YORK’S newest steam locomotive is undergoing repairs in Germany after weaknesses in were found in its boiler.

The huge boiler was carefully lowered on to the back of a truck at the National Railway Museum, in Leeman Road, before beginning its long journey to the workshops of DB Meiningen in Germany.

The need for the repairs to the famous A1 Locomotive was discovered during its winter maintenance programme and the work will involve the replacement of parts in the boiler’s firebox and repairs to two cracks.

Mark Allatt, chairman of The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, said: “Although these problems with Tornado’s boiler are part of learning about the locomotive in today’s operational environment, they are a source of great disappointment to all of Tornado’s supporters and customers and our customers’ passengers.

“As a part of our commitment to get Tornado back on the main line as soon as possible the trust decided that the most appropriate course of action was to return the boiler to its manufacturers. We are working as hard as we can to bring Tornado back to full health and on to the main line at the end of April.”

The trust has already had to postpone one of the locomotive’s earliest bookings for 2011, due to take place later this month.