Spekejunction
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Has Tornado started her steam trials ?
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Class A1 Tornado Steaming after overhaul..
- Thread starter Spekejunction
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Not yet. The tender is currently at Loughborough on the GCR, but no sign of Tornado arriving there yet. With a full programme of tours already announced for this year, I do hope we won't have another occurrence of them having to postpone them all due to the engine not being ready.
Spekejunction
Member
- Joined
- 14 Aug 2014
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- 80
Nene Valley have posted that Tornado will not be visiting as planned ..As per faceache..
D Williams
Member
"Information from the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust
Over the last month the situation has been fluid, as happens with many projects as they
reach their conclusion. There have been many variations to the plan, making updates
before this time difficult as they would have risked being out of date as they were sent.
Suffice to say we have faced unanticipated challenges in the area of coded welding, a
matter that has affected a number of heritage railway projects as well as our own.
On reassembly of the boiler and its fittings, we needed to undertake some work to the
gauge frame pads. Due to the paperwork required and the level of welding necessary,
this was not the straightforward task we had anticipated as our regular welder was no
longer available to us. It proved exceedingly difficult to source a qualified coded welder
for the task, as within the small pool who could undertake the work, personal
circumstances delayed progress and the plan to complete this work changed
numerous times. We lost time in this delay, but parallel work has been continuing as far
as possible.
Once the gauge frames were secured, it was appropriate to undertake a hydraulic test
to reset the seven-year ticket. This took place last Wednesday 1st May. The boiler
passed the hydraulic test, however one stay on the righthand side was weeping,
suggesting a very small crack. The boiler has had several hydraulic and steam tests,
and this had not presented previously. The stay was removed and, as is necessary, the
team then inspected the surrounding stays (as they can suffer damage compensating
for the adjacent cracked stay). A reasonable number were found to need replacing. This
raised concerns for the left-hand side of the boiler, and we subsequently found a
smaller number that required replacing on that side.
We have again suffered from the availability of skilled welders to carry out this work. It
was hoped that this could have been completed last week, but it is now planned to be
completed on Monday 13th May.
In parallel, work on the backhead and cab is progressing, and the cab and engine will be
reunited next week following the welding. Final pipework will then be attached. It is our
intention for the engine to the leave Locomotive Maintenance Services (LMS) the week
of 20th May, and static testing will commence thereafter.
Unfortunately, this additional work has pushed back the date that the locomotive will
be ready for running with passengers and as such we are terribly disappointed to cancel
our visit to the Nene Valley Railway. Our sincere apologies go out to all those who have
made arrangements to see the A1over the bank holiday weekend. We have tried every
scenario to honour this commitment but in the end it has simply not been possible."
== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==
From an unconfirmed source,
"the Trust’s current leadership appears to have not only repeatedly underestimated the work needed during this overhaul but also failed to be open and honest with its covenantors, passengers and other customers. And now we are told that the overhaul has cost around £1m."
Rather a lot of money for an engine that's done very little work since new. Perhaps it's time to put it in a museum?
Over the last month the situation has been fluid, as happens with many projects as they
reach their conclusion. There have been many variations to the plan, making updates
before this time difficult as they would have risked being out of date as they were sent.
Suffice to say we have faced unanticipated challenges in the area of coded welding, a
matter that has affected a number of heritage railway projects as well as our own.
On reassembly of the boiler and its fittings, we needed to undertake some work to the
gauge frame pads. Due to the paperwork required and the level of welding necessary,
this was not the straightforward task we had anticipated as our regular welder was no
longer available to us. It proved exceedingly difficult to source a qualified coded welder
for the task, as within the small pool who could undertake the work, personal
circumstances delayed progress and the plan to complete this work changed
numerous times. We lost time in this delay, but parallel work has been continuing as far
as possible.
Once the gauge frames were secured, it was appropriate to undertake a hydraulic test
to reset the seven-year ticket. This took place last Wednesday 1st May. The boiler
passed the hydraulic test, however one stay on the righthand side was weeping,
suggesting a very small crack. The boiler has had several hydraulic and steam tests,
and this had not presented previously. The stay was removed and, as is necessary, the
team then inspected the surrounding stays (as they can suffer damage compensating
for the adjacent cracked stay). A reasonable number were found to need replacing. This
raised concerns for the left-hand side of the boiler, and we subsequently found a
smaller number that required replacing on that side.
We have again suffered from the availability of skilled welders to carry out this work. It
was hoped that this could have been completed last week, but it is now planned to be
completed on Monday 13th May.
In parallel, work on the backhead and cab is progressing, and the cab and engine will be
reunited next week following the welding. Final pipework will then be attached. It is our
intention for the engine to the leave Locomotive Maintenance Services (LMS) the week
of 20th May, and static testing will commence thereafter.
Unfortunately, this additional work has pushed back the date that the locomotive will
be ready for running with passengers and as such we are terribly disappointed to cancel
our visit to the Nene Valley Railway. Our sincere apologies go out to all those who have
made arrangements to see the A1over the bank holiday weekend. We have tried every
scenario to honour this commitment but in the end it has simply not been possible."
== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==
From an unconfirmed source,
"the Trust’s current leadership appears to have not only repeatedly underestimated the work needed during this overhaul but also failed to be open and honest with its covenantors, passengers and other customers. And now we are told that the overhaul has cost around £1m."
Rather a lot of money for an engine that's done very little work since new. Perhaps it's time to put it in a museum?
Last edited:
mikestone1952
Member
- Joined
- 12 Feb 2011
- Messages
- 285
I may well be putting 2+2 together to make 5 but while failing to find the next move for 60532 came across a 5Z63 from the NRM to Shildon on thursday, with WCR providing the traction.
Flying Phil
Established Member
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- 18 Apr 2016
- Messages
- 2,044
To give some idea as to the complexity of this overhaul and the installation of the latest signalling control equipment, here is a view of what is under the cab floor.
Poolie
Member
- Joined
- 30 Jan 2010
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- 189
While I admire the building of Tornado, I can't help feeling that the upkeep of Blue Peter would have been a better use of money, Visually they are identical and apart from purists, would anyone know?
Nym
Established Member
Given them conduits look like they're final length, I don't know if I should be disappointed with the installer or the designer.
Flying Phil
Established Member
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- 18 Apr 2016
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- 2,044
Nym - I suspect those conduits are for connections to the tender, so may well not yet be in their final position. Let us not be too critical from just one snatched picture....
The email they sent out today says the new braking system needs extra work to bring it up to Network Rail standards.
Ah ok interesting. 5th Sept tour cancelled. Just found the email. Refunds will automatically follow. Shame for the charity. Let's hope Tornado is up and running soon and the tour will be arranged once it's been tested certified etc.
Spekejunction
Member
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- 14 Aug 2014
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- 80
Visit to Nene Valley Railway not taking place on Bank Holiday Weekend..Oh dear !
Flying Phil
Established Member
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- 18 Apr 2016
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- 2,044
Tornado has been seen running on the GCR to Quorn.
That will be good to see.
More passenger services this weekend on a special timetable (4 trips daily for 60163, 3 each for the other locos) with 3 passenger sets plus the dining set, and 60163 is booked to work the dining train in the evening.
But no freight this weekend.
Well that should keep us reasonably busy!
Spike Bank
Member
Tornado is now scheduled to be hauling passenger services on the GCR tomorrow (Thursday 5th Sept 2024)...
Dave S 56F
Member
Been cancelled for tomorrow's passenger services on the G.C.R. as the A1 60163 tornado is needing a new firebar and the fitters will have to wait for the loco boiler to go cold. After todays 60mph run. (See full story about this on the A1SLT Facebook page or national preservation forums steam traction thread on tornado).
MegaThrashRail
Member
Hi,
Anyone know if tornado will make it's return at kings cross like blue peter or will it be somewhere else?
Thanks
Anyone know if tornado will make it's return at kings cross like blue peter or will it be somewhere else?
Thanks
D Williams
Member
Has it worked any trains on the GCR yet?
MegaThrashRail
Member
Yes
a4 Sir Nigel
On Moderation
Isn't Tornado going tysley
DJ_K666
Member
Electro steam! Imagine what Arthur Peppercotn would think if he'd been around to see this...
D365
Veteran Member
- Joined
- 29 Jun 2012
- Messages
- 12,234
Perhaps he would have devised a less contentious method for ETCS braking intervention…
DJ_K666
Member
Maybe, or he'd be asking lots of questions about how it works.
Nym
Established Member
There are plenty of engineers who have come up with better and less contentious methods for ETCS brake interventions. However, the powers that be do not like them.
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