Tornado on the Royal Train

[John Ashworth]

This morning saw a rather rare event with new A1 pacific No. 60163 'Tornado' taking the Royal Train bringing Prince Charles and Camilla from Preston to Manchester for engagements in the city. The train was routed via the West Coast mainline then east from Parkside along the world's first passenger railway from Liverpool to Manchester - a route earmarked for electrification in the next couple of years. The train is seen between Parkside and Kenyon just past the site of the worlds first railway fatality on the opening day of the L & M railway in 1830. Unfortunately the weather was mega dull (requiring 400ASA) but thankfully the scene was highlighted by a light overnight snowfall.

[Derek Walker]

Awesome photograph... its amazing that Tornado has been able to be such a success, if only the powers that be here would look at it rationally and see the latent potential we still have with our steam loco's. But then thats an impossibility.