EXCEPTIONAL WEEK AS A1 TRUST RAISES OVER £40K
Bumper period boosts ‘P2’ fundraising closer to the halfway mark.
A1 Steam Locomotive Trust fundraising for May could end up “40%‑50% ahead of what we would expect,” spokesman Mark Allatt has told Steam Railway. It follows a week in which the builder of Tornado and ‘P2’ No. 2007 Prince of Wales raised an additional £40,000, excluding railtour profits and on‑train sales as well as Gift Aid. During this exceptional period, No. 60163 hauled the ‘North Briton’ (May 1) and ‘Talisman’ (May 6) trains ‑ the latter resulting in 242 people being shown around Darlington Locomotive Works. Trust spokesman Mark Allatt told Steam Railway on May 8 that with Gift Aid added, income and pledges reached over £50,000. As well as the railtours, the bumper period also followed close
WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL HAVE THE ENGINE ON ITS WHEELS THIS AUTUMN MARK ALLATT
behind a fundraising push for the ‘P2’, the trust’s second locomotive, which is currently under construction at Darlington. When broken down, the figures were £32,800 for the ‘P2’ and £7,300 for the ‘A1’, both before Gift Aid. The news comes as the trust launches a new ‘Dedicated Donation’ scheme for the ‘P2’ in the run‑up to Fathers’ Day. Items for sponsorship include the spokes of the 6ft 2in driving wheels for £600 each (or £25 per month for 24 months), a ‘Hornblock Driven Bolt & Nut’ (£25), and a ‘Pony Truck Bearer Spring (£125). Top of the range is the casting and machining of a driving wheel at £12,000 (or £200 per month for 60 months). Contact dedicated.donations@p2steam.com for more information. Subscribers will have their names (or the name of the person the gift is for) inscribed on a ‘roll of honour’ at Darlington listing the components sponsored, and receive a certificate recording the sponsorship, plus drawing of the component. Said Mr Allatt: “We are delighted with the support the project to build Britain’s most powerful steam locomotive has received since its launch three years ago, with over £2.3 million of the required £5 million pledged to date. “We are confident that we will have the engine on its wheels this autumn, and we remain on track for completion in 2021. However, to maintain this progress we need to raise £700,000 per year. We are therefore taking the opportunity of Fathers’ Day to give the ‘Dedicated Donation’ scheme a boost.” Although No. 2007 and the ‘A1’ are owned by the same charity, donations are dedicated to the specific schemes, and Mr Allatt reports that only around a third of regular supporters for Prince of Wales are the same as those for the ‘A1’. This year, the trust said it would place orders for some £½ million‑ worth of work for its new 2‑8‑2.