In contrast to various other heritage projects, with an eye to timely completion and full certification for main line use, the founding principles of the A1 trust were to treat funding as a priority and not a distraction,[2] to use professionals in their fields for the various posts needed,[2] and to use the engineering industry for all manufacturing to meet the needs of certification.

[5] The trust was formally launched on 17 November 1990,[2] to a meeting at The Railway Institute in York, followed by further presentations in London and Edinburgh.

The issue was resolved to the satisfaction of the trust's auditors, VAB and the Charity Commissioners,[7] although the crisis was estimated to have cost £31,500 in lost income,[8] £150,000 in management time,[8] and a five-figure sum for an independent engineering survey.

[5] This was considered by the trust to be the next logical step in the steam heritage movement, after the restoration of Standard 8P Pacific No.

71000 Duke of Gloucester, which due to its final state, had involved building a large quantity of new parts.

[5] Building an A1, based on the LNER Peppercorn Class A1 would fill the 'missing link' in the otherwise preserved examples of East Coast main line traction, such as the Stirling Single, Ivatt Atlantics, LNER A4, A3 and A2 Pacifics, Class 40s and Deltics, and more modern examples.

[5] The original target date for completion was 27 September 2007, the 175th anniversary of the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway,[5] at a projected cost of £1.6m,[9] with construction taking 10 years.

[5] The trust has financed the Tornado project with a system of regular and one off covenants and industrial sponsorship,[5] as well as negotiating generous terms from several manufacturers.

The original LNER Doncaster and Darlington works were ultimately self-sufficient, but no comparable locomotive workshops remain in the UK, so that the building of Tornado required the use of a large number of sub-contractors in varying locations,[10] requiring multiple suppliers to build components such as the cylinders.

In 1995, Darlington borough council offered the trust use of the Hopetown carriage works, at an appropriately named Peppercorn rent.

This was timed in conjunction with the trust's fourth annual convention,[3] with Tornado unveiled at the facility, having arrived from Tyseley two days earlier.

The now disused main line connection of the former carriage works entered from the northern end of the building.

Honorary Officers of the Trust include its President, Dorothy Mather (widow of the designer of the A1s A. H. Peppercorn) and the Vice President, Peter Townend, former Shed Master of the Kings Cross Top Shed,[12] where his work brought him into contact with Peppercorn Class A1s in their running days.

Mather started the CNC plasma cutter that shaped the frame plates, lit the first fire in Tornado’s firebox, and was on the footplate for the inaugural run at Darlington works, stating "My husband would be proud.

"[14] Trust member Geoff Drury, who died in October 1999,[3] was the previous owner of 60532 Blue Peter,[6] the only other preserved Peppercorn Pacific[3] and had also saved Gresley A4 4464 Bittern.

[4] As part of the fundraising for the Tornado project, A1 Trust ran a number of railtours under The Talisman name, hauled by Duchess of Sutherland in 2005, Union of South Africa in 2006, and Bittern in 2008.

[1] In 1998, due to the cost of overhaul, conversion for roller bearings, and the trust's desire to build Tornado out of completely new parts, it was decided to sell the Flying Scotsman tender frame back to its previous owners.

[16] By 1998, with the state of the finances, it was speculated that if Tornado could be completed on time, all maintenance costs could be funded, and there could be a genuine possibility of a second locomotive being built.