Steam Engine Completed

The first new steam locomotive to be built in Britain for over 50 years (locomotive 'Evening Star' of the 9F class was the last - now at the National Railway Museum) is nearly complete. Since building it has been running in a grey undercoat but now that all tests have been completed the final painting in authentic colours is being carried out by skilled painters at the National Railway Museum in York where the locomotive will be on display for the next few weeks. The BBC have this video of the loco (named Tornado) being painted and a few shots of it running recently on the Great Central Railway, click here to view the video.

If you watch through to the end you will see there is a plaque on the locomotive which reads "THIS LOCOMOTIVE WAS BUILT AND PAID FOR BY PEOPLE WHO SHARED A VISION AND WERE DETERMINED TO TURN IT INTO REALITY". Recently I have been reading some forum discussions from the USA which were talking about the new A1 locomotive and most of the readers where commenting why it couldn't be done in the US. Actually a lot of people said it couldn't be done anywhere else either. The difference is not location but attitude. Tornado is a big engine and a big testiment to what can be done with vision and determination. Doing what is right in life is never the easy option, as the Message says: "Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life."

If you are interested in taking a trip on Tornado you can find out where to ride at the A1 Steam Trust.

Britain's first steam locomotive for 50 years

In 1966 British Railways were busy replacing their huge fleet of steam locomotives and in the rush to modernise much was destroyed. It is sometimes forgotten that it is not just steam locomotives that were lost. The modernisation plan abandoned nearly half the UK rail network. Stations too were lost including the magnificent Euston Station, and its even more famous arch. People too were lost. Many lifelong railmen and those setting out in their careers suddenly found that the railway no longer needed them. It is easy to look back and be critical of course and modernisation was badly needed. However there was a dark side which seemed to take pleasure in destruction.

1966 was also the year that the last class A1 steam locomotive was sent for scrapping. These magnificent LNER racehorses were gone for good. But not every sad story ends sad. A group was set up to build a new A1 and a few weeks ago their brand new steam locomotive named Tornado took to the rails. Tornado is the first steam locomotive to be built in Britain for 50 years and is currently the world's newest steam locomotive. This beautiful machine can now been seen on preserved railways and out on the mainline railway taking passengers for day trips. You can find out where it is operating by visiting the www.a1steam.com website.