A HOST of activities are being planned for Tornado following its successful main line debut.

Now that the hard work of building the £3m locomotive has been completed, the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust is to turn its attention to fundraising to keeping it running.

The trust has to repay an £800,000 loan that was taken out in order to finish its construction, and is still looking for covenantors and supporters to help.

In addition, a number of trains are being run over the coming months that will help raise much-needed funds.

The trust is also looking at the possibility of building more locomotives, although nothing has been confirmed yet.

Last August, when Tornado moved under its own steam for the first time, the director of engineering, David Elliott, hinted that more engines could be built.

He said: “It is something the trust has been talking about for some time, although there are no firm plans yet.

“We still have to secure the financial future of this engine.”

Following Saturday’s run, Tornado stayed in London where, on Saturday, it will complete two Valentine’s Day trips.

Both of them have already been booked out.

It will return to the region on Thursday, February 19, where it will be officially named by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall in a ceremony at York station.

Tornado’s next engagement will be the Auld Reekie Express, on February 28, when it will travel between York and Edinburgh.

On March 12, it will pull the Tyne Tornado between York and Newcastle.

On the weekend of April 4 and 5, Tornado will be on display at the Roundhouse Railway centre at Barrow Hill, at Staveley, Chesterfield, for a two-day steam festival.

Other locomotives that have been confirmed for the weekend include Blue Peter, Sir Nigel Gresley and the Union of South Africa.

There will also be many other locomotives and railway memorabilia.

Tornado’s next confirmed engagement will be back in the region from May 1 to 10 at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway’s Spring Steam Gala.

On April 18, Tornado will pull the Yorkshire Pullman from King’s Cross to York using carriages from the Orient Express.

On June 21, it will pull two Father’s Day trains leaving from London and touring southern England.

When the locomotive is not being used, it will be housed at the National Railway Museum, York.

It is hoped that at some point, it will be put on temporary display at Locomotion: The National Railway Museum at Shildon, County Durham.

Trust chairman Mark Allatt said: “It is thanks to our more than 2,000 regular monthly and other donors, our sponsors led by William Cook Cast Products Limited, and the hard work of our volunteers and contractors that the project has achieved so much.

“The trust is now looking to the great British public to help us keep Tornado on the main line by making a donation, sponsoring a component, taking part in our covenant scheme and/or our £500,000 bond issue to help repay the £832,000 borrowed to complete her construction.”

All information about the trains being pulled by Tornado and how to make a donation can be found on the trust’s website at a1steam.

com or by calling 01325-460163.