Tornado

The East Lancashire Railway's website was updated yesterday afternoon. The "Legends of Steam" weekend has been advertised for some time and was originally to feature, 45407, 34081 and 34092 and 60163. 44871 replaced 45407 as the latter is currently undergoing maintenance and now 60163 has gone to Carnforth instead of visiting the ELR (perfectly understandable). The remaining locos are all from the "home team", Tornado was the "big draw" and was also to haul the Saturday night Red Rose Dining Train.

Update 6th March:
Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond the control of the East Lancs Railway, the visit of A1 steam locomotive, 60163 ‘Tornado’ has been postponed. Further information supplied by A1 Locomotive Trust

The ‘Legends of Steam’ event for Friday 14th to Sunday 16th March will still go ahead and the ELR team is actively seeking an alternative locomotive to operate both the daytime timetable and Saturday evening dining train.

Once the ELR has confirmation of the final locomotive line-up, the customer services team will contact advance purchase tickets holders with available options.

I wonder if WCRC have any locos hanging around, "kicking their (w)heels", British India Line, Scots Guardsman, Galatea? Perhaps the A1SLT should help with the costs given the very short notice - just a thought.

 

Although a set of points are just west of Skerne Bridge, any notion of anything getting into DLW is impossible at the moment.
Considerable amounts of point work and track still need to be laid.
And as a Council Funded Project (DLW), Darlington Council will not be happy the "steam hub" has no incumbent between tours.
In lay man terms, they have been told a load of fibs. Ask for any further help will normally result in a no, as a perceived target (Darlington resident), has been missed.

 

Well it would appear that West Coast were happy with what they saw at Nene Valley and had every confidence in her. Funny how professional engineers know what they are looking at and talking about. Just as well they don't pay any attention to expert opinion on NP..
Currently on time in Hellifield loops according to RTT.

Edit: Arrived at Carnforth 5 mins late.

 

Can I just say, I'm pleased that the engine ran to Carnforth without any problems, but It was a still a gamble, to have not had insurance in the form of a diesel, even if only adding weight on the back, but that's just my thoughts, it's not a reflection on Tornado, any engine on its first light test is always going to be a potential chance of something getting warm, or not quite bedded in,
So, her future, as i read it, the plan is to put her in 1950's livery, but what livery exactly, its present livery, isnt that far off the 1950's with British railways on the tender, How about express blue, or one of the experimental liveries, it doesnt need to be green or black,

 

Could the council potentially scale back its support? It's been my own view, that the A1 trust, has not been professionally run for some time, what's lead me to this conclusion sub-contractors not meeting agreed specs on work so far done on both the A1, and P2, the saga of the boilers, the one earmarked for the P2 is still just a set of platework, theres no guarantee, it will even be completed with in the timespan, the so called overhauled one, is very unlikily to see out its full 10 year ticket, and they , the trust have said as much, plan b is the newly constructed boiler , thats actually being inspected to ensure its correct, why wasnt this done with the first one?
Tornado will now be Carnforths problem, the trusts leadership have really given that job to WCRC , and if the agreement involves a repaint, you start to question what's the actual agreement, because it looks to me that WCRC now are calling the shots, it's as if the trust's leadership have in effect said we are out of our depth, without actually admitting it,

 

Update on the ELR website,

Update 7th March:
We are delighted to announce that we have secured B1 61306 ‘Mayflower’ (replacing ‘Tornado’) for the Legends of Steam Event! With many thanks to Locomotive Services Ltd and Jeremy Hosking.

61306 ‘Mayflower’ will arrive on Friday 14th March in the afternoon from the mainline, and will be attached to a service train and operate for the rest of the afternoon subject to availability. ‘Mayflower’ is also rostered to replace ‘Tornado’ on the evening diner on Saturday 15th March – the first time that this locomotive has been at the head of our ‘Dining with Distinction’ train. Keep updated on our official social media channels for revised timetables, which are currently being put together.

Seems that one mainline operator was able, ready and willing to help out.

 

Or you could have congratulated the trust for getting the loco in a good enough condition to run on the main line without any backup.

 

How many boilers?
How many railways let down in the meantime?
How many boilers spontaneously popping out of dimension?

For a bunch of amateurs working in a shed to get it going would be an achievement. For a group holding themselves out as professionals, I'd say that's simply not failing

 

Well said... it's back, that's what matters...

 

Who are claiming to be "professionals" ? Professional in what ? ...what professional "qualifications" do they hold, and what institutions do they belong to ?

 

It is not as if the loco is untested, she has clocked up miles on the GCR (including a test at up to 60mph) & had a number of steam days at the NVR. A diesel isn't going to do a lot if something ran warm (the most likely issue), so I would argue a cross country run (engine and coach) was quite a good, low risk, test yesterday. Had an issue occurred there were plenty of opportunities to loop and examine - or allow something to cool and be lubricated without causing chaos.
The videos I have seen show her easily ambling along at 50 to 60mph & she was never more than 5 or 10 mins adrift of booked timings - so hopefully all went well and we will see her on the Hellifield - Preston circuit with a full load shortly.
I do suspect that 29th March date is a target.

**All armchair opinion like the rest of us on here. **

 

Are 45407/44871 and 45212 Carnforth's problem!?
Does David Smith dictate to Ian Riley? Is he out of his depth?!
Or does Ian provide locomotives for West Coast to use as part of a running agreement? (just like Tornado..).

We really are letting imaginations run wild here!!

Although it will be interesting if 6201 returns in anything other than LMS red, but not sure even Smithy's powers of persuasion run that far..

 

It'll be a busy weekend at 10A, they'll be all over it like a rash, Mr Smiths men will knock it into shape. It was nice to see the photo of it standing at Peterborough station. Onward and upward

 

A number of steam days that included a significant test failure, with the grate issues. No one disputes that things can go wrong. The question, yet again, is about trust.

This spectator is not convinced that the fat lady has yet sung, hopes for a ringing aria shortly, but is concerned that examination for routine mainline working as opposed to a one off engine + brake may mean that there’s another act to follow. And there’s nothing in the Trust’s recent track record that imho makes that an unreasonable fear.

 

Thank you guys, and those who have posted photos. That answers my question a few pages back about what is a happening with this loco Far better than one response I got back then to start reading this thread from page 1

Maybe when it gets going out on the main line, building up at a sensible and carefully monitored pace to using it's class 8 power, we will see a bit more of 34067 and 35018 back down here in the South.

Thanks again,

Bryan

 

Do you ever get the feeling that certain people on here, just don't seem to like views other than their own,? no where have i ever criticized Ian Riley, his engines are most likily the best maintained on the network, so no David Smith won't need to dictate anything, they Ian's engines and he sets the standard with his engines, Can the same be said of other engines, 6201 for example,

 

Please don't forget the wonderful custodianship of MNLPS for 35028.

 

Where did the post say you were criticising Ian Riley ? You put the suggestion forward that Tornado was 10A responsibility...have you seen the contract ?... I feel thr answer is "no", likewise 6201..."no"...

 

Not 35018 if and until they get the CDL issue on the Mk1s sorted.

 

Martin

As someone who has done funding applications on many occasions, you measure the success of the project (new DLW, a great building and facility), in milestones, so a milestone maybe building completion, trackwork complete, mainline connection etc...
At that stage you can move your mainline registered loco to site, there is no point before, another milestone.
Now, if the lead time to get the mainline connection and trackwork, paperwork completed, takes another 3 years, they will be OK, as they have delivered on a milestone.
However, i am sure i saw the S&D200 celebrations were the milestone, and maybe they run the loco to site for a period, to at least show willing.
Remember they are running trips on the ECML, and if the facility is ready, why not prep her at Darlington???
Personally hoping for more trips to Edinburgh, maybe round the S&C circuit, Or to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Tyne Valley etc...
I realise extra pathing, staff is required, but to fall foul of a grant fund, would be a bad decision, and a work around could be possible.

All just theory on my part, have no inside knowledge, and although i have been on site in 2025, dont know how far the mainline connection is close to being ready.

Hope this helps.