TORNADO

I've mentioned a Charity in Darlington, for which I act as Curator, in particular for the thousands of photos and other images which it has. The accompanying photo shows a recent Convention, where supporters of the venture - to build a full-size, express steam locomotive of the former LNER A1 class for mainline working - met to hear reports of progress, and to visit the locomotive at our works in Darlington.

The locomotive will be called 60163 Tornado. The big hole in the middle of the locomotive where a boiler should sit is being sorted. The boiler (a £1/2 million pound object) is being built right now - in Germany. It should be put in place next Summer.

Completion of the locomotive is scheduled for end 2007. This is conditional on the Charity raising a further £380,000, which explains some of my recent absences from Weston on tin-rattling (and more sophisticated fund-raising) ventures all over the UK. Since we've already raised $1.6 million, we hope this amount won't be too difficult to find.

The locomotive will be run in on the Great Central track between Leicester and Loughborough, where it can run at up to 60 mph. Then it's onto the main East Coast Main Line between York and Newcastle, where it will be tested up to 90 mph. Tornado's first passenger hauling service on the Great Central will in fact be 6 full length trains, all these seats being already booked!

Rumours of my househunting expeditions to Leicester are ........ [[Error 693 ... fatal .... NO CARRIER!!]]