£1.5M CHURCHWARD ‘COUNTY’ 4-4-0 PROJECT GETS THE ‘RIGHT AWAY’
A £1.5m project to build a new Churchward ‘County’ 4-4-0 has been officially launched. First mooted in 2000 (SR251), the scheme will utilise the Standard No. 4 boiler from ‘Barry Ten’ 2-8-0T No. 5227, and the 6ft 8½in driving wheel patterns from ‘Saint’ No. 2999 Lady of Legend. The Churchward County Trust is affiliated with but independent of the Great Western Society, with former Steam Railway editor Gary Boyd-Hope as project leader. CAD design will be undertaken by Elliott Powick, who has completed similar work for several other new-build and restoration projects. Numbered 3840 and named County of Montgomery, it is proposed (subject to signing of contracts) that the locomotive will be assembled at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway. The original plan, for the Severn Valley Railway to be its construction base, fell through (SR459). It is hoped to cut the frames this year, funded by a ‘Founders Club’ of 100 supporters paying £1,000 each in return for incentives. Details can be found at: www.churchwardcounty.org.uk