TORNADO A1 Class 60163

Artist: rodsfotos
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TORNADO A1 Class 60163

In 1990, a group of steam locomotive enthusiasts got together and formed the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust with the intention of building a brand new A1 Pacific Steam Locomotive.
Some 19 years later the Tornado 60163 was completed at a cost of over £3m, the first steam locomotive to be built in the UK for fifty years.

After successful trials it is now running on the mainline and delighting thousands of passengers and people turn up at every station it visits in amazing numbers.

We have been fortunate to have it visiting Torbay every Sunday for the last few weeks from Bristol, as you can imagine, the seats are all sold out weeks in advance but it is a thrill to see it speeding down the line with the whistle blowing.

I took this image of it making it’s way alongside the River Teign near Teignmouth, it was moving fast, about 40 – 50 mph,
so I tried quite a few settings to get the required shutter speed to freeze the motion before the train was due.

PLEASE VIEW LARGER

Nikon D300
70 -300 zoom @ 127mm
ISO 500
WB Auto
F4.5 for 1/1250sec
CP Filter

TORNADO A1 Class 60163 belongs to the following groups:

Devon and Cornwall. 2 a day please., DSLR Users Only - 1/24 - Camera & Lens In Description Please., European Everyday Life (add the place!), PostCard Style (Describe your image please) Limit 2 per day), Trains, UK to Australia and Back and United Kingdom Available for sale as

Greeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints, Framed Prints and Posters

cherylc1

so awesome~ great capture!!!
rodsfotos replied

Thank-you very much Cheryl, appreciated as always,
Regards, Rod.
Donna Adamski

That is so cool and an awesome looking train. Great capture of the steam and stop action. A beautiful scene as well. Bravo Rod…love it :)
rodsfotos replied

Thank-you very much Donna, it was great to see it speeding down the line and so many people were cheering it on it’s way,
Regards, Rod.
jacqi

Lovely capture of the steam and the driver hanging out the cab and just look at that speed!
rodsfotos replied

Thank-you so much Jacqi, I was amazed at how smooth this new steam train sounded, even at high speed,
Regards, Rod.
dawndavies

a fabulous capture of this fine train, dawnx
rodsfotos replied

Thank-you very much indeed Dawn, I’m not a particular train enthusiast but it was wonderful to see this one,
Regards, Rod.
Finbarr Reilly

Excellent work my friend superb image. ;)
rodsfotos replied

Hi Fino, thank-you very much, appreciated my friend,
Regards, Rod.
connieinwi

Great capture Rod, I love trains…
rodsfotos replied

Thanks so much Connie, this one was great to see, it was so fast and smooth running compared to the old steam trains,
Regards, Rod.
Martina Fagan

Hello Rod
Oh my I love this a great shot with stunning colour and steam!!
Best wishes
Tina
rodsfotos replied

Hi Tina, thanks so much my friend, it moves so much faster than I expected, I was glad that one of the photos I took worked out OK.,
Regards, Rod.
missmoneypenny

Great image and info Rod
rodsfotos replied

Thank-you very much Chris, and I’m not one of those guys with anoraks that follow steam trains all round the country, LOL.,
Regards, Rod.
Richard Veal

You got a better picture than we did Rod.
I deleted all of mine.
Anyway, well captured.
rodsfotos replied

Thank-you very much Richard, it moves so much faster and quieter than the old ones but was great to see.
We intended going over to Dawlish to get it passing through but time was getting on so we stopped at Teignmouth,
Regards, Rod.
Cynthia Adams

Wow…even the guys on the plate…think it’s called that appear to be delighted to be there Rod..what a brilliant capture..bravo.xxxxxxxxxx
rodsfotos replied

Thank-you very much Cyn, it was quite exciting to see it pass through with lots of onlookers cheering it on it’s way,
Regards, Rod.
jell

You got this one OK Rod
nice rural background full of detail. GREAT CAPTURE
rodsfotos replied

Hi Jell, thanks so much my friend, good to hear from you, I trust all is well,
Regards, Rod.
Tom Gomez

Wonderful capture Rod, good work mate …
rodsfotos replied

Thank-you very much Tom, if you ever get the chance to see this one, don’t hesitate to go, it has brought thousands of followers down to our area every week,
Regards, Rod.
BarbaraManis

Cool, capture, Rod! Excellent work, as always!
rodsfotos replied

Hi Barbara, thank-you very much my friend, I’ve been just too tied up with others things this last couple of weeks, it made a nice change to get out with the camera yesterday and it was wonderful to see,
Regards, Rod.
Arrowman

Brilliant Rod !
rodsfotos replied

Thank-you very much Colin, this is well worth seeing, a classic example of British engineering,
Regards, Rod.
kimie

Another brilliant capture Rod, picture perfect, as usuall x
rodsfotos replied

Hi Kim, thank-you very much, so kind of you,
Regards, Rod.
valzart

How marvelous to see this beauty sweetheART well done ;} happy hippy hugglez
rodsfotos replied

Thank-you very much Val, the atmosphere was great as it passed us,
Regards, Rod.
John44

Rod again a classic strong example of Photography..
An example to many
Well done
Greetings
John
rodsfotos replied

Thank-you so much John, I fired off 7 shots in the few seconds it took to pass us and this was the only one that I was happy with, action photography can be a bit of a lottery even when you’re prepared for the photograph,
Regards, Rod.
Evita

Excellent capture Rod !!! :D
rodsfotos replied

Thank-you very much indeed Evita,
Regards, Rod.
morpheus71

Brilliant capture Rod – great train and great colours
rodsfotos replied

Thank-you very much Phil, this was the first Sunday I have had free since it has been coming down to Torbay and I was so pleased to have seen it,
Regards, Rod.
georgieboy98

Just wonderful Rod, with a smidgeon of dear old Teignmouth to boot. When we first went there to live there only ever were steam trains running on that line and we could hear their whistle from our house up on the hill! In those days they wouldn’t have been going at this speed just here because pretty well all of them would stop at Teignmouth. What a sight this would have been, though and I can imagine that you were by no means the only person taking photos – although I doubt very much if anyone else got one as good as this. For a start not too many would have been able to match your shutter speed of 1/1250th, which has paid off in spades with all the details so clear and easy to read. A real classic and a definite keeper. Best wishes, Peter
rodsfotos replied

Thank-you very much for the wonderful comment Peter, yes there was quite a crowd of photographers and viewing public on Shaldon bridge.
It isn’t half quiet running compared to the old steam trains from years ago and so fast. There are quite a number of Websites describing the train and it’s build under Tornado Train, if you’re interested.
You may also care to look at the latest photo from a gent from Totnes, (Phil) Morpheus71 here on RB, it’s a photo of Shaldon like you’ve never seen before,
Regards, Rod.
PhotoAvenue

Great capture!
rodsfotos replied

Many thanks PA., very kind of you,
Regards, Rod.
Wayne Holman

Great image Rod, I did hear that this is the newest train in the UK.
rodsfotos replied

Many thanks Wayne, the glory days of steam are certainly going to live on with this new locomotive, it was wonderful to see,
Regards, Rod.
Trainman

You have captured history in the making here Rod very well taken of a very favorite subject -steam. Regards Dave.,When i get over that is on the list for a trip.
rodsfotos replied

Thank-you very much Dave, I was thinking of you when I was watching it pass, I know with your strong interest in trains that you would certainly have loved to have been there, there are many web pages on the loco that you will find of interest, including a schedule of it’s trips and booking availability, I started on Google searching Tornado Train and this was one of many interesting pages I came up with,

http://www.a1steam.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=221:first-train-on-main-line-for-new-p3m-steam-locomotive-tornado&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=123

Regards, Rod.
ralph arce

Reminds me of Thomas the train and his friends. Beautiful image. :)
rodsfotos replied

Thank-you very much Raphael, we have another private railway nearby that often puts on a Thomas the tank engine locomotive as a tourist attraction,
Regards, Rod.
LudaNayvelt

excellent capture, Rod. Love all this steam…
rodsfotos replied

Thank-you very much Luda, there’s something magical about steam trains and this new one is amazing to see,
Regards, Rod.
Keith Reesor

Fantastic capture Rod!! :)
rodsfotos replied

Thank-you very much Keith, I was waiting almost an hour in quite a crowd for the train to come and only had seconds to get it on camera, it was going so fast,
Regards, Rod.
kathy s gillen...

Fantastic capture
rodsfotos replied

Thank-you so much Kathy, very kind of you,
Regards, Rod.
Trudi's Images

Fabulous capture Rod, what a beauty, there is nothing quite like the sound of an old steamer !!
rodsfotos replied

Thank-you very much Trudi, modern trains just don’t inspire any excitement as they pass by compared to steam trains, your Dad would have been in his element if he had been there,
Regards, Rod.
Trainman

Many thanks re the info on the Tornado Rod very much appreciated,Regards Dave.
rodsfotos replied

My pleasure Dave, you are more than welcome,
Regards, Rod.
Shaun Whiteman

What a lovely shot Rod, wonderful details and composition, an amazing sight to behold!!
rodsfotos replied

Many thanks Shaun, it was moving so fast that it was hit and miss whether I got the whole loco in the frame, well worth seeing this one though,
Regards, Rod.
Malcolm Chant

OH MY isnt it great to see a real train, you have captured it so well Rod one can almost smell the coal, water, & steam.

Excellent narrative to.
rodsfotos replied

Thank-you very much Malcolm, diesel and electric trains just don’t stir the emotions like steam does, great to see this brand new one on the mainline,
Regards, Rod.
vadim19

Such a wonderful capture, Rod! Excellent composition!
rodsfotos replied

Thank-you very much indeed Vadim,
Regards, Rod.
RedHillDigital

Great capture Rod.
rodsfotos replied

Thank-you so much Howard, quite a different subject for me but I had heard so much about this new loco and had to fet over to see it last Sunday,
Regards, Rod.
naturelover

Great capture of this wonderful steam train Rod- excellent!!
rodsfotos replied

Thank-you very much Pauline, it was like being a child again watching it but very exciting none the less,
Regards, Rod.
Jens Helmstedt

A wonderful shot Rod! I like nostalgic trains. Very nice capture.
rodsfotos replied

Thank-you very much Jens, it was wonderful to see this brand new steam locomotive on the mainline, brought back many childhood memories,
Regards, Rod.
Lynda McDonald

you did a fine job of it Rod, good information and it would be a thril to see this grand “steam” train…..........i know locomotive, lol
rodsfotos replied

Steam train is certainly good enough for me Lynda, LOL., thanks so much my friend,
Regards, Rod.
CarolM

She’s a beauty, Rod. You’ve captured that in your photo, steam and all. Enjoyed your writing too.
rodsfotos replied

Steam trains certainly are a lot more spectacular to see than the modern type, I got such a buzz seeing this one and was amazed at the number of steam fanatics who had traveled many miles to see it, thanks so much Carol,
Regards, Rod.
bevanimage

I love steam locomotives, and this is a stunner, Rod. Rather expesnive, I see, but it has great character. Well captured too.
rodsfotos replied

Diesels just hold a candle to them in my opinion Bevan, it was amazing how quiet and fast it was going as it passed me, great to see though, many thanks,
Regards, Rod.
Heloisa Castro

perfect
rodsfotos replied

Very kind of you Heloisa, thank-you very much,
Regards, Rod.
DonDavisUK

Thanks for sharing all the details about this wonderful Locomotive, marvellous capture and a delight to see these great steam trains I’m sure. I’ve yet to capture a steam train running down the track. Does it run every week?
rodsfotos replied

Thank-you very much Don, I believe yesterday was the last day it was scheduled for the Bristol to Torbay run, I did a Google search on the train and was amazed at the number of sites and images, a list of it’s scheduled appearances can be found at:-

http://www.a1steam.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=47&Itemid=148

It looks like it will be in London a couple of times in early September if you’re interested in seeing it and getting some photographs,
Regards, Rod.
DonDavisUK

Hi Rod, thanks very much for that mate, I’ll take a look and see if I can combine a visit to the South West and a Photo shoot too. Have a great day my friend. Thanks for that information. Don.
sundawg7

Great capture of this classic Rod. You’re so fortunate to have gems like that. Canada doesn’t do any favours for train tourism. Any firms that exist, are self sufficient. Any breakdowns though and they’re on their own for funding. It’s a sad state. Warm regards, Ron
Di Jenkins

fabulous Loco – I’ll be sure to show this one to be train (THOMAS TANK ENGINE) mad son!
kalaryder

What a delight. Great catch too
Nira Dabush

a real GREAT CAPTURE.
henrihan

A wonderful capture of this beautiul steam locomotive Rod, It surely is pretty in that nice green colour. I remember those steam engines very well, we lived rather close to the railroad and it was wonderful to hear the whistle and the sound of the engine in the distance.Those were the days…:)Many regards,Henri
Chappy

Great capture.. Its great to see older modes of transport still running even though this is a new train made to look old. I have a fond love of trains and still have my very first train set the American Flyer S-gauge, I received when I was 4 yrs old and Im now 66.. and its still in working condition.. Hope you’re ding well.

Chappy
eaglewatcher

Wonderful capture—wonderful colors!!! One can almost hear it moving down the tracks!!
daffodil

Stunning capture Rod ! You were lucky to be there at the right moment . Gorgeous colors, great sharpness ,all is perfect.
My favourite image !
Amicales pensées, Daffo
Johnsart

It’s an amazing story Rod. Wonderful though. Must have been quite a big group to get 3M pound together. Great to see how dreams can become true.
Lois Bryan

Oh what fun it must be to see this in person!!!! Gorgeous sunny and bright image!!!
rodsfotos replied

It would certainly fit the boys toys category perfectly, steam locomotives beat modern trains hands down as far as I’m concerned, thanks so much my friend,
Regards, Rod.
Angel Gold

Great capture
rodsfotos replied

Thank-you very much Angel,
Regards, Rod.
ChelseaBlue

Cracking shot considering it was a moving target, you should be proud of this capture, well done Rod
rodsfotos replied

Thank-you very much Gordon, I knew it would be going at some speed but was surprised at how fast it was actually going,
Regards, Rod.
kenspics

Outstanding stop motion capture Rod!!!!
I too love steam engines and would be absolutely thrilled to have a ride on any train with this engine at the helm!!!!! Great commentary as well!!!
rodsfotos replied

Thank-you very much Ken, sorry I haven’t been commenting on your work recently, I had a heart attack in August and am slowly getting my strength back, quite a traumatic time,
Regards, Rod.
AnnDixon

This is captured beautifully, excellent work,
rodsfotos replied

Hello Ann,
Thank-you very much indeed my friend,
Regards, Rod.
Arrowman 17 days ago

A great shot Rod, I saw it Recently on a “Top Gear” episode “The Great North Run”, a brilliant Locomotive !
rodsfotos replied 17 days ago

Thanks so much Colin, I don’t normally get excited about steam trains but this one is more than a bit special,
Regards, Rod.