THE return of ‘A1’ Pacific No. 60163 Tornado has suffered another setback and it is likely to be the summer before the loco is back on the main line after overhaul.
Following news of the return of the loco’s boiler back from the DB Meiningen works in Germany, there was anticipation of reasonable progress, however this has been dampened following a boiler inspection by British Engineering Services (BES) before it was due to be placed back in the frames.
The A1 Steam Trust (A1SLT) said BES raised concerns around the quality and installation of the small tubes in Tornado’s boiler. At the time, it was not possible to confirm if the cause was a material or welding issue, so all parties (A1SLT, DB Meiningen and BES) have agreed that the best course of action is to replace the small tubes in parallel with investigating what has caused the concern.
In a
