Tornado

A shouting match between an Army colonel and a Yorkshire farmer must have been a sight to behold. Both strong personalities used to getting their own way.

 

There is a more serious side to this, of course: from what date will WCRC cease to operate 60163 and what knock-on effect will it have upon any imminent rail tours?

 

So what now for Tornado and the A1 trust, It seems that everything that can go wrong, is going wrong, an engine that unless someone else steps in, has no mainline operating company, other than for moves between rail connected sites, I do wonder whats the future, not just for West Coast, if it can't run the tours it has contracts for, and mainline steam in general,

 

De javu I think, Tornado was stuck at the Nene Valley after DBC dropped them following the Ebor Flyer incident. West Coast don’t seem to give a damn about their customers anymore, DBC have no work for it, Vintage and Saphos have their own Fleets so likewise, not looking good.

 

Yes, I remember it being at the NVR for a very long time, with it getting occasional visits from David Elliott.

Is Smith just pinning his hopes on the Harry Potter Jacobite services?

 

It’s looking a lot like the Hadron Collider of egos, isn’t it?

 

Another thought - how will it get to the Greatest Gathering? By road?

We are of course assuming that the termination is with immediate effect.

 

Without doubting that the discussions could be measured on the Richter Scale, it would be interesting to learn whether this is simply a breakdown of relationships, or whether there are deeper questions (whether from the direction A1SLT or WCRC) behind this fallout.

And/or whether this is a termination or some form of breach

 

Have to agree, I hope I'm wrong, very wrong, but I'm half expecting the engine to be towed back to Darlington, to become a largely static, steamed only for open days, and hire to preserved railways, and in the meanwhile , everything achieved by the A1 trust dissolves into recriminations and infighting, whilst the unfinished P2 becomes largely forgotten in the corner, because funding and support has dissolved.

 

Well as WC have repossessed their support coach I’d assume it’s already effective.

 

Very much "immovable object meets unstoppable force".

Now that is a real hot potato. I expect contracts are being scrutinised as we write.

 

Was that the NVR visit earlier in the week from 57 009 or am I mistaken?

 

possibly DBC could do it, move it to Derby, thence from the great gathering to Darlington?

 

Well... that only leaves the ACE on the 16th of August.

 

Lucky the NVR is rail connected, else it'd be a call to Allelys or the company that moved 92 Squadron up to the ELR...

 

However, isn't Clun Castle finishing up this autumn for overhaul. Coincide the timing with the same situation for Bahamas, and it maybe creates a short term situation for both Vintage Trains and A1SLT to work together and give variety and support alongside 5043?

 

It will be interesting to hear all of this explained at the Annual Convention.

 

Vintage is an all vac braked operator, not sure they would want it

 

Last time I checked Tornado was dual braked…

 

After signing up with West Coast, I would think someone is going to have to eat a very large portion of humble pie