New P2: All six machined coupling rods now delivered
ALL six machined coupling rods for new Gresley P2 2-8-2 No. 2007 Prince of Wales have now been delivered to Darlington Locomotive Works only seven years after the project was launched to build a new example of Britain's most powerful express passenger locomotives.
Also, the fundraising campaign to raise an initial target of £210,000 needed to pay for the manufacture of the heavy motion has made good progress, with £178,000 plus Gift Aid already pledged by 178 supporters.
Major step forward
In April 2018 the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, builder of the new P2 and A1 No. 60163 Tornado, launched The Motion Club with the aim of raising £210,000 from 175 supporters each donating £1000 (plus Gift Aid) to the project.
The following month, a £181,000 order was placed with Stephenson (Engineering) Ltd of Atherton, Manchester, for forging, machining and heat treatment of the heavy motion. The order includes the nine heavy motion rods – left and right hand intermediate coupling rods, trailing coupling rods, leading coupling rods, outside connecting rods and the inside connecting rod assembly, plus the combined piston and rod.
David Elliott, the trust's director of P2 engineering, said: “The delivery of the final pair of coupling rods for Prince of Wales is a major step forward for the project, especially given the limitations of working during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The machining of each rod by Stephenson (Engineering) takes around 100 hours. The next few months will see the completion of all of the heavy motion and the trial fitting of the coupling rods to the engine – creating the first tenderengine standard gauge Mikado in the UK since 1945.”
‘P2 for a pint'
Overall, the trust's ‘P2 for the price of a pint of beer a week' covenant scheme has already attracted 960 covenantors, with over £3.4 million spent and £3.9 million donated towards the estimated £5 million required to complete the locomotive within the next three years, if Gift Aid is included. However, at least £700,000 must be raised every year if that target is to be met.
➜ For details of how to donate to the project, including component sponsorship, visit www.p2steam.com, email enquiries@p2steam.com or telephone 01325 460163.