FIFTEEN years ago, an 18-year multi-million pound dream of steam was finally realised in August 2008.

On Friday, August 1, 2008, in Darlington, the birthplace of the railways, the first steam locomotive to be built in this country for 48 years took to the tracks.

Invited guests and members of the media watched as the steam locomotive Tornado moved under its own power for the first time.

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The Peppercorn class A1 engine was built entirely from scratch by a band of volunteers at a cost of more than £2.9m.

The project first began in 1990 and members of the A1 Locomotive Trust spoke of their delight at seeing their dreams come to fruition.

The trust chairman, Mark Allatt, said the weekend was the perfect time to celebrate steam's "second coming" as August 4, 2008, marked the 40th anniversary of the end of British Railways and August 6, 2008, was the 60th anniversary of the Peppercorn class trains.

Mr Allatt said: "I'm just beaming.

"To see the culmination of 18 years of hard work is fantastic.

"To be surrounded by so much interest is more than we could ever have dreamed of.

"I never thought that we wouldn't be able to finish it – I just didn't think it was going to take 18 years. "

Tributes were paid to the last-known surviving miner of a North-East pit, who died in August 2008.

Harold Brighton, of Normanby, Middlesbrough, died in his sleep on Friday, August 1, 2008, aged 86.

Known as Miff to his family and friends, the former Eston miner was survived by his wife, Marion, 83, sons Barry and Steven, daughters Val and Gillian and nine grandchildren.

His daughter, Val Maynard, said: "He was a right character who had many friends.

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"He will be so sorely missed by everyone. "

Mr Brighton was featured in Craig Hornby's hit documentary A Century in Stone in 2004.

Mr Hornby said: "He was one of the last to learn the time-honoured tradition of barring, drilling, blasting and filling at the ironstone face."