Update: The train will be returning to London on the 15th Sept – details here.

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Today I wandered over to Kings Cross to watch the A1 Tornado steam train make its inaugural commercial trip – and into London. Got to the station at about 1pm, for the 1:47pm arrival and platform 1 where the train was due to arrive was already packed to (near) overflowing.

This was going to be a big crowd.

I met a friend at the station, and we decided to risk going up to the very end of platform 4 to get a view of the train arriving – only to find that about 30 people had already had the same idea – on each of the platforms.

OK -this was going to be a very big crowd.

As it happened, the train was running late – and ironically for a steam train the delay was caused by electrical problems at Peterborough – so we hung around on the cold platform slowly edging to the front of the platform. As we waited a train pulled into Platform 4 where we were standing (although not blocking the view) – and there were fervent prayers that it wouldn’t be departing the moment the steam train arrived.

Shortly before the Tornado arrived though, a modern train pulled into Platform 2, so anyone waiting there for a view of the steam train would have probably be uttering very unprintable comments.

As the anticipated time of arrival came closer, heads kept craning out to see if the train was visible yet – cameras all held at the ready – and then suddenly the engine appeared out of the tunnel and there was an almost audible gasp as people started snapping like mad, or filming with their video cameras this iconic arrival.

With gushes of steam and a blast on the whistle, the train thundered into the station, pulling a long line of old passenger carriages. Many of the people on board waved to the welcoming crowd, and we waved back in delight.

I tried to wander down to the front to get more photos, but the station was busier that the Chinaware department in Harrods of the first day of the sale – so after manfully struggling to get some photos, I decided it was time to head home.

It was really great to see this magnificent beast arriving at Kings Cross, and while the crowds meant I couldn’t get a perfect position to watch – in a way the size of the crowds was itself wonderful as it indicated just how many people are fans of these living engines.

According to a TV news clip, the train will be stationed at Old Oak Common Depot for the next week – until it does a Valentines Day trip. According to the organiser’s website, it will be leaving Waterloo station at 9:40am on Sat 14th Feb (returning at 4pm) – and then doing an evening trip from Victoria at 7pm and returning at 10:30pm.

A few more photos at my usual Flickr account.

A press release from Network Rail the other day made me do a bit of a double-take and a bit of research.

The press release itself was nothing special, being a warning that a moribund, but never technically closed (echos of the Ghost Bus of West London Towne?) railway will start carrying freight trains again. It seems that as trains haven’t used the railway for years, that it has become a popular spot for walking the dog.

Anyhow, the attached to the press release were a couple of photos – including this one of the railway crossing.

Blimy, I thought, is that a very old sign, or do we still use the image of a steam train to warn of a railway crossing?

A quick dig on the Highway Code website, and yes – we do still use the image of a steam train to warn people that they are approaching a railway, which is a bit quaint, but also quite anachronistic I feel. Shouldn’t the sign have been updated by now to reflect what trains look like today – or is the image of a steam train still holding onto its relevence thanks to the Harry Potter novels reminding the modern youth what trains used to look like?

Anyhow – while on the topic of steam trains, a sort of historic event will occur on Feb 7th (conveniently, a Saturday) – when the Tornado steam train makes its first visit to London. Specifically (and at the moment, provisionally) it will arrive at Kings Cross station at 2pm.

The Tornado, as you might have seen on the news, is the first steam train to be built in the UK for nearly 50 years, so expect a fair bit of excitement on the day.

I’ll be there, with camera – and probably triggering a hundred terrorist threat alerts for daring to want to take photos in a train station (ianvisits passim).