New P2 locomotive now two thirds complete as pony truck delivered
WITH donations to the project approaching £4 million, the pony truck frame for new Gresley P2 2-8-2 No. 2007 Prince of Wales has been delivered to The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust’s Darlington Locomotive Works after being fabricated by North View Engineering Solutions (NVES) in the town.
Meanwhile, the trust has approached five engineering companies to manufacture the P2’s complex fabricated cylinder block, while commissioning Frewer & Co Engineers Ltd of Dorking, Surrey, to undertake a Computational Fluid Dynamics analysis of the inlet and exhaust steam passages of the block.
The trust’s commercial director, Graeme Bunker-James, said: “When considering the award of this key contract, our decision-making criteria will focus on potential suppliers demonstrating previous experience of projects of this scale and complexity, their ability to manufacture to the specified tolerances and surface finishes, their capacity to deliver the project within the required timescales, the value for money of the proposal, and the long-term financial stability of the business.
“Along with the valve gear, the placing of the order for the cylinder block in April will be the last major hurdle to overcome in the construction of No. 2007.”
Redesign
The pony truck redesign was one of the five principal areas identified by the project team before its 2013 launch. No. 2007 will incorporate a modified leading pony truck to avoid the issues which afflicted the original P2s in this area.
The wheelsets were assembled – using two 3ft 2in wheels cast by the trust’s principal sponsor, William Cook Cast Products Ltd of Sheffield – by South Devon Railway Engineering at Buckfastleigh and delivered to Darlington in September 2018. The next steps include continuing the Finite Element Analysis study for approval of the new design, the manufacture of spring gear details, final assembly of the cannonbox onto the wheelset, and the machining of the spring planks and bearer cup and spherical side bearers.
Trust chairman Steve Davies MBE said: “The delivery of the pony truck frame to Darlington Locomotive Works is yet another key milestone.
“It is a testimony to the forward thinking of our engineering team that some of the original research was conducted during No. 60163 Tornado’s testing on the Great Central Railway in 2008, five years before the formal launch of the project.
“Fundraising is also moving forward well. The ‘P2 for the price of a pint of beer a week’ covenant scheme has already attracted 940 covenantors, and with over £3.4 million spent and more than £3.8 million donated to date of the estimated £5 million required, the project remains on track for completion within three years.
“We are still seeking to recruit an additional 60 regular donors or covenantors in time for the 60th anniversary of the disposal of the last P2 No. 2002 Earl Marischal – as Thompson class A2/2 No. 60502 – in July this year.”
➜ Help the P2 project at www. p2steam.com, enquiries@p2steam. com, or on 01325 460163.