The Swanage Railway in Dorset is hosting its Autumn Steam Gala from today, 11th September, until 13th September.

The line-up includes 60163 Tornado running alongside T3 class No. 563, U class No. 31806, No. 34072 ‘257 Squadron’ and No. 34070 ‘Manston’.

It is not an event to be missed for general visitors and enthusiasts alike.

Christopher Awdry will also be at the railway, signing copies of his new book ‘The Canadian Wonderland Tour 1980’, ahead of its general release. He will be at Harman’s Cross station on the 12th September between 10:30 am and 2:30 pm.

Visitors will be able to enjoy a range of food and drink and explore the shop.

Further information on the gala can be found on the railway’s website.

“‘Tornado’ is a marvellous machine and there is much expectation ahead of its visit. We’re delighted to be able to offer enthusiasts, and the public, such a wide variety of steam locomotives at work through the beautiful Isle of Purbeck countryside and past the dramatic ruins of Corfe Castle.

“I would like to say a big thank you to all the dedicated volunteers who have worked so hard to plan and stage such a complicated event as our five steam locomotive Autumn Steam Gala which promises to be a wonderful and evocative taste of yesteryear.

“The Peppercorn A1 class Pacific 4-6-2 wheel arrangement locomotive was designed for the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) by Arthur H. Peppercorn and 49 of the express steam locomotives were built by British Railways during 1948 and 1949. Sadly, all the locomotives were withdrawn and scrapped by 1966.

“The incredible, and very British, No. 60163 ‘Tornado’ took 18 years and £3 million to build in what was an incredible achievement by a group of determined and dedicated volunteers, members and donors – a classic example of a triumph against all the odds that came out of the historic Darlington Locomotive Works that was officially named in 2009 by the then Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall who are now King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

“While retaining the greater part of the original design, ‘Tornado’ was modified to suit modern manufacturing techniques while also conforming to the requirements of running on the modern high speed national railway network and incorporating improvements had the Peppercorn A1 class steam locomotives continued to have been built in the 1950s and 1960s.

“‘Tornado’ made history in 2010 when it beat a previous record for the fastest steam-hauled railtour over the summit at Shap, in Cumbria, north west England, by 19 seconds. More history was made in 2017 when ‘Tornado’ was the first steam locomotive since 1967 to run at 100 mph in the United Kingdom,”

Autumn Steam Gala organising committee chairman Alexander Atkins