Public unveiling for steam train

The first new mainline steam engine to be built in Britain for nearly 50 years has been unveiled at York's National Railway Museum (NRM).

Rail enthusiasts watched the £3m Tornado's first test run at York station last month.

Since then the Peppercorn class A1 Pacific locomotive has been in the museum's paint shop.

She was unveiled in apple green, the colour carried by the first 30 Peppercorn class A1s.

Tornado was built by Darlington-based charity, the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust.

Extinct class

Trust chairman Mark Allatt said: "All the original-built Peppercorn class A1s were turned out in apple green livery and so it is entirely appropriate that Tornado should follow suit."

Andrew Scott, the museum's director, said: "Not only was York the final home of the Peppercorn class A1s but the original drawings used to recreate this extinct class of steam locomotive are preserved in the NRM's archive centre.

"Without the museum's involvement in hosting the locomotive during her main line trials and providing paint facilities this fantastic project would not have been possible.

"We're very excited to see Tornado make an appearance in the NRM's Great Hall this weekend."

Tornado's test-run journey in November was the first for a new steam train on the national railway network since 1960.

Tornado will be based at the National Railway Museum in York until February 2009 at least.

There it will undertake main line tests and trials before completing the certification process and receiving the go-ahead to operate on Network Rail.

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Where now for Tornado
The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust
National Railway Museum
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