Tornado, the iconic steam locomotive built in Darlington, has been honoured in a public vote to choose a new name for a major commuter road.
The Darlington Eastern Transport Corridor will now be known as Tornado Way after it scooped almost 50% of the votes in a social media poll.
The new name was unveiled yesterday (Thursday 8 February) by Paul Bruce and Graeme Bunker-James of The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust and Councillor Nick Wallis, Darlington Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Leisure and Local Environment.
Tornado Way was first opened to motorists in 2007, linking the A66 with Darlington town centre and providing a reprieve for congested Haughton Road.
The road has opened up many acres of land for development and can be credited with boosting housing development, employment and education facilities in Lingfield Point and Central Park.
Councillor Wallis said: “Darlington is rightly proud to be the birthplace of Tornado, the first new main line steam locomotive to be built in the UK for more than 50 years.
“We are delighted to name this road in its honour and excited about what the future may hold.
“Tornado Way has already unlocked a huge amount of positive development for the eastern side of Darlington, creating thousands of jobs and hundreds of new homes, and there is still more to come.”
Graeme Bunker-James, Operations Director at The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, added: “This just shows how much the history of railway means to the people of Darlington. We’re delighted that No. 60163 Tornado has been invited to be as much a part of the town’s future as its past.”