Steam loco Tornado to re-enact 'The Scarborough Flyer' service

The new steam locomotive Tornado is heading to Scarborough on Saturday 4 June.
The Tornado steam locoThe Tornado steam loco
The Tornado steam loco

The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, the registered charity behind the new steam locomotive No. 60163 Tornado, is delighted to announce the recreation of the ‘Scarborough Flyer’ and Tornado’s first visit to Scarborough on a revenue earning train. This main line steam railtour will run from London King’s Cross to York and Scarborough and back, picking up passengers at Potters Bar (for M25), Peterborough and York.

The Peppercorn class A1 No. 60163 Tornado, completed in 2008, is Britain's newest main line steam loco, and hauls historic carriages, with passengers in First Class Dining receiving a traditional silver service throughout the journey. Tornado - named after the RAF fighter plane - first visited Scarborough with her first main line test run from York on 4 November 2008.

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The British preoccupation with visiting the seaside prompted the London & North Eastern Railway (LNER) to launch this famous named train in the summer of 1927 to popularise Scarborough with Londoners. Running non-stop from London King’s Cross to York – a rare accolade – the ‘Scarborough Flier’ (as it was also written until the 1950s) was by 1935 the fastest express on the LNER, beaten only by the streamliners. After a wartime pause the ‘Scarborough Flyer’ survived until 1963. It was usually hauled by an LNER Pacific to York where a Gresley class D49 would usually take over for the Scarborough leg.

On Saturday 4 June the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust will re-create the magic of going by steam to the sea. The ‘Scarborough Flyer’ service will travel from London King’s Cross station along the East Coast Main Line to York, then along the delightfully rural branch line through Malton to Scarborough itself.

Provisional timings are: leave King's Cross 08.15; York 12.30; arrive Scarborough 13.30; depart Scarborough 16.30; York 17.30; arrive King's Cross 21.15.

A spokesman said: "We expect there to be much fast running at the permitted maximum of 75mph and with this being a late spring tour we anticipate wonderful views of the stunning Yorkshire scenery."

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After a three-hour break in Scarborough Tornado will haul the train back to York where an electric locomotive will take over.

Online and telephone bookings are handled by booking agents UK Railtours: visit www.a1steam.com or www.ukrailtours.com, or call 01438 715050.