Around 100 commuters who had been left stranded as trains failed and congestion forced stations to close on Monday - 21st December - were rescued in style by a steam locomotive. Able to withstand the snow and ice that brought much of Southern England to a standstill, the No. 60163 Tornado hauling ‘The Cathedrals Express’ from London Victoria to Dover and back picked up and dropped off passengers while on a day trip to Kent.

The new £3m Peppercorn class A1 pacific steam locomotive which has been built over almost 20 years by The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust was in Kent for the day for special "Christmas meal" trips.

Mark Allatt, chairman of The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, said: "Monday’s Cathedrals Expresses were Tornado’s last main line trains of her first year of operations. Not only are we delighted that she was able to brave the arctic weather to haul two of the few trains to run in Kent on Monday but we were pleased to be able to help some of London’s stranded commuters to get home in style."

The Tornado headed back to the National Railway Museum (NRM) in York on Tuesday for scheduled winter maintenance.

Also on Romney Marsh Times:
> Travel Update - 20th Dec. 2009
> Steaming Across The Marsh for Christmas - 27th Nov. 2009
> Tornado steam engine to stop at Folkestone - 14th June 2009

Photo: Craig Stretton, A1 Steam Locomotive Trust.

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Steam train saves snow stranded commuters

Around 100 commuters who had been left stranded as trains failed and congestion forced stations to close on Monday - 21st December - were rescued in style by a steam locomotive. Able to withstand the snow and ice that brought much of Southern England to a standstill, the No. 60163 Tornado hauling ‘The Cathedrals Express’ from London Victoria to Dover and back picked up and dropped off passengers while on a day trip to Kent.

The new £3m Peppercorn class A1 pacific steam locomotive which has been built over almost 20 years by The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust was in Kent for the day for special "Christmas meal" trips.

Mark Allatt, chairman of The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, said: "Monday’s Cathedrals Expresses were Tornado’s last main line trains of her first year of operations. Not only are we delighted that she was able to brave the arctic weather to haul two of the few trains to run in Kent on Monday but we were pleased to be able to help some of London’s stranded commuters to get home in style."

The Tornado headed back to the National Railway Museum (NRM) in York on Tuesday for scheduled winter maintenance.

Also on Romney Marsh Times:
> Travel Update - 20th Dec. 2009
> Steaming Across The Marsh for Christmas - 27th Nov. 2009
> Tornado steam engine to stop at Folkestone - 14th June 2009

Photo: Craig Stretton, A1 Steam Locomotive Trust.

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