Tornado locomotive hits 100mph on mainline rail network

A steam train has reached 100mph on Britain's mainline rail network for the first time in 50 years.

The Peppercorn class A1 steam locomotive Tornado clocked the speed during a test run on the East Coast Main Line between Doncaster and Newcastle early on Wednesday morning.

The trip was part of a bid to raise Tornado's speed limit for passenger trips from 75mph to 90mph by the end of the year.

Tornado was the first steam locomotive to be built in the UK for almost half a century when it was completed in Darlington in 2008.

Thousands of people turned out to watch the locomotive when it operated regular services on the Settle to Carlisle line for three days in February.