THE first steam engine to be built in this country in nearly 50 years is to haul a passenger train from its “birthplace”.

Four trains are to be pulled in the region by the steam locomotive Tornado next month and in February.

It will be the first time the public will get the chance to travel on the main line on the £3m train, which was built by scratch from volunteers in Darlington in a project that took nearly two decades.

On January 31 and February 1, Tornado will haul trains from York to Newcastle and back.

These trains will be especially for covenantors who have pledged money throughout the duration of the project.

However, on February 7, Tornado, a Peppercorn class A1 steam locomotive, will pull The Talisman, a train from Darlington to London King’s Cross, stopping at York.

This train will be the first main line train open to the public and will be pulled to London by Tornado and return by modern traction engine.

After making the trip to London, Tornado will stay there for a couple of weeks while it pulls two Valentine specials in the South of England.

Then on February 26, Tornado will return to York pulling the Yorkshire Pullman.

It will be using Pullman coaches, which were used on the Orient Express.

“That will be a really special train as it will be the first time since at least 1963 that an A1 has left King’s Cross station,” said Mark Allatt, chairman of the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust.

“The Talisman was a British Railway train that was in place during the Fifties that was one of the fastest-running trains and A1s were regularly used on that.

“It’s brilliant that Tornado will be returning to Darlington to pull the Talisman, as it was Darlington where she was built.

“The two covenantors’ trains are nearly full and the Talisman is filling up fast, so we are advising people to book for that quite quickly.”

Tickets for the Talisman start at £79.50 for a standard fare.

It is provisionally expected to leave Darlington at 8.30am and return by 9pm.

For more information, visit a1steam.com or to book tickets call 01483-209886.