Tornado, the initial brand new line that is main locomotive to be integrated Britain for nearly 50 years, will soon be going back again to London on Saturday 7th November with ‘The Thames Tornado’, organised by Pathfinder Tours. That is a Tornado excursion with a positive change, with heavy climbs, fast primary line operating, a trip regarding the Surrey Hills and a twisting path through the metropolitan suburbs to London Victoria.

‘The Thames Tornado’ begins from Ealing Broadway section diesel hauled, picking right on up people via Berkshire, Wiltshire and Severnside to Gloucester, where in fact the train will trade its older diesel locomotive for lots more traction that is modern by means of twelve months old A1 Pacific 60163 Tornado. Upon departure, a sprint that is short induce Standish Junction, where a rate limitation is applicable for the turnout on the Swindon line. The grades are easy as Tornado works her way through Stroud and into the beautiful and twisting Golden Valley, with speed restrictions preventing a run at the fearsome climb to come, steepest after Chalford and over Frampton Mansell Viaduct, only easing on entry into Sapperton Tunnel for some distance. Right after the exit the train will pass the ‘Source for the Thames’, regarding the downhill explain to you Kemble to Swindon, in which the train will join the Bristol and Southern Wales line that is main.

Water shall be studied before ‘The Thames Tornado’ passes Didcot plus the run along the Thames Valley to learning. right right Here, as opposed to taking the greater usual line that is main London via Slough, the train will need the cross-country route through appealing countryside, via Wokingham to Guildford, winding its means over the London to Portsmouth line before turning east. You will see some climbing that is hard be performed as Tornado makes her method through the delightful Surrey Hills, stopping once more to simply just simply take water. Lineage through Reigate contributes to Redhill and also the Brighton line that is main along that the train will race away to East Croydon.

The type associated with the path will likely then change once more once the train comes into the external London suburbs, down and up through busy residential district channels, where in actuality the train’s passage will certainly raise an eyebrow or two due to the fact whistling, apple steam that is green slots to the quick gaps amongst the solution of frequent contemporary electric trains. One last downhill run brings ‘The Thames Tornado’ to at least one regarding the railway stations that are busiest on earth, Clapham Junction, from where it quickly comes into the Battersea Tangle, the amazing maze of lines leading beyond the shell of Battersea energy facility, within the River Thames, and into London Victoria, where people should be able to simply just simply simply take a rest of over one hour ahead of the diesel hauled return journey, setting straight straight down people from Reading all the way through to Gloucester depending on the outward journey.

Tornado is going back to London from a trip towards the Severn Valley Railway (24th October to 6th November), the Trust’s yearly convention at Barrow Hill on seventeenth October and her very first trains throughout the iconic Settle to Carlisle Railway on 3rd, 4th and tenth October.

Tornado ended up being opted for to haul the Uk leg of ‘The Winton Train’ from Harwich Parkeston Quay (Overseas) to London’s Liverpool Street section on Friday 4th September 2009. This train commemorated the ‘Kindertransport’ trains and celebrated the life span of Sir Nicholas Winton whom rescued 669 primarily Jewish kiddies from Nazi occupied Czechoslovakia into the summer time of 1939. Tornado additionally stared when you look at the very first bout of the new number of the BBC’s ‘Top Gear’ programme on Sunday 21st June 2009 rushing a Jaguar XK120 automobile and Vincent Ebony Shadow bike from London to Edinburgh, with presenter Jeremy Clarkson on-board. The programme ended up being watched by over seven million individuals. The £3m that is new class A1 pacific vapor locomotive had been built over very nearly two decades because of The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, a registered charity, at its Darlington Locomotive Works in Darlington, nation Durham. Often headlined in the nationwide and international press as well as on television and radio, No. 60163 Tornado had been the topic of a BBC documentary ‘Absolutely Chuffed: The Men whom Built a Steam Engine’ broadcast on Christmas time Eve on BBC2 year that is last. The locomotive ended up being formally known as Tornado by TRH The Prince of Wales while the Duchess of Cornwall in February of the 12 months and has now since entered regular solution on excursion trains from the system Rail line that is main.

Approximate timings for ‘The Thames Tornado’are:

Mark Allatt, president associated with the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, commented:

“After a busy weeks that are few from London it should be good to create Tornado returning to the main city on her behalf last few trains of 2009. Tornado is doing perfectly in addition to Trust is spending so much time to repay the residual £700,000 associated with loans applied for to accomplish the locomotive. Please go to our site at a1steam to learn tips on how to help with keeping this locomotive that is remarkable the main line where she belongs.”

Tickets for ‘The Thames Tornado’ are priced Premier Dining (adult£199; junior £179), First Class Plus (adult £139; junior £119) and Standard Class (adult £95; junior £47.50). Also, private ‘Table for Two’ seats can be found in high grade Plus and Premier Dining at a health health supplement of £18 per individual. The meal that is at-seat with this excursion should include a four program Champagne Luncheon for several Premier Dining people, along with a Continental break fast for people joining at stations between Ealing Broadway and Bristol Parkway, and an night Supper for people time for stations between learning and Gloucester. There clearly was a £10 discount for Premier Dining people joining at either Broadway that is ealing dinner) or Gloucester (no break fast).

The Trust respectfully requests that anybody planning to see Tornado’s line that is main trains follows the guidelines for the railway and just goes where allowed.