STEAM train enthusiasts in their hundreds flocked to see history in the making on Tuesday when the first timetabled steam locomotive to haul passengers in England for decades ran from Appleby to Skipton.

VIDEO AND PICTURE GALLERY

Skipton Station’s Platform 2 was packed for the arrival of the Peppercorn class A1 locomotive Tornado, which was carrying passengers between Skipton, Settle and Appleby taking in the world-famous Settle to Carlisle line - and over the Ribblehead Viaduct.

The engine brought back the romance of steam with its first journey on Valentine’s Day, as part of scheduled runs over three days, the first time in 50 years that steam locomotives could be seen as part of a passenger service.

Rail enthusiasts snapped up the reserved seats on trains, and on Tuesday long queues formed at Skipton to buy the unreserved seats.

The initiative, organised by Northern Rail, Network Rail and the Friends of Settle and Carlisle, sees the locomotive, completed in 2008 at a cost of more then £3 million, run two return journeys each day on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, between Appleby and Skipton.

Steam fans Nigel and Marian Hart, of Skipton, were among those eagerly anticipating the arrival of the loco’s plume of smoke at the station.

Mr Hart, who works as a gardener in Settle, said: “This is a fantastic day for all of us who love the days of steam and to see this marvellous locomotive in Skipton is just fantastic.

“It’s wonderful that the Tornado was built from scratch and now it’s taking passengers on one of the most beautiful railway lines in the world. We are absolutely thrilled.”

Thrilled also were fellow enthusiasts Graham Harpham, of Denholme, and Tom Kemp, of Barnoldswick, both on Platform 2 with cameras at the ready to record the big moment.

Mr Harpham said: “This is a really historic day and it’s great that there are so many fans of steam here to see it. Everyone who has worked to make this happen is to be commended - they have done a superb job.”

The initiative is part of celebrations to mark the re-opening of the line between Appleby and Carlisle, which was closed a year ago following a massive landslip on to the line at Eden Brows, on March 31.

Engineers have carried out an estimated £23 million worth of repair work and other improvements to get it open again.

Also at Skipton to see the Tornado was Northern Rail regional director Paul Barnfield, who said: “The demand for tickets has been phenomenal. Obviously we are absolutely delighted that this is proving such a great success, not least because a lot of people from all the organisations involved have worked very hard to make it happen, and it’s been a very positive collaboration all round. We hope to take this into the future.”

The Tornado is the first mainline steam engine to be built in the UK since the 1960s, and took 18 years for a group of enthusiasts in Darlington and Doncaster to construct it. On its current scheduled runs it is pulling eight carriages and can achieve speeds of 75mph.

The original 49 Peppercorn Class A1s were ordered by the LNER and built at Doncaster and Darlington for British Railways in 1948 and 1949, following the nationalisation of the railways.

But the rapid arrival of diesel-driven locomotives in the 1960s meant that all 49 were scrapped, after an average working life of only 15 years. There was an attempt to save the last, No. 60145 Saint Mungo, but this failed and it too was withdrawn from service in June 1966. It was scrapped later the same year.