The LNER Encyclopedia

Posted: **Thu Apr 19, 2018 3:44 pm**

60163 had an overheating middle piston valve on the Ebor Flyer on Saturday.

Pulled off at Sandy, heading north from Kings Cross to York. "Railway Herald" suggests it may have hit something in the Biggleswade area.

Updated press release from the 17th is here:

https://www.a1steam.com/2018/04/17/torn ... ir-update/

this starts:

The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust would like to apologise for the disruption caused to passengers travelling on ‘The Ebor Flyer’ on Saturday 14th April 2018 and passengers on other trains, particularly Virgin Trains East Coast customers, impacted by No. 60163 Tornado’s breakdown. The locomotive came to a stop just south of Sandy with a broken combination lever. Investigations have so far revealed that this was due to the middle piston valve overheating and binding in the valve chest. The root cause is not yet fully clear, but it is likely that insufficient lubrication was an issue. Investigations continue to establish the cause of failure in the lubrication system and any contributing factors.

Tornado has run many miles since winter maintenance with no obvious issues in this area. Whilst we have been asked if the higher speed was a factor in the failure, at present we believe it not to be. It probably happened slightly earlier in the journey than if running at lower speed, but it most likely would still have happened.

(the rest of the press release concerns cancellations, refunds, etc)

Posted: **Fri Apr 20, 2018 6:42 pm**

Called in at the NVR for coffee on Monday on my way down the A1, (It has more interest than the standard motorway type services), and was surprised to see a familiar face:-

The cover to the centre valve rod was removed, and some dismantling was going on underneath.

I had to travel back on Tuesday (NVR does a very good full breakfast), and more parts had been dismantled.

Posted: **Sat Apr 21, 2018 8:15 am**

Latest news .....here.....

Posted: **Mon May 14, 2018 10:02 am**

Two images of Tornado at the NVR, Sunday lunchtime.

34081 92 Squadron was the engine in service for the day.

Rgds

NG.

Posted: **Wed Jun 13, 2018 3:52 pm**

Reassuring to note though that Gresley and Bullied weren't the only ones who had trouble with the inside one on their three cylinder machines - Pepp obviously got things wrong there too.

Posted: **Sun Sep 16, 2018 10:11 pm**

Nice to hear it is back in steam and is now being tested on the NVR

Posted: **Mon Sep 17, 2018 9:23 pm**

As of 16:30 today the loco was sitting with wisps of steam drifting from the snifting valve and the centre cylinder cover removed.
The nice young man in the station restaurant said that she had 'failed an examination'.
May be gossip, but I didn't have time to enquire further.

Posted: **Thu Sep 20, 2018 4:57 pm**

Visited the 'Nene Valley Hospital for Sick Engines' again yesterday, as a break for some horrible driving conditions on the A1.
Tornado was in the same place with the centre cylinder cover removed. No evidence of steam though!

In passing I should mention the excellent blackberry crumble that the NVR cafe was able to provide, and to recommend a refreshment stop on the NVR as a way of putting some money into the railway's coffers and a break from the noise and irritation increasingly associated with 'roadside services'.

Posted: **Fri Sep 21, 2018 9:51 pm**

Might I suggest a look at the latest A1 Trust news page regarding her return to the mainline AND Aberdeen next year!

https://www.a1steam.com/category/news/

Posted: **Mon Oct 08, 2018 2:16 pm**

Really pleased that Tornado is coming right past my house next year, hope to travel behind her on the March visit.

Posted: **Tue Jan 15, 2019 10:28 pm**

Does anyone know if Tornado made it from the NVR to Doncaster today? gossip on facebook that the move may have been cancelled?

Posted: **Tue Jan 15, 2019 10:42 pm**

It's currently heading for Doncaster, the run has been shortened although there's the possibility of it going to Barrow Hill.

Posted: **Tue Jan 15, 2019 11:00 pm**

Thanks

Posted: **Wed Jan 16, 2019 11:58 am**

There's a photo of Tornado sat on the Barrow Hill turntable on the A1 facebook page, word has it, she did a 75mph test run with a train and diesel on the back last night.

Posted: **Wed Jan 16, 2019 9:58 pm**

I don't know when 75 MPH was achieved. I was on nights last night and signalled it down from Grantham to Doncaster and it didn't get above 55 MPH anywhere (we have several speed checks enroute).
It picked up an ECS train at Belmont Yard then went to York with a diesel on the back, then York to the Sheffield district (probably Barrow Hill) hauled light steam on the back of the train with the diesel on the front.

The LNER Encyclopedia

60163 Tornado Combination Lever / Piston Valve Failure

60163 Tornado Combination Lever / Piston Valve Failure

Re: 60163 Tornado Combination Lever / Piston Valve Failure

Re: 60163 Tornado Combination Lever / Piston Valve Failure

Re: 60163 Tornado Combination Lever / Piston Valve Failure

Re: 60163 Tornado Combination Lever / Piston Valve Failure

Re: 60163 Tornado Combination Lever / Piston Valve Failure

Re: 60163 Tornado Combination Lever / Piston Valve Failure

Re: 60163 Tornado Combination Lever / Piston Valve Failure

Re: 60163 Tornado Combination Lever / Piston Valve Failure

Re: 60163 Tornado Combination Lever / Piston Valve Failure

Re: 60163 Tornado Combination Lever / Piston Valve Failure

Re: 60163 Tornado Combination Lever / Piston Valve Failure

Re: 60163 Tornado Combination Lever / Piston Valve Failure

Re: 60163 Tornado Combination Lever / Piston Valve Failure

Re: 60163 Tornado Combination Lever / Piston Valve Failure