On the 17th January 2008 the day dawned cloudy and wet but with a weather forecast for an improvement it was a good opportunity to drive to the Park and Ride facility at The Designer Outlet which is situated 2.5 miles south of York, at the junction of the A19 (York-Doncaster road) and the A64 (Leeds-Scarborough road). Our bus passes at the ready and we boarded the bus to York Railway Station. The quickest way to the nearby National Railway Museum to take the footbridge across the station platforms.

We made straight for the Workshops for our first glimpse of "Tornado". A very impressive sight for the many photographers line up along the public gallery. The one thing that was missing from the locomotive was the chimney whilst work was being carried out on the spark arrestor so I was told by one of the NRM staff.

To the right what looks like a spare dome that according to the chalk written message it is "not to be posted". If you wish to see other photographs of Tornado there are many website of photographs of Tornado click here for one of many that can be found.

Another famous locomotive 4472 the "Flying Scotsman" was also in the workshop having a major refit. The cab was outside in the works yard. Alongside 4472 was the locomotive from the miniature  7 1/4  railway that operates outside next the events arena during the main season.   

Both their miniature railway locomotives were in the workshops receiving attention in readiness for the 2009 season. The photograph above right was taken on a warm summers day on the 11th May 2006.

Ellerman Lines 4-6-2 No 35029 illustrates how a steam locomotive works. There is much to see in the museum ranging from the locomotives in the Great Hall to The Warehouse which has 1000's of items of memorabilia to see. You must at least allow yourself a full day to see everything. There are excellent Café's, The Station Hall Restaurant and picnic areas if you take a packed lunch.

Saturday started for us at 7 am, then it was onto Kirk Sandal railway station to catch a train for Sheffield. However there was something just a little important to say the least and that was to see the new A1 steam locomotive "Tornado" pass through Doncaster. On our arrival on the train into Doncaster Station we were soon amidst the many photographers lining the platforms to see the historic event of the locomotives first passenger train "The Talisman" that it was hauling from Darlington to Kings Cross. It had been reported that the locomotive would only be passing through Doncaster, then we learned that it would be stopping for three minutes, but which platform? As the locomotive approached the station almost if not on time it soon became apparent that it was heading for Platform 1 for its stop as it did last Sunday. Not the best of platforms for photography I am afraid. So Pat and myself were lucky that we had chosen Platform 4, mainly for the reason of the direction of the sun light.  Pat took the video images of the locomotive as it set off.  I managed a couple of still views that were going to be difficult due to the location. 

A few practice photographs to check the angle of the sun etc. However the first sign of steam as the locomotive pulls into a very packed platform with photographers, but Platform 1 and not 4!  With a cloud of steam about to engulf the photographers stood on the wall "Tornado" sets off for its continuing journey to Kings Cross three minutes after its arrival. 

During the last few days I have put out many requests for anyone including our members who has taken any photographs of "Tornado". Carole and Raymond responded,  then a friend Derek Porter came forwarded with some that he has kindly given to me.

12th December 2008 at the National Railway Museum the unveiling being undertaken by Mrs Dorothy Mather, widow of Arthur Peppercorn, the last Chief Mechanical Engineer of the London & North Eastern Railway (LNER) who designed the class Al in the late 1940s.

1st February 2009  Tornado on "The Peppercorn Pioneer" as it stops at Doncaster and then the return back to York.

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