THE wonderful volunteers who created Tornado, the first steam locomotive to be built in Britain in 50 years, have provided Darlington with a glorious marketing opportunity.

They have given the town, famed as the birthplace of the railways, a modern- day wonder capable of grabbing headlines around the world.

They deserve our congratulations and our thanks because Darlington has undersold its railway heritage for far too long.

On Saturday morning, Tornado will leave Darlington station to embark on a journey to London, the first time it has been open to fare-paying passengers on the East Coast Main Line.

It is an historic day, a day to lift the gloom, and it should be an opportunity for celebration.

But National Express has announced that it will not allow the general public onto the platform at Darlington station for health and safety reasons when the train leaves for the capital.

The rail company has cited a poor weather forecast as the reason for spoiling the party – but that is a lame excuse.

Surely, it is not beyond the wit of the authorities to come up with a way of enabling spectators to view Tornado on a covered platform used regularly by large numbers of commuters.

Yes, they will gather to peer over railway bridges and trackside fences, but a close-up view in its home town station is an opportunity that will not come along very often.

We believe it is worth going to a little bit of trouble to make sure the magnificent Tornado gets a proper send-off – and we call on National Express to review its decision.