SUFFOLK: Hundreds of railway enthusiasts lined the route with their cameras poised to catch a glimpse of a powerful loco steaming through the Suffolk countryside.

The “majestic” newly-built replica steam A1 Pacific locomotive Tornado delighted train spotters as it travelled on its first-ever rail tour through Suffolk, heading from Liverpool Street to Norwich, passing through Ipswich at around 12.30pm yesterday.

Passengers on the sell-out trip waved to onlookers at Ipswich station as it passed through in all its glory.

Railway enthusiast John Doggett, from Felixstowe, has 40-year experience spotting trains across the country, from when he was a small boy of nine.

“I have seen pictures of Tornado,” he said. “It is so special because it is a brand new steam locomotive based on engines built in the 1940s.

“A dedicated group of enthusiasts got the money together and had the know-how to completely build the steam locomotive.

“It is based on the original design with more modern bits and pieces to bring it into the 21st century.”

Reaching speeds of up to 75mph, the train travelled from the capital to Norwich through Ipswich and back again via Thetford, Ely and Bury St Edmunds.

Tornado did visit Ipswich in September just before it pulled the British leg of the “Winton Train” from Parkeston Quay to London.

It was pulled into Ipswich to turn around but, although it was in light steam to allow its wheels to turn and its brakes to operate, it was not actually pulling the train itself.

n Send your pictures of Tornado heading through Suffolk to suffolkpicturedesk@archant.co.uk