Dismal response to ‘Lizzie’ appeal for cash donations

Aspirations by the troubled Princess Elizabeth Locomotive Society to have its Stanier ‘Pacific’ Princess Elizabeth repaired and running again on the main line this summer have been knocked back by an almost pitiful response to its ‘SOS appeal’ for cash donations. The society, which needs at least another £100,000 to complete the staggered four-year overhaul of its locomotive (SR464), launched a ‘crowdfunding’ appeal via the ‘Just Giving’ website in early February, setting a target figure of £40,000 to cover the cost of lifting the boiler and buying in a full set of smoketubes. But by March 15 - five weeks after the appeal was rolled out - just £1,250, or 3% of the target figure - had been donated, by a total of 39 people. In comparison, an appeal in January to raise £50,000 for diesel Western Champion, reached its target within a week. The Princess Elizabeth Locomotive Society has already spent £280,000 on contract repairs to its Stanier ‘Pacific’ by Tyseley Locomotive Works - but after returning to the main line in August 2016 the engine ran only 12 trips before being withdrawn in November, following the discovery of weeping tubes. Now based at the Princess Royal Class Locomotive Trust’s West Shed, a list of 25 ‘essential repairs’ has subsequently been drawn up that must be carried out before the Royal Train engine can run again on Network Rail metals. The list includes repairs to cracks on all four firebox corners, firebox tubeplate and the renewal of a ‘wasted’ section of the boiler barrel extension. 6201 Society Chairman Clive Mojonnier was unavailable for comment as Steam Railway went to press.