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Re-writing the history books: A1 No. 60163 makes a magnificent sight near Abbots Ripton in the snow on February 7. A1 Steam Locomotive Trust chairman Mark Allatt is a stickler for authenticity. So, like many of the A1s in their early months, the loco carries a rimless chimney, bears LNER-style apple green livery with BRITISH RAILWAYS on its tender, and is devoid of nameplates. JOHN BAGSHAW

Schedule faster than pre-war ‘Coronation’

A1 triumphs on its maiden run

By Keith Farr

JANUARY 31, 2009, will go down in the annals of East Coast Main Line steam as a date to remember. On that day, A1 Pacific No. 60163 pulled out of York for Newcastle on its very first main line passenger journey. And it was no gentle ‘running-in’ turn – for the brand new Pacific was entrusted with 13 fully-laden coaches and given possibly the fastest-ever schedule laid down for steam between the two cities! The 74 minutes allowed for ‘The

Peppercorn Pioneer’ charter over the 80Ω miles beat the pre-war timing of the much lighter pre-war ‘Coronation’ by three minutes. Hundreds of well-wishers saw the train – which was for convenantors and other supporters – off from York’s platform 10, while fields, adjacent roads and station platforms along the route were crowded with photographers and other admirers. On board the train, the atmosphere was one of relief that the Big Day was actually happening: the sense of occasion was almost palpable. A

particularly proud passenger was Mrs Dorothy Mather, widow of the loco’s designer A.H. Peppercorn. The next day, No. 60163 (not named until February 19, see story opposite) hauled a charter from Doncaster to Durham and back – and then, on February 7, made its first-ever journey over the southern part of the ECML to King’s Cross, hauling the 13-coach ‘Talisman’ over the 232 miles from its home town of Darlington. That was also the A1’s first public main line run and is also understood to have been the first time an A1 has entered King’s

Cross since No. 60114 W.P. Allen on April 20, 1964. A month later, on May 29, No. 60149 Amadis also made the run, but on a parcels train and is not recorded as entering the terminus. The full story and timings of the 2009 runs of January 31 and February 7 will be published in next month’s Practice & Performance’ article ■ National Express has said sorry to enthusiasts for initially refusing them permission to go onto Darlington station to witness the maiden run departure. “We accept it was the wrong decision,” said a spokeswoman.

A small part of the huge crowd – estimated at 2,000-plus – that turned out to welcome the Pacific to King’s Cross. So many people lined the length of platform 1 that passengers could not at first get off the train! No. 60163 was the first A1 to enter King’s Cross on a passenger train since No. 60114 W.P. Allen on April 20. 1964. BRIAN MORRISON

8 • The Railway Magazine • April 2009

Above: Gracing Durham viaduct – No. 60163 on its first passenger run from York to Newcastle, a special for covenantors and other supporters on January 31. CARL GORSE

Tornado to visit Scotland FRESH from hauling the Royal Train, A1 No. 60163 Tornado was due to make its first visit to Scotland as we closed for press. Arriving on February 28 hauling ‘The Auld Reekie’, from York to Edinburgh Waverley, its week-long stay will be

followed by a historic departure south from the Scottish capital with the ‘North Briton’ to York on March 7. It is the first time an A1 has been to Scotland in more than 40 years. The tours are organised by PastTime Rail. Have you got a story for us? Email: railway@ipcmedia.com or fax 020 3148 8521

Tornado hauls the Royal Train after being named by Prince Charles By Chris Milner

LESS than three weeks after making its main line debut, A1 Pacifi c No. 60163 achieved the ultimate accolade on February 19 – hauling the Royal Train. The honour came on February 19 after it had been named Tornado by Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall at York station. The use of Britain’s newest steam locomotive on the Royal train and its naming by the Prince had fi rst been exclusively revealed by The Railway Magazine in the December issue. Getting the Royal seal of approval from Prince Charles – who is an air chief marshal in the RAF – was the icing on the cake for A1 Steam Locomotive Trust chairman Mark Allatt and his team, who have battled to make the dream a reality. It was fi tting that the naming ceremony took place within sight of the York Railway Institute, in which the A1 project had been launched back in November 1990. The £3m loco drew into the station’s platform 9 from the north for the naming ceremony, hauling the plumcoloured Royal carriages and watched by packed platforms of enthusiasts and well-wishers. “I can promise you that nothing could possibly give either myself or my wife greater pleasure to be here at York station on this very special occasion,” said Prince Charles. “I have nothing but the greatest admiration for the team of people who, for the past 19 years, have been doing their utmost to produce this remarkable achievement that is a tribute to those incredible British engineering skills that have made this country so famous.” Continued the future King: “It’s wonderful that so many volunteers and enthusiasts have put so much time and effort and sheer love into building this incredible locomotive. “The steam engine will again serve as an iconic and inspirational symbol of Britain.” While Charles was making his speech, his wife Camilla became covered in smoke and steam as the wind momentarily changed direction – an incident that caused the Prince much amusement (and received greater coverage in the next day’s papers than the naming itself!)

On Royal Train duty, as predicted by The RM late last year. Proudly bearing the Duke of Cornwall’s insignia, Ich Dien, the newly-named Tornado works past Cross Gates, Leeds, on February 19. BEN COLLIER

Above: The future King takes his place in the cab of the Pacifi c just before departure from York. PA

Right: A1 Trust chairman Mark Allatt looks on proudly as the Prince unveils the nameplate in the company of the Duchess of Cornwall. RICHARD TUPLIN

The Prince also met Dorothy Mather, widow of the A1’s designer Arthur Peppercorn. As president of the trust, Mrs Mather has been a staunch supporter of the project. No. 60163 is named after the RAF Tornado jets that fl ew in the Gulf War and, moments after the

naming, a Tornado F3, fl anked by Hawk jets, carried out a fl ypast over the station. Prince Charles then took the Pacifi c’s controls for part of the journey from York to Leeds. The train was routed to Leeds via Castleford and Woodlesford, where the

Royal couple left for engagements in and around Leeds, leaving Tornado to work the stock back to York. Later in the day, the Prince rejoined the Royal train, now with Class 67s top-and-tailed, to take him to engagements in Nottingham for the next day.

NRM sells Flying Scotsman’s second boiler

THE National Railway Museum has sold the A4 boiler that was fi tted to Flying Scotsman when the locomotive was bought by the museum in 2004. The sale – for what to many will seem a bargain £27,000 – took place in December and the boiler was delivered to its new owner from the Science Museum’s storage site at Wroughton, Wiltshire, on January 20. The NRM press offi ce told The RM that the purchaser is “a private individual who has asked for his identity to remain confi dential.” He is understood to be based in Cumbria. Although it is an A4 250psi boiler

with a remarkably illustrious pedigree (having been attached to No. 4472 during many of its remarkable exploits), its condition is described by the museum as “poor” and the decision to sell was partly due to it no longer being required and partly to the continuing cost of long-term storage. Scotsman’s A3 boiler – which was originally fi tted to No. 60041 Salmon Trout and was bought by Alan Pegler as a spare in 1963 – is being extensively reconstructed by the NRM for use when the world-famous Pacifi c returns to steam in 2010 – see ‘Steam

our Scotsman’ appeal (RM March). The £27,000 raised from the sale will be put towards the overhaul of the loco. The decision has caused controversy in some quarters as a number of engineers felt that the A4 boiler would have been the best one for the NRM to have restored. But NRM curator of rail vehicles Jim Rees disagreed, saying: “The A4 boiler was in poor condition, having had many repairs and alterations, some conventional, others less so. So we decided to repair the A3 boiler, not just for the short term, but to the highest possible standard.”

1850s GN hotel threatened THE Great Northern Hotel at Peterborough has been placed in the hands of administrators – and there are fears that the historic building could be demolished to make way for a ‘station quarter’ development. The news comes just weeks after more than 1,000 people backed a fi ght to save the 159year-old building. Owner Peter Boizot, who lives in part of the hotel, is said to be distraught.

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