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Friday 14th January 2022 Great Central Railway, Loughborough, LE11 1RW

Relive the final years of BR steam with 60163 Tornado heading an impressive and authentic van train

Join us for a full day of double track Winter railway action recapturing scenes reminiscent of the last days of British Railways steam, featuring No.60163 Tornado heading the GCR’s lengthy authentic van train

£110.00

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About this event

On this event we take the opportunity to pair Tornado with the Great Central Railway’s lengthy authentic BR-era van train to recreate scenes reminiscent of the final years of the Eastern Region’s A1 Class in service on trains such as the Scottish Express Goods.

Our day will start at Loughborough GCR Station where it will be possible to get breakfast from 08.30 onwards. Please arrive by 09.30 for our important safety briefing prior to a planned 10.00 start. On this occasion, we will work our way along the line from Loughborough taking in locations around Beeches Road and approaching Quorn before visiting the more traditional locations of Rabbit Bridge and Kinchley Lane. We will not be able to travel on the train as we are using wagons so will be following the train by car therefore an element of car sharing will be required to ensure we do not excessively clog up roadside locations. We will run all day with our planned finish time at sunset. 

Accepting that Flying Scotsman is the most famous British steam locomotive as far as the public at large is concerned, Tornado has run it a close second in the decade and more since it made its main line debut. The building of a brand new steam locomotive to the design of A H Peppercorn captured the imagination of the enthusiast and wider public, with the A1 attracting much press attention wherever it appeared. The project started in 1990 when it was formerly announced that a new Pacific to the design of the 49 original A1 Class locos would be built and would carry the next number in sequence to the last member of the class to be built, No.60162 Saint Johnstoun - eighteen years later, No.60163 Tornado took to the rails.

The locomotive has carried a number of liveries authentic to the original members of the class, and is currently in the later Brunswick lined dark green livery which the locos would have carried in the mid-1960s (the last of the class, St Mungo, was withdrawn in Summer 1966). They were most readily associated with heavy passenger workings on the East Coast Main Line and could haul loads of up to fifteen coaches, but as the 1960s went on they were gradually cascaded down to van trains, goods and, less commonly, even mineral trains. None of the original engines were preserved. It is likely that following overhaul, Tornado will be outshopped in apple green British Railways livery.

We would like to extend our grateful thanks to Tornado’s owners, the A1 Locomotive Trust, and the host Great Central Railway for facilitating this event. Even though the ticket price is slightly higher than normal due to the higher cost of loco higher we expect places to be at a premium, so please book early to ensure you are on board. 

Event requirements

Equipment

  • Spare batteries
  • Camera
  • Lenses
  • Camera protection - rain covers etc

Other things you should bring

  • Snacks

Knowledge

  • All levels welcome

Fitness

  • Medium

Other essentials

  • High vis jacket
  • Sturdy outdoor shoes
  • Warm clothing
  • Wet weather gear

Event location

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