The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust - the registered charity that built, owns and operates world-famous 100mph new steam locomotive No. 60163 Tornado and is currently building Britain’s most powerful steam locomotive No. 2007 Prince of Wales – has launched its 30th Anniversary fundraising appeals to keep Tornado operating on the main line and complete Prince of Wales.
It’s now 30 years since The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust was formed to build a new Peppercorn class A1 ‘Pacific’. The original A1s were built by British Railways in 1948/49, however all were scrapped by 1966. The last survivor No. 60145 Saint Mungo was the subject of a failed preservation attempt which left the final development of East Coast Main Line’s famous steam locomotive classes unrepresented in preservation.
The formal launch of The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust was held at the Railway Institute in York on 17th November 1990 where it was announced that the 50th Peppercorn class A1 would carry the running number 60163 – the next in the sequence. The organisation was established with a clear mission: “To build and operate a Peppercorn class A1 ‘Pacific’ steam locomotive for main line and preserved railway use.”