CROWDS were thrilled to see a Tornado come steaming into Swindon today.

The locomotive, which last month became the first steam engine to haul a timetabled mainline passenger service in half a century, drew a gaggle of excited admirers to the railway station as it stopped on its way to Cardiff on the St David’s Day special from Paddington.

It was the first time little Toby Deacon, four, had seen a real steam train. He loves trains but usually only sees them on Youtube or in Thomas Land at Drayton Manor theme park.

He thought the A1 Peppercorn locomotive looked very like the famous Flying Scotsman.

His mum Rosie, who brought him down to the station along with his dad Sam, said: “He’s a steam fanatic. He has a big Hornby track in the attic.”

It was also a big day for train buff Graham Jenkins, who is in his 70s.

“My formative years were steam,” he said. “I went to school on a train every day. Of course, living in Swindon you were brought up with knowledge of the Swindon works.”

As a youngster he was a keen “platform ender” noting down the names of the locomotives that passed. He was also there to see the last steam engine built at Swindon, Evening Star, leave the works in 1960.

That engine has been preserved and is now on show at the National Railway Museum in York.

“I think people have an affinity with steam engines because steam is alive,” he said.

Graham was particularly keen to see Tornado, which was built for the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust following an 18-year campaign at a cost of more than £3 million and first moved under its own steam eight years ago.

”I think it’s marvellous because they have used some of the skills of the old railwaymen. I was absolutely astounded when they suddenly announced that Tornado was being built,” he said.

One station staff member added it was nice to see the occasional steam train at the platform.

“They are more enjoyable to watch going through our station than the normal diesels.”

Tornado, which was due to make a return trip in the evening via Stroud and Kemble, made national news last month when it was used to pull scheduled passenger services on the Settle to Carlisle route.

Built to the original 1945 design, the locomotive has been fitted with modern safety electronics so it can be used on mainline routes.

The trust is working on a plan to build another new engine. This time it will be a Gresley P2 Mikado called Prince of Wales.

Steam fan Ken Mumford said the service was recorded as eventually leaving Swindon 62 minutes late having waited for at least two high speed trains and two Freightliner trains to leave before it.

"Earlier in the day the locomotive - 60163 Tornado - and its support coach was held up on its way to Paddington because of a broken down freight train at Mitre Bridge, West London," said Ken.  

"This caused this special train to leave Paddington 48 minutes late and as a result it lost its booked path causing it to have a longer than expected wait at Swindon. However, this was to the delight of some 100 present at the station to experience the sight and smell of steam.

"When given the signal to depart, there was a short blast from the locomotive's hooter, a pause of a few seconds and then first one, then the other, cylinder cock was open resulting in a large volume of steam and a rather deafening sound.  

"This was necessary as during its long wait there was a possibility that steam had condensed in the locomotive's three cylinders and if this was not got rid of could seriously damage the cylinders when the locomotive started to move. The locomotive was lost in this large amount of steam for a second or two.

"Several of those on the western end of platform 4 were surprised that 60153 was allowed to go a few minutes in front of a Bristol-bound HST but 60163's driver clearly showed how well Tornado could accelerate up to its permitted maximum speed of 75mph by the sound it was making as it headed for Bath and Bristol."