February 14th saw the first trains out of Waterloo and Victoria to be hauled by 60163 Tornado. The first, from Waterloo, was a circular run via Staines, Woking and Basingstoke to Overton returning via Southampton, Eastleigh and Staines.
As this was a new loco we decided to begin the video at our home station, Isleworth, where, as with most of the route, the crowds were out in force.
From Isleworth we moved on to Worting Junction and a road that has probably never seen so many cars.
Rather than follow the train any further we doubled back to Chertsey to see 35028 Clan Line on a VSOE Valentines Luncheon Special (not in this video) which took the Surrey Hills route.
The decision to follow Clan Line to Shalford meant that we then had little time to rejoin Tornado, so we headed up the A3 to Barnes Bridge where once again, having two cameras was an advantage.
For the second train, an evening departure from Victoria round the Surrey Hills, we began at Kensington Olympia. Unfortunately some dis-information being spread around the platform, that Tornado had run short of coal and had not returned to Victoria (from being turned and serviced) by departure time, meant that we had not got the camera set up when the train appeared round the corner, exactly on time. This is why the shot is hand held and is cut short.
The platform at Brentford, our next location, was fortunately free of both crowds and rumourmongers.
From Brentford we headed for Guildford along the M4, M25 and A3. At one point on the M25, steam rose on either side of the road as the train passed underneath, near Egham.
At Guildford there was an announcement on the station that Tornado had just joined the main line at Byfleet and that Clan Line was in the Chertsey area.
While Tornado took water at Shalford we joined the crowd at Chilworth, a crowd that increased at the last moment with late arrivals from Shalford and locals, alerted by the frequent use of the chime whistle.
As we passed Shalford, on the way home, we were surprised to see the VSOE Pullmans sitting in the platform. The announcement at Guildford was only half correct however, the Pullmans were there but Clan Line wasnt, only a pair of class 67s.