RAIL enthusiasts were in for a treat today when The Tornado steam locomotive powered its way through Worcestershire, stopping at several towns, including Droitwich, Worcester Shrub Hill and Evesham, writes Neil Gordon.
The engine is a replica Peppercorn class A1 Pacific steam locomotive which was built by the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust at Darlington locomotive works between 1990 and 2008 at a cost of approximately £3million.
The idea was to have a working example of this type of loco as none of the original of this class survived scrapping.
The engine, numbered 60163, and named after the RAF Tornado jet in tribute to their service in the gulf war, worked its first passenger train in 2008 from London to York.
It weighs 107 tonnes, has a top speed of 100mph and sports the apple green livery of the London and North Eastern Railway.
Visit www.a1steam.com for more on The Tornado steam locomotive.
