60163 Tornado Steam Engine launch

Tornado is the first steam engine to be built in Britain for 50 years. She is a Peppercorn Class A1, named after her designer. These scenes of her public debut at Darlington Locomotive Works form part of an upcoming DVD release which will also feature the reunion of four A4 Pacifics at the National Railway Museum, York. A detailed history of the project can be found on the official website, www.a1steam.com

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• 60163
• Tornado
• steam
• engine
• train
• Darlington
• a1
• peppercorn
• locomotive

[cool45010]

Damn, what a beauty. I wish that our railroads had the balls to do something like this. Anyways, beautiful work of art and greetings from your fellow railfans in the USA.

[gregbassace1]

@LNERMallard As an Australian, I totaly agree. If rail bosses of America should read my reply this will blow them away:

If every American donates $1.00 with a population of about 200,000,000 people, it's no longer impossible to build a new J3a Hudson AND a Hiawatha 4-4-2 at a total cost of about $9,000,000. When you take out 3/4 of those uninterested, that's still 50,000,000 that probably are. Plus add big buisness who want to be involved, it's not impossible. C'mon America! Show some pride!

[Rabbitbunvoo]

@Interestingenough4 Enjoyment! Touring Britain's mainline network and preserved railways! =D

[bradstrains]

@cool45010 I'd like to see any non US engine try pull as many cars up as steep grades as a US engine could without stalling. American trains are the BEST!!!!!

[Zebonka]

A big hard train, for big hard men!

[Interestingenough4]

What's this engine used for?

[Wandering1500]

@papabugs71 Technically it's melt but..

[Nickuk1987]

Very cool but i would love to see a full scale Thomas the Tank Engine and no not an old tank engine repainted with a face on I mean an original creation. While they are at it they should make the rest of the cast of the show too. Imagine how kids will react and the even the older generation such as myself would amazed!!!! C'mon we want Thomas and Friends!!!!!

[TheTrainman888]

I would respect the English trains more if they used wistleswith a lower picth.

[pretjim2011]

Looks very elegant in that photographic grey

[bcschmerker]

@LNERMallard With the lengths and weights of typical freight trains, I'd think a new 4-6+6-4 with 72" drivers more practical; and an 80"-drivered 4-8-4 for passenger runs with double-decker Pullman varnish. The NYC could have gone back to the UP's FEF-2 firebox for a Class S3a (starting with #6015), as the S1a's had premature liner failures.

[shoopdj]

@gregbassace1 The market is too limited to support this sort of endeavor w/o heavy government subsidy. Oh, you can bet Øbungle would love to do it, but the national political will isn't there.