DRIVING FORCE: THREE COUPLED AXLES ARE ‘P2’S’ CHRISTMAS PRESENTS
‘P2’ No. 2007 Prince of Wales was expected to have all of its axles for Christmas, ready for its frames to be wheeled in the spring. Three new plain coupled axles for the Gresley 2-8-2 were expected to arrive at Darlington Locomotive Works from South Africa, via Unilathe of Stokeon-Trent, before Christmas – replacing those that were manufactured earlier in 2017, but which had their keyways machined incorrectly. The assembled crank axle was already at Darlington, along with the leading and crank axleboxes (SR474). The remaining axleboxes, and the final frame stay, have now been delivered, paving the way for the wheeling of the frames in the spring. The trailing Cartazzi wheelset is also at Darlington, and during December became the first part of the ‘P2’ to receive Apple green paint. Ian Matthews applied the finishing coat of the distinctive LNER shade to the centre bosses of the wheels – an area that will become inaccessible once their roller bearing axleboxes are fitted. The pony truck axle is also at Darlington, while the four tender axles have been manufactured by Firth Rixon of Rotherham and delivered to Unilathe for machining. The tender tyres have also been delivered from Ringrollers in South Africa, and all the tender castings produced, including the axleboxes. The £250,000 ‘Mikado Club’ fund to wheel both engine and tender now has 177 of the required 200 members, pledging £1,000 each plus Gift Aid; meanwhile the £100,000 ‘Cylinder Club’ appeal has 64 of 100 members, and the first components for the cylinder block were expected to be ordered by the end of 2017. For details of the ‘Mikado’, Cylinder and Boiler Clubs, how to become a covenantor, or sponsor components, email enquiries@p2steam. com, visit www.p2steam.com or call 01325 460163. In addition to the tyres and chimney for its planned ‘V4’ 2-6-2 (see story, left), the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust has acquired two Class 08 diesel speedometer drive generators, and two air pumps of Finnish origin, from ‘B1’ owner David Buck. Similar to the German and Swedish pumps on ‘A1’ No. 60163 Tornado, the latter were originally obtained from stock in Finland and have not suffered the corrosion experienced with pumps recovered from scrap locomotives. They will be sent to Germany’s Meiningen Works in the near future to be overhauled for eventual use on the ‘P2’, providing