| Restoring classic cars often means salvaging and | | | | The first test run of the Tornado happened in July 29, |
| refurbishing parts and giving them new existence. But | | | | 2008 at Darlington along Leicestershire and |
| with the 60163 Tornado, it is a steam locomotive that | | | | Nottinghamshire on the Great Central Railway in |
| looks like a train that was built in the 1950s, but it was | | | | Loughborough, a preserved double-track railway with |
| really made during the 90's. | | | | working signals and intended to entertain tourists. |
| Why Tornado? With respects to the sponsor who | | | | The Tornado was ran at speeds of 121 km/h (75 mph) |
| gave £50,000, it was given the privilege to pick | | | | and its final approval to become a main-line passenger |
| out the locomotive's name. As the coalition just won | | | | train after it was repainted in apple green color. In |
| against Iraq in the first gulf war, it has been decided to | | | | January 31, 2009, the Tornado made its first run to |
| bestow the locomotive a name honoring the Royal Air | | | | transport passengers. The cost to put together the |
| Force pilots who flew the Tornado fighter aircraft. | | | | Tornado formed debt for its makers and making it a |
| Thus, the name "Tornado." | | | | passenger train is a way to be able to repay those |
| The Tornado nameplate that is now being worn by | | | | debts. |
| the train is actually given by the RAF which they | | | | The Tornado's speed is also limited to only 140 km/h |
| presented to A1 Steam Locomotive Trust (maker of | | | | though it is said to be able to go as quick as 160 km/h. |
| the Tornado train) in 1995 during the frame laying | | | | The Tornado's original color was grey and the logo on |
| ceremony. | | | | the side of its coal-car initially wore the A1 Trust's |
| In the 1990s, several individuals and institutions in Britain | | | | website. As soon as the Tornado's color was |
| combined their resources to re-establish and give new | | | | changed to apple green to commemorate the |
| life to steam locomotives in Britain's preserved classic | | | | locomotives in the 1940s, the coal-car'sinsignia became |
| railways. A trust foundation known as A1 Steam | | | | British Railways. |
| Locomotive Trust and its subsidiary, Locomotive | | | | The painting of the Tornado was conducted by the |
| Construction Co., organised and built the Tornado as | | | | National Railway Museum (NRM) with 500 sponsors |
| part of the locomotive heritage movement. | | | | watching the train being painted without the use of |
| The steam-powered Tornado is considered as past | | | | modern-aged spray-paints but with just paintbrushes. |
| meeting the present seeing as it is made in a modern | | | | Due to the effort and the amount of resources poured |
| time when diesel and electric trains are rulers of the | | | | in building the Tornado, Bachmann has honored this |
| railways. But the Tornado's construction did not come | | | | new age classic in one of their limited edition model |
| at a low-cost. When the project was still being planned, | | | | trains collection. The Bachmann 32-550A Class A1 |
| the projected outlay for the Tornado was at | | | | 60163 'Tornado' has captured every detail of the |
| £1.6 million but because of inflation resulting to | | | | life-size Tornado and this model locomotives will give |
| high prices of resources and labour, the cost nearly | | | | any model trains collector a feeling of satisfaction and |
| doubled at £3 million and the project was | | | | money-well-spent. |
| finished two years after the target date. | | | | |