THE organisation aiming to build the first mainline steam locomotive in Britain for more than 40 years has reached a landmark.

The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust charity announced that its £500,000 bearer bond issue had hit the halfway mark.

Bosses said £250,000 had been secured in commitments from supporters, who want to see No. 60163 Tornado completed at the Hopetown Carriageworks, in Darlington.

The trust is now in the process of securing the remaining institutional finance for the completion of Tornado, which will be "unlocked" once the rest of the bonds have been taken up.

The locomotive could be completed in 2007 and up and running on the mainline in 2008.

Trust chairman Mark Allatt said: "We are delighted that supporters of the trust have already committed £250,000 to our bond issue.

"We are now looking to railway enthusiasts throughout the country to help us complete Tornado through taking up the remaining £250,000 of our bond issue.

"We are confident that, subject to the full take up of our £500,000 bond issue, the agreement of a facility with a financial institution and the continued steady growth in our number of covenanting supporters, Tornado can be in steam by the end of 2007."