New steam loco makes moors debut

The Tornado's debut is expected to attract thousand of visitors

The first new mainline steam engine to be built in Britain for nearly 50 years is making its debut on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

The £3m Tornado will join at least 10 other engines as part of the railway's Spring Steam Gala, which runs from 1 to 4 May and 8 to 10 May.

Enthusiasts will have the chance to ride behind the A1 Peppercorn Pacific.

Philip Benham, the railway's general manager, said the visit of Tornado would be the highlight of the season.

The locomotive was designed by Arthur Peppercorn, the last chief mechanical engineer of the London and North Eastern Railway.

In 1990, the Darlington-based charity A1 Steam Locomotive Trust started a campaign to build a new operational steam train for the East Coast line.

In February, Tornado made its first long-distance passenger trip to London and was later officially named by the Prince of Wales.

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