morgan

The London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) Peppercorn A1 class No. 60163 'Tornado' makes its whirlwind visit to the Dorset seaside resort when it arrives in Swanage at 1.35pm and departs at 4.40pm for its return to London Waterloo with its 12-carriage 'Purbeck Tornado' excursion train organised by UK Railtours.

London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) Peppercorn A1 class No. 60163 'Tornado' at the head of the Purbeck Tornado leaves London's Victoria Station at 08:45 on 16th June 2010 on its historic journey to Swanage. Photo Keith Morgan

It cost £3 million to build the 'Tornado' which has attracted a storm of media publicity since it took to the rails in 2008 after 18 years of fund raising and building work by the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, a registered charity.

The 'Purbeck Tornado' train left London's Victoria station on time at 8.45am this morning, Wednesday, 16 June 2010, calling at Woking at 10.03am, Basingstoke at 10.30am, Winchester at 10.49am, Eastleigh at 11am, Southampton at 11.26am, Bournemouth at 12.08pm, Poole at 12.21pm and Wareham at 12.36pm.

London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) Peppercorn A1 class No. 60163 'Tornado' at Dawlish.
Photo A1 Steam Locomotive Trust

On its return journey, the train calls at Wareham at 5.37pm, Poole at 5.56pm, Bournemouth at 6.11pm, Southampton at 7pm, Romsey at 7.28pm, Andover at 8.08pm, Basingstoke at 8.40pm, Farnborough at 9.20pm, Woking at 9.35pm before arriving at London Waterloo at 10.13pm.

"The story of 'Tornado' fund raising and construction has been one that has gone from dream to steam and we're very proud to be having the locomotive bringing a main line excursion train from London down to Swanage," explained Swanage Railway commercial manager Martin Payne.

London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) Peppercorn A1 class No. 60163 'Tornado' on the BBC's 'Top Gear'.
Photo A1 Steam Locomotive Trust

'Tornado' has starred in an episode of BBC Two's 'Top Gear' - first shown in 2009 and watched by over seven million people - when it raced a 1949 vintage Jaguar XK120 car and a Vincent Black Shadow motorcycle from London to Edinburgh, with presenter Jeremy Clarkson on the footplate of 'Tornado'.

"How 'Tornado' came to be built is an epic tale of how a conversation in a pub turned into a generation-long struggle to build a new steam locomotive from scratch - by asking members of the public to donate 'the price of a pint'," he explained.

London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) Peppercorn A1 class No. 60163 'Tornado' at Doniford on the WSR.
Photo A1 Steam Locomotive Trust

London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) Peppercorn A1 class No. 60163 'Tornado' with the Royal Train.
Photo A1 Steam Locomotive Trust

The new £3 million Peppercorn class A1 Pacific steam locomotive was built over 18 years by The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, a registered charity, at its Darlington Locomotive Works.

No. 60163 'Tornado' was the subject of a BBC documentary 'Absolutely Chuffed The Men Who Built a Steam Engine' broadcast Christmas Eve 2008 on BBC Two and is now available on a DVD from the Swanage Railway shop or on line at www.swanagerailway.co.uk here. The Swanage Railway shop also stocks three other 'Tornado' DVDs as well as other 'Tornado' and 'Tornado'-related merchandise.

London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) Peppercorn A1 class No. 60163 'Tornado' at Chelmsford.
Photo A1 Steam Locomotive Trust

The locomotive was officially named 'Tornado' by Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall in February 2009 and since then 'Tornado' has entered service on the Network Rail main line.

London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) Peppercorn A1 class No. 60163 'Tornado' nameplate and commemorative plaque on 16th June 2010. Photo Keith Morgan

Martin explained: "'Tornado' has had a hectic first year of main line operations stretching right across the country and we are delighted to be welcoming her to the Swanage Railway when she brings some 500 people to Swanage."

The A1 class steam locomotives were designed by Arthur H. Peppercorn for the London & North Eastern Railway (LNER) and 49 were built during 1948 and 1949 by British Railways. But, following the dieselisation of the railways, they were all scrapped by 1966.

London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) Peppercorn A1 class No. 60163 'Tornado' comes off shed.
Photo A1 Steam Locomotive Trust

The project to build a new Peppercorn class A1 steam locomotive was launched in 1990 and after 18 years of planning, construction and fundraising, the £3 million locomotive was completed in August 2008.

Based at Hither Green in London, further details about 'Tornado' can be obtained from the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust's website at 'www.a1steam.com' here

More details about Swanage Railway services and special events are available from 'www.swanagerailway.co.uk' or by calling 01929 425800.

London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) Peppercorn A1 class No. 60163 'Tornado'.
Photo A1 Steam Locomotive Trust

Photographs of 'Tornado' in action on this page are courtesy of the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust or as acknowledged.