The Bristol Railway Archive

Video of the launch of TORNADO the new A1 loco in it's new livery (green/black) can be seen by clicking on the link. J.R.

http://www.railwayherald.co.uk/

... and doesn't she look fabulous! Presumably the nameplates are going on when she's finished. I never liked that name anyway - should have been another Walter Scott character or a bird ('Phoenix' would have been appropriate but that was a Jubilee if I remember rightly).
Never mind, she's worth every penny (so I tell the wife anyway!)

Tornado is due to do a Steam Dreams lunch tour on 14th Feb which passes thru Trowbridge! Get those cameras out boys...

Christ! It's Henry on steroids! FANTASTIC!

60163 was pulling her first revenue-earning mainline passenger trains this last weekend (31 Jan/01 Feb), and looking absolutely superb! There are pictures at
http://www.railwayherald.co.uk/imaging. ... %20Tornado Not named yet, although rumours are circulating that a certain HRH Sir Prince Charles might do the honours (and a stint on the regulator) in a few months' time.

I'm on the tour this Saturday from Darlington to King's X (let's hope that the snow that is forecast for the rest of the week doesn't b*gg*r things up) - looking forward to that...

I've probably said here before that I don't "do" steam, but I have to make the occasional exception for LNER pacifics.

Oops, as you were guys.... Steam Dreams tour has been re-routed from Waterloo instead of Victoria and goes on a grand tour down to Eastleigh - nowhere near Trowbridge anymore
Tornado is supposed to be coming down to the West Somerset sometime so that'll be something to look forward to.
There is some more footage of her on the York-Newcastle runs on the BBC at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7865518.stm - enjoy your trip, get_that_bus!

Fantastic day on Saturday - I have no idea how many people turned out to watch Tornado but literally every station, foot crossing, level crossing and even lots of fields along the route were busy with people. We arrived at KGX about 30 late (due to NXEC trains being held up by an overhead line problem!) to a crowd that was estimated at 2,000 - 3,000 and a spontaneous round of applause! The crowd was so big that it wasn't physically possible for passengers to get out of The Cross until Tornado and her train had been pulled out of the station heading for Bounds Green depot.

Being on the train I didn't manage to get many good photos (and I have no idea how to upload the few I have!) but there's masses of great youtube footage. A couple of highlights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niTNQsz6hMM
Running through Claypole; give you some idea of the number of people at the lineside (mostly families rather than hardcore gricers), even though it was freezing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAX7d-by5s8
Blasting through Arlesley - nothing else to say except fantastic!

PS Sorry for saying fantastic too many times...not like me to get overexcited about a kettle

HRH Prince Charles and his wife will be doing the honours at 11.00 on Thursday Feb. 19th. on platform 9 at York. The royal couple will be in attendance for approximately twenty minutes, after thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money have been spent on security measures.

Saw Tornado at Grateley in Hants, after seeing Tangmere at Crofton.

link to short video clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBl82TE_3xc

Evening folks,

I saw 60163 pass through Huntingdon on February 7th, my shots are here:-

http://bristolian.rrpicturearchives.net ... x?id=40047

Very Best Wishes,
Bob.

I posted a video of Tornado on the Southern on YouTube shortly after its run on 14th Feb. Nowhere near Bristol, of course, but as close as its got so far!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhPJyLSBHiA

There are another 13 videos of mine posted there that some of you (steam enthusiasts) may be interested in. None of Bristol, unfortunately, but there is one of an ex-Barrow Road Engine (45690 Leander) taking the Lickey unassisted. This one has turned out to be far and away the most popular of my uploads.