A1 First Steaming at Darlington
I took time off the 25 today to spend a morning witnessing a momentous occasion. One i have been contributing £7 a month towards over the last 18 years. The first move under its own power of the new build A1, 4-6-2 pacific locomotive, Tornado.
As 11Am came and went things started to gather momentum the air pump stated its rhythmic chuff as air built and coal was added. The dark smoke started to blow from the double chimney and excitement started to build. Then the pump stopped air was up. The unmistakable smell of coal, smoke, and oil drifted over us. The sky's were darkening a storm was approaching and we all looked a bit nervously to the east, would she move before the rain hit.
Amid a couple of hoots on the whistle and clapping from the 400 or so gathered there. Without any fuss and a blast of steam from the cylinder drain cocks. she moved off and glided up and down the short demonstration track.
Thunder, lightening, rain and our own Tornado, alive at last!
Didn't we do well ?
More information on the A1 web site, A1Steam.com