‘P2’ GETS KYLCHAP BLASTPIPE – AND ALL ITS COUPLING RODS

‘P2’ No. 2007 Prince of Wales now has its Kylchap blastpipe and all its coupling rods, while its tender tank is almost complete.

The original prototype ‘P2’ – No. 2001 Cock o’ the North, built in 1934 – was the first British locomotive to be fitted with the double Kylchap exhaust which later proved its worth on Gresley’s ‘A4s’. Two of his ‘D49’ 4-4-0s had earlier received experimental singlechimney versions in 1929, but had not been successful.

The Kylchap exhaust system was a development by French engineer André Chapelon of an earlier design patented by Finnish locomotive driver Kyösti Kylälä. It consists of two stacked spreaders between the blastpipe and chimney petticoat which divide the exhaust steam into four sections, mixing it with the exhaust gases from the tubes and improving the draught on the fire.

All six of the ‘P2’s’ coupling rods have been produced by Stephenson Engineering of Manchester, with the leading rods having been forged, while the intermediate and trailing rods have been heat-treated and are about to be machined.

As this issue went to press, the tender tank was virtually complete at North View Engineering Solutions of Darlington, with the decorative beading being fitted, and was expected to be delivered to the trust’s Darlington Locomotive Works at the end of January.

Further platework has been made for the boilers (one for the ‘P2’ and a spare for ‘A1’ Tornado), namely the firebox tubeplates and doorplates, while the superheater elements are being manufactured.

The Tender Club is over 20% of the way to its target, with 52 members each pledging £1,500 plus Gift Aid, the aim being 250 members to raise £450,000.

The £210,000 Motion Club is nearing its target of 175 members pledging £1,000 each plus Gift Aid, with 159 places taken up; while the £600,000 Boiler Club has recruited 182 of 300 members, each pledging £2,000 plus Gift Aid.

For details of the clubs and the Dedicated Donations fundraising scheme, call 01325 460163 or visit www.p2steam.com

DANIELA FILOVA/ A1 STEAM LOCOMOTIVE TRUST Graeme Bunker, Udo Drees, David Elliott, Achim Decker & Christoph Wörfel with components for the boiler of the ‘P2’ and ‘A1’ at DB’s Meiningen Works on January 16. On the top of the pile are the firebox tubeplates.

DANIELA FILOVA/ A1 STEAM LOCOMOTIVE TRUST ROBERT STEPHENSON/ A1 STEAM LOCOMOTIVE TRUST The four-jet nozzles of the Kylchap exhaust system for ‘P2’ No. 2007 Prince of Wales. Four of the newly forged coupling rods for the ‘P2’.