WITH FULL REGULATOR

THIS time I am covering‘The Ebor Flyer’which ran on April 14 after many months’planning.This was to be the first official 90mph public run with LNER A1 Pacific No. 60163 Tornado following its successful high speed test in April 2017, almost exactly a year earlier.Then it ran up to 91mph afterTursdale, north of Darlington on its northbound run with a load of 405 tons which included nine coaches and a non-working class 67 diesel. On the return run 100mph was reached near Alne between Darlington andYork

As this test was successful, the A1Trust with its operating partners set about planning a trip where 90mph could be used in pathing plus of course the capability of Tornado to run for longer stretches between stops for water than most other main line-certified engines due to its 5,000 gallon capacity tender.This fitted with the objectives of keeping trains hauled by Tornado on ever busier main lines without excessively long end to end journey times. In 2009, King’s Cross toYork had been possible in two minutes over four hours within the 75mph limit but there really wasn’t anything to spare as the train running inTable Four shows.

I had booked on‘The Ebor Flyer’as far back as September last year and so I eagerly awaited the details of times for the trip.These were very late coming but when