[PRCo] Fwd: The Tornado

[Schneider Fred]

At the risk of being beaten over the head ... American steam engines  
seemed so practical and utilitarian.   We had big engines ... nothing  
quite compared to a Southern Pacific GS6 or a Santa Fe 3750 or a New  
York Central Niagara in size.   Monstrous beasts they were.  Even a  
Pennsy K4 was huge next to a large British engine.
But those Brits gave the industry a degree of romance even into the  
1960s that we didn't understand.   Can an American comprehend a train  
pulling to halt under a shed that late still illumiated with gas  
lights?   Would we have named our engines after a president?   Well  
the Baltimore and Ohio did but things like that were uncommon.   But  
in 1960 I photographed a British locomotive named the "Princess  
Elizabeth."   Could there have been a more romantic group of engines  
than those in the Merchant Navy class?  Imagine, if you, will engines  
with names such as the "Indomitable" and the "Invincible."   (I  
always thought one of those name plates would have looked great on  
the side of my Volkswagen.)

I first saw the U. K. back when I was an impressionable 19-year- 
old.   London Underground was still running the 1938 tube stock.    
Trams were still running on the streets in Glasgow, Sheffield,  
Blackpool and Grimsby. Outside of the Southern Region, most of  
British Railways long distance trains were mostly still steam.   
Automobiles were very uncommon.   I think our friend John Swindler  
saw it even earlier ... if my memory still works, his Mum took him on  
the original QE or QM to England to see the grandparents when he was  
still young lad.   So please excuse us if we become bubble over with  
memories.   You can treasure memories from places other than  
Pittsburgh and the world is filled with great places.

Here is what Phil had to say after I told him I forward the clip to  
yins....

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Phil Craig <philgcraig204 at yahoo.com>
>
> Subject: Re: [PRCo] The Tornado
> Reply-To: philgcraig204 at yahoo.com
>
> Fred:
>
> Glad that you enjoyed the BBC clip and passed it on to others.  I  
> understand that Network Rail has certified Tornado for 90 mph  
> running but it is being limited to 75 mph for the time being to  
> break it in.  The high top speed will enable Tornado to use less  
> time-consuming paths (slots) in the future, always valuable  
> considering the habitual lateness attendent to any special move  
> especially railway enthusiats excursions.
>
> Ah, to be in England while riding behind Tornado in first class  
> with the windows open during fair weather and being served a  
> "proper meal" and wine at you seat.  Did that with behind A-4  
> Duchess of Canada while enroute from Kings Cross to York and back  
> in 2004.
>
> Phil
>
>