The star guest at the Tyseley 101 Open Day was Peppercorn A1 Pacific No 60163 Tornado, returning for the first time as a complete engine to the place where its frames were laid down. Also on display was an impressive display of resident motive power, largely of GWR origin. The next major project for Tyseley will be the restoration of No 7029 Clun Castle.

A grey and damp morning coupled with a lack of time meant I couldn't follow the Tyseley Castle into the fells on its way to Carlisle, but I made it to Crewe for a glimpse of this handsome machine before it set off to try and equal the Scot's fine achievement last month.

This repeat of last year's Mallard commemoration sought again to get from London - Edinburgh and back using three A4s, with the addition of the new A1 No 60163 Tornado on the final leg. This aim was subverted when No 60019 Bittern failed its FTR examination earlier in the week, but No 60163 was swiftly brought from the North York Moors to substitute (should it be renamed 'Thundado'?!).
It headed out of Kings Cross on the early Saturday fast steam schedule which it is swiftly making its own. A quick run down from Hitchin to Sandy was followed by a storming climb of Stoke Bank, faster than Sir Nigel's epic run last year. More fast running between Barkston and Bawtry and between Doncaster and York concluded a stirring first leg.
After a break at York, A4 No 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley came on for the journey into Scotland. The running along the racing stretch to Darlington was disappointing, but we ended the first day with a rollicking run down Cockburnspath bank and along the Firth of Forth.
The Sunday side trip from Edinburgh to Dundee, out with No 60007 and back with No 60009 Union of South Africa, broke no records for speed or timekeeping, but was a very pleasant day out in the Scottish spring sunshine, with crossings both ways of the Forth and Tay Bridges.
On the Monday morning, No 60009 stood resplendent at the east end of Waverley station but its running amid a busy weekday schedule was ridden with signal checks and loopings, interspersed with short bursts of impressive speed. A flying start south of Darlington was spoilt when we were put slow line at Northallerton, preventing a rousing finish to this leg.
A highlight of the layover at York was the arrival from Tyseley of a train containing the impressively restreamlined LMS Pacific No 6229 Duchess of Hamilton, ready for its launch at the NRM the next day.
No 60163 came on for the final leg, but a slow schedule through the busy weekday timetable and a very strict adherence to the steam speed limit meant there were no more fireworks. Nevertheless we arrived on time to a warm welcome at Kings Cross, at the end of nearly 1000 miles of LNER Pacific steam - a memorable and epic journey.

On a day when four Class 7 and 8 locomotives of LMS ancestry were out on the main line in the North of England, I could only manage a short outing. The priority had to be to spend more time with David Smith's magnificent Rebuilt Scot No 46115 Scots Guardsman, as it awaited departure from Preston with the Vintage Trains 'Scot over Shap' charter to Carlisle and back. The morning was fine and sometimes sunny, in complete contrast to the wild weather lying ahead of the train on the high fells.

The North York Moors Railway seeks this year to top last year's 'three streaks' LNER gala by headlining the brand-new A1 Pacific No 60163 Tornado. Covenantors of the A1 Trust were given the chance to ride the first two outings when Tornado headed a rake of six beautifully restored LNER teak-clad carriages. The new loco looked stunning in bright spring sunshine, and climbed the steep inclines effortlessly. A highlight of the day was the chance meeting of Sir Nigel Gresley alongside Tornado as their trains passed at Goathland.

On the afternoon of Wednesday 8 April, RTC's The Great Britain II came into the North West, headed by Bulleid 4-6-2 No 34067 Tangmere. Due to the failure of other engines, this loco was just completing three successive days of haulage: London - Bristol, Penzance - Bristol and Bristol - Preston. The following morning, West Coast Railway Company flagship No 46115 Scots Guardsman made its maiden journey in preservation over Shap and Beattock from Preston to Glasgow. The loco is seen at Preston station, Lancaster station and at Greenholme on the climb to Shap.

The guys at Barrow Hill roundhouse assembled another impressive collection of LNER locomotives for their Open Day this weekend. Resident A2 Blue Peter was joined by lookalike new-kid-on-the-block A1 Tornado and a pair of A4s, thus making up partially for the inability to stage the dream lineup, due to the continued absence of A3 Flying Scotsman. Huge crowds were attracted by such a dramatic cast list.

The Past Time Rail / Ian Riley / West Coast Railway combo diversified today from the Cotton Mill formula to put on a new itinerary round the industrial Pennines. Starting as usual from Manchester Victoria, it took in Stockport, Sheffield, Barnsley, Penistone, Huddersfield and Brighouse, before heading home along the Calder Valley route. Brilliant sunshine followed our progress throughout the day, and the prowess of the two Black Rileys, Nos 76079 and 45407, was shown not so much in top speeds as in solid, steady climbing up many significant gradients. A full train, plus hundreds of linesiders, showed that well over 1000 people enjoyed the day.

There was a better fleet of locomotives than the gala a month ago, and it was just a few degrees warmer, but heavy cloud again during the Saturday morning I was free to spend. I enjoyed a complete round trip of the line with the Duke of Gloucester, observing the other seven ex-BR engines at various points en route.

Another red letter day in the life of brand-new A1 Pacific No 60163 Tornado - its naming at York by Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall. An early arrival enabled me to watch the preparations on Platform 9, but then the lesser mortals (like those of us who have contributed over years) were banished to Platform 10, where many hundreds struggled for a view. It was still another magical occasion for Tornado lovers, even from a distance!