6 0163 TORNADO THE New Steam for the Main Line COMMUNICATION CORD No. 39 Summer 2015 Andrew Southwell Andrew Having taken over from Alycidon in York, Tornado heads the return leg at Great Heck. AN A1 JUBILEE! by Graham Langer After a difficult start to the year it feels would be proved wrong and that by 2014 ‘The Silver Jubilee Talisman’ on Saturday like the sun has come out and is now construction would have started on that 26th September and ‘The Peppercorn shining on the Trust during its Silver organisation’s second, massive, steam Phoenix’ on New Year’s Eve, the former Jubilee Year. Yes, it’s been 25 years since locomotive? The A1 Steam Locomotive a celebration of 25 years of Trust activity, a group of visionaries got together and Trust really has something to celebrate the latter a commemoration of the final decided to do something extraordinary, this year. A1 working by No. 60145 Saint Mungo on to build a brand new main line steam As if all this were not enough, The A1 31st December 1965; why not join us and express locomotive! Who would have Steam Locomotive Trust has been able enjoy some exhilarating East Coast Main thought, back in 1990, that the dream to announce not one, but two more of Line running behind a thoroughbred on would become reality, all the doubters its own railtours in the next six months, her ‘home’ track? TCC 1 by Mark Allatt CONTENTS From the chair by Graham Langer PAgE 1 editorial An A1 Jubilee s I write this years. The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust PAgE 2 column in late will be celebrating this milestone in The phrase “from zero to hero” has probably been over- taking her place at the head of the ‘Belmond British Pullman’ From the chair July, No. 60163 several ways throughout the year – the used in recent years but I feel it is an appropriate sentiment in August. PAgE 3 ATornado is working ‘The first of which being ‘The Silver Jubilee to describe Tornado’s rapid return to rude good health and No sooner than Tornado vacated her birthplace than Editorial Torbay Expresses’ out Talisman’ on Saturday 26th September an outstanding couple of month’s running since her return the frames of No. 2007 were skated back in place and Darlington Locomotive Works of Bristol following with No. 60163 Tornado from London to traffic in June. We have already run three times as many work re-commenced assembling them. With many parts refurbishment the completion of her King’s Cross to York, Darlington and trains as we did in 2014, often with only a day or two’s break manufactured and machined off-site during No. 60163’s PAgE 4 intermediate overhaul in mid-June and Newcastle. Passengers electing to between turns and all credit is due to the support crew and overhaul, progress has been rapid and the prospect of a fully A1 Engineering update has already accumulated around 3,000 travel to York now have the additional sales team for stepping up to the challenging schedule thus wheeled chassis draws ever closer…. You know what you PAgE 6 miles since then, hauling ten main line opportunity to visit the staggeringly created. Our lovely apple green machine has once again need to do to hasten this process, don’t you! Tornado is your Legacy tours in addition to her test run and beautiful Castle Howard whilst added some new route miles to the log (indeed to that of In addition, Darlington Borough Council has found the Operations update other positioning moves. These trains passengers disembarking at Darlington the Peppercorn class A1s!) reaching the far north of Scotland funding to renovate the exterior of Darlington Locomotive PAgE 7 for ScotRail, the SRPS, The Prince’s with have the opportunity of a guided at Brora and, substituting for an ailing Union of South Africa, Works, adding to the work carried out by the Trust on the Tornado on Tour bestrode the Forth Railway Bridge during the celebration of interior two years ago. It is wonderful that this original PAgE 11 Trust, Torbay Express and ourselves tour of Darlington Locomotive Works have taken Tornado from Brora in the and progress update on No. 2007 Prince its 125th Anniversary, a day which concluded with this mighty Stockton & Darlington Railway building (where Arthur The Silver Jubilee Talisman edifice being granted UNESCO world heritage status. A Peppercorn once had an office) should still be loved and PAgE 12 north of Scotland to Kingswear on the of Wales.There is also the option to Tribute to Sir Nicholas Winton Devon coast. Meanwhile in Darlington board the train at York and travel to hugely successful ‘White Rose’ returned No. 60163 south cared for while continuing to function as a centre of railway Diary 2015 Locomotive Works the frames for No. Newcastle and back. from Scotland to work a series of ‘Torbay Expresses’ before construction. TCC PAgE 13 2007 Prince of Wales have been skated Most importantly we want to use The Peppercorn Pheonix back into position and the components our 25th anniversary as an opportunity PAgE 14 acquired over the past few months have to highlight the importance of The 163 The 163 Pacifics Club started to be fitted. Pacifics Club – our desire to complete DARLINGTON LOCOMOTIVE WORKS REFURBISHMENT PAgE 15 Although Tornado’s overhaul didn’t what we set out to do 25 years ago by Tony Lord Covenantors' diary quite run according to plan as outlined and purchase Tornado’s tender. Other PAgE 16 in the last issue of TCC and has cost the celebrations planned include special Darlington Locomotive Works is situated Darlington Borough Council to carry are presently re-rendering the exterior The big picture Trust in excess of £400,000, I’m sure days for supporters on the Severn Valley in part of what was previously known out the proposed works. The walls had of the building and replacing most of PAgE 18 that you will agree with me that she has Railway with their LNER teak train, an as the Hopetown Lane Carriage Works. to be plastered using lime plaster and the windows with exact replicas of the Merchandise update stormed back into traffic in true Tornado opportunity to get up close to Tornado It fills the southern end of the building the painted. The floors were coated with original ones. They have also arranged for PAgE 19 style and this is a credit to all of those at Locomotion in early January 2016, a including the centre tower section. special paint and official walkways painted the roof and guttering to be repaired as Letter from Canada Tornado Team who have worked on her over the past dinner following our annual convention Approximately two years ago, we a different colour. necessary. few months. We will – with your help – on 3rd October and ‘The Peppercorn decided to improve the internal parts Most of the equipment was refurbished We are now looking to make use of PAgE 20 Phoenix’ with Tornado to commemorate of our section of the building ready for and that which could not be repaired P2 engineering update be working hard in the coming months to the upper floors of the tower section as PAgE 22 rebuild our finances and, inevitably, start No. 60145 Saint Mungo’s final run from the start of the P2 Project. We replaced was replaced. The exterior of the offices and document storage facilities. st P2 Fundraising squirrelling away funds for Tornado’s next York to Newcastle and return on 31 the plaster on the internal walls, cleaned whole building was in a poor state of This is at the design stage and will need PAgE 23 overhaul. December 1965. Details of all of these the floors and opened up the original repair and Darlington Borough Council a separate Listed Building Consent th No. 2007 Prince of Wales one - As you know, 2015 marks the 25 events can be found elsewhere in this staircase to the upper floors of the tower. was approached to see if this could application to be made before work can third complete already! anniversary of the launch of the project issue of TCC. As the building is Class 2 Listed, we had be rectified. They obtained a sum of commence on site. TCC The Boiler Club to build a new Peppercorn class A1 Thank you all for your continued support. to apply for Listed Building Consent from money from central government and PAgE 24 with the launch meeting at The Railway I hope to see as many of you as possible Event’s attendance report Institute in York on 17th November 1990. at our 25th Anniversary Convention and Bob Hughes PAgE 25 The third part of David Champion’s Dinner in Darlington in October with P2 smokebox sponsorship enthralling history of the Trust appears in both Tornado and Prince of Wales and The Gresley Society this issue of TCC and reading it brought on our trains over the rest of our 25th PAgE 26 back many happy memories of our early anniversary year. TCC The LNER Society PAgE 27 The Winds of Change that You will have probably read elsewhere the became a Tornado award of British Empire Medals in HM The PAgE 30 Queen’s Birthday Honours List to Julian Profile-Graeme Bunker PAgE 31 Birley and the late Andrew Dow. Both From the archives played crucial roles in support of the build PAgE 32 of No. 60163 Tornado in addition to their many other railway heritage achievements. Sponsors and contact information Julian was instrumental in helping the Trust to fund the ‘last push’ before the completion of the locomotive and Andrew was a Trustee of The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust for ten years from 1994 to 2004.