On Wednesday, 21st May, the frames of P2 No. 2007 Prince of Wales were cut at Tata Steel Scunthorpe. Ben and Tim Godfrey, grandsons of Sir Nigel Gresley, started the machine that began to steadily profile the 21 tons of 30mm steel sheet into the shape required for main frames, tender frames, Cartazzi frames and numerous other parts required. The profiled frames will erected at Darlington Locomotive Works and will be on show to Founders, Covenantors and members of the public from 18th – 20th July.
Ben and Tim Godfrey start the cutting process – Andy Hardy
The frames for new Gresley class P2 No. 2007 Prince of Wales were profiled at Tata Steel in Scunthorpe on Wednesday 21st May 2014. The process was started by Ben and Tim Godfrey, the grandsons of Sir Nigel Gresley, the Chief Mechanical Engineer of the London & North Eastern Railway who also designed the world famous Flying Scotsman and world speed record holder Mallard. The profiling was done at Tata Steel’s 3-Bay facility using a purpose-built Messer Omnimat profiling machine, which use gas burners to cut the steel into the desired shape and is capable of processing up to 40,000 tonnes a year of profiled plate for delivery to customers around the world.
Tom Ingall (BBC Look North) talks about the frame profiling
Mark Allatt, Chairman, The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, the registered charity behind the project said, “The main frames of a steam locomotive are the parts upon which everything else is built, and so the importance of this milestone to the Trust cannot be overstated. With the first part fabricated, courtesy of James May, we are thrilled to be able to have reached the stage of profiling the substantial pieces of metal that make up the locomotive’s frames at Tata Steel – and being able to declare that the project to build No. 2007 Prince of Wales is now well underway.
“Having already built one steam locomotive from the drawings with Tornado, the levels of support and interest that have been generated towards No. 2007 Prince of Wales have been nothing short of sensational. With backing from HRH Prince of Wales, high profile celebrities such as James May, significant pledges made by members of The Founders Club and large numbers of monthly covenantors coming on board, we can demonstrate just how much progress we have made towards resurrecting this amazing design of steam locomotive from the annals of history.”
Jon Bolton, Tata Steel Long Products Director, said, “We are delighted to be associated with this project. It is a great example of modern steelmaking and processing being used to bring an iconic piece of British rail history to life for the benefit of future generations. Scunthorpe steel went into making Tornado so it is only right it should be used in No. 2007 Prince of Wales too.”
21 tons of steel will be reduced to roughly 14 tons when the process is complete – Andy Hardy
Tata’s scheme of work for profiling the P2 frames – Andy Hardy
The Godfreys and the P2SLC team outside Tata Steel, Scunthorpe – Andy Hardy
At lunch the team enjoyed the air ‘Cock o’ the North’ on the bagpipes! – Andy Hardy
