‘P2’ cylinder block delivered – boiler next
CONSTRUCTION OF LNER Gresley ‘P2’ 2-8-2 No. 2007 Prince of Wales reached a significant milestone in early October, when the ‘Mikado’s’ ‘monobloc’ cylinder block was delivered to the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust’s new HQ in Darlington.
Costing £250,000 and weighing in at over six tons, the fabricated cylinder block has been manufactured by Howco of Irvine, and represents a major step towards No. 2007’s completion. The trust chose to fabricate the cylinder block because casting the complex component as per the originals is sadly no longer possible. “Proving this method is not only vital for the ‘P2’, but the trust’s next build project – the ‘V4’ – will require a similarly fabricated monobloc cylinder. This method could also be applied to heritage locomotives such as the ‘V2’ class No. 4771 Green Arrow,” the trust said.
The next major component to be delivered for Prince of Wales will be its boiler and the blanking plates and other relevant items for it have been despatched to DB Meiningen in Germany, where the boiler is under construction, ahead of the hydraulic test once the tubes have been installed. The boiler, which is interchangeable with that on No. 2007’s stablemate, ‘A1’ No. 60163 Tornado, is expected to be delivered “around the end of the year”.
Meanwhile, engineers from 507 Specialist Team Royal Engineers – the Army’s sole railway infrastructure specialists – helped lay track outside the trust’s new Darlington workshop in late October, the first step towards connecting the works to the main line.
● To join the A1SLT’s Monobloc, Boiler, and P-Way clubs, visit www.a1steam.com/ prince-of-wales/support-us/clubs