new steam train built in the uk:first built in nearly 50 years

[Paul Russell]

I went up to Waterloo by train on Saturday and, complete surprise, as we were approaching Waterloo Station the Tornado went past in the opposite direction. The guard told us to look left a few seconds before. Everyone in my carriage went apeshit. They should build a few more. Cheer the country up, and all that...

Edit: reminded me a bit of the Flying Scotsman, which I think they intend to restore and get running soon.

 

[Roadkill]

There certainly has been talk of more new steam engines, although how serious it is I don't really know. Building Tornado was a vast and very expensive undertaking, and there has to be a limit to how much people are prepared to put in, in terms of money, time, labour and expertise. It would be great to see examples of some other extinct engine classes built, though.

Tbh, the train anorak in me is tempted to start a thread asking what people would like to see. Personally, I think it's a shame that, with the exception of the six surviving A4s, the LNER is so badly represented in terms of preserved engines, and it'd be great to see a new-build L1 tank, examples of some of their many mixed-traffic classes and perhaps another V2, now that Green Arrow is unlikely ever to steam again. But that's just me.

<edit> in response to your edit, last I heard was that Flying Scotsman is still in bits all over the National Railway Museum's workshops (and its cab was sitting outside one time when I went by on a train last year, come to think of it), but should steam again in the next few years.

 

[yardbird]

Did The Flying Scotsman run Kings Cross to Waverley ??

If so, I traveled on it several times when I was wee.
I felt all grown up 'cos I did it by myself and the guard checked I was alright several times

 

[davesgcr]

4472 most certainly did ! (or 60103 as she was in BR days) - though you may have had an A4 loco if it was in more recent years of steam.

 

[Paul Russell]

in response to your edit, last I heard was that Flying Scotsman is still in bits all over the National Railway Museum's workshops (and its cab was sitting outside one time when I went by on a train last year, come to think of it), but should steam again in the next few years.

Oh, I don't know anything about it, I just Googled Flying Scotsman

http://www.flyingscotsman.org.uk/

and read

"and is currently being restored to make her fit to return to main line operations in 2010"

I'm not sure I ever saw it in real life -- I know the shape/look only from my old Hornby model, which I'm pretty sure I sold many years ago, unfortunately... It may have had a tender that made a chuffing noise as well!

 

[neonwilderness]

I managed to get a shot of it up in Northumberland this afternoon. I couldn't believe how many people were out to see it, in one place the main road was completely blocked with people trying to park

 

[_pH_]

pic neon

 

[dlx1]

Tornado went past in the opposite direction. The guard told us to look left a few seconds before. Everyone in my carriage went apeshit.

 

[teuchter]

I find it kind of interesting that the general public seem to get more excited about this than other steam engines. Are they impressed because it's unique in being built from scratch, or is it just because it's been in the media?

Although in many ways I like the fact that the people who built tornado pulled it off, it does seem like a slightly perverse thing to do when there must be loads of half-restored engines sitting about in sheds on preserved railways waiting for money to be spent on them.

 

[teuchter]

A few nice photos have recently been put up here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/loose_grip_99/sets/72157616146572401/

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

It failed whilst on a run the other week apparently

 

[Roadkill]

It failed whilst on a run the other week apparently

I think that was Oliver Cromwell, not Tornado.

 

[izz]

by purest chance I was in Castle Cary just this evening and it went through.

All the way from Reading I was wondering why there were random photographers perched on bridges and in fields

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

For all you Clarkson haters, tune in to Top Gear on Sunday and you'll see Jezza on the footplate as it races from London to Edinburgh, May in a motor and Hammond on a motorbike.

Me thinks the train will win and Clarkson will for once concede that his hero had the right idea. Choo-Choo!

 

[davesgcr]

Clarkson insisted on being on the footplate and looked like a miner at the end ....F***ing Anorak really !!!!

Good stuff - cant wait to see it !

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

looked like a miner at the end

Well he is from Yorkshire

 

[Roadkill]

This should be well worth seeing.

It's just a shame Tornado was limited to 75mph...

 

[davesgcr]

The Clarksons made their dosh from Kilner Jars (if you saw his Who do you think you are programme)

Mind you that process uses coal no doubt ......

 

[teuchter]

On my way back to Brixton this evening...

Tornado was sat in Victoria station. Charter from Gloucester.

........

The experience was marred somewhat by a bunch of officious jobsworths from Network Rail shouting at people (largely meek looking elderly gentlemen) not to use flash and not to step over the yellow line. I felt like pushing them over the yellow line and onto the third rail. Not literally of course.

 

[Roadkill]

Great photos.

 

[marty21]

great photos, particularly the one next to a modern train, which looks a bit ...shit, next to it

 

[Roadkill]

bump

By sheer good luck, my train to York yesterday arrived a few minutes before Tornado departed with a train to Newcastle, so my friend and I watched her go. As ever, she drew quite a crowd.

One thing I like most about steam trains is the way people react to them - people stop and stare, take pictures, point them out to their children, reminisce, and so on. Steam engines make people happy, and long may it continue.

On this occasion, Tornado treated us to quite a spectacle. It was a fairly heavy train and there was (thankfully) no diesel assistance, so there was a fair amount of wheelspin and noise as she got it going.

Video .

 

[Crispy]

Lucky you

 

[Miss-Shelf]

Steam engines make people happy, and long may it continue.
.

I was in Darlington at the weekend for a wedding and lots of the guests talked very proudly about steam engines and the tornado