P2 Progress

This page is a digest of progress to date building the new Gresley Class P2 No. 2007 Prince of Wales.

Headline news: Final coupling rods delivered to DLW – A1SLT

Progress building Britain’s most powerful steam locomotive continues at Darlington Locomotive Works and includes:

  • Frame: engine’s frame & cab substantially complete; cab side & spectacle window frames fitted; manufacture of pony truck frame complete, Finite Element Analysis (FEA) study being completed in collaboration with Ricardo Rail
  • Cylinders: 3D CAD design of the cylinder block complete; Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) study of steam flow through cylinder block undertaken to optimise steam flow through the cylinder block; Howco Group Plc have started work on the new cylinder block and William Cook Cast Products Ltd has delivered the steam port castings
  • Valve gear & camboxes: updated poppet valve gear design almost complete – approximately 40 manufacturing drawings produced; some components in manufacture; 3D printed scale model of cambox including basic internal parts produced for demonstration purposes
  • Smokebox & fittings: smokebox assembled and chimney fitted; CFD study underway to check smoke lifting performance of front end and to recommend modifications if necessary
  • Boiler: boiler design study completed & approved by TüV Sud notified body; forged foundation ring corners manufactured; superheater header cast & machined; boiler cladding manufactured; boiler order placed with DB Meiningen (DBM) for delivery in summer 2022; foundation ring forgings & regulator castings despatched to DBM; minor re-design of the banjo dome to suit P2 cladding completed by DBM; most components made & assembly of boilers underway; stuffing box casting and regulator cross shaft ready to be despatched
  • Fittings: many non-ferrous fittings being cast & machined; material for bespoke fittings delivered
  • Brakes: manufacture of brake rigging well advanced and spring gear underway; brake cylinders acquired and trial fitted; brake gear partially fitted
  • Wheelsets: crank axle re-designed to comply with modern standards & manufactured; all engine wheelsets complete & fitted to engine
  • Motion: heavy motion ordered from Stephenson (Engineering) Ltd; six coupling rods, inside connecting rod and strap and outside connecting rods forged; six machined coupling rods and two outside connecting rods at DLW & inside connecting rod and strap to be delivered 2021
  • Pipework: design well advanced, pipe and fittings procured & installation between frame well advanced
  • Electricals: significant progress on electrical system with design scrutiny under way; battery boxes built & fitted to frames; stainless steel conduit sections cut & bent as required and mostly fitted; prototype of new axle driven alternator testing ongoing
  • Tender: frame being assembled by ID Howitt; tank constructed at NVES & painted to undercoat at DLW; wheelsets returned from South Devon Railway Engineering, axles painted, ready to be balanced
  • Finishing: nameplates and chime whistle delivered.

Fundraising to date:

  • Our ‘P2 for the price of a pint of beer a week’ Covenant scheme has attracted over 1,000 Covenantors to-date – now is the time to come on-board or recruit a friend!
  • The Boiler Club now has 228 of its 300 supporters initial target (each donating £2,000) and is building up a head of steam – we must reach our 300 members target by spring 2022
  • The Tender Club now has 106 of its 250 supporters initial target (each donating £1,500) and is starting to gain traction – why not show a little Tender-ness and help us to reach 125 members by the Annual Convention in September
  • The P2 Support Coach Appeal now has 55 of its 100 supporters initial target (each donating £1,000) to fund the acquisition and overhaul of a support coach for No. 2007 Prince of Wales – we have passed the half-way mark!
  • Having commissioned Howco Group Plc to fabricate the new cylinder block using steel castings supplied by William Cook Cast Products Ltd, we have launched The Cylinder Manufacturing Club to raise the required £250,000. The aim is to raise an initial target of £250,000 from 250 supporters each donating £1,000 plus Gift Aid (in up to eight payments of £125) – the first 28 members have already joined
  • Our newly launched mini-club, The Injectors Club has an initial target of 50 supporters (each donating £1,000) to fund the acquisition and manufacture of the live and exhaust steam injectors – 15 members have already joined
  • The Motion Club has passed its initial target of 175 with 178 supporters (each donating £1,000) – it will remain open until all the heavy motion is delivered
  • Our Dedicated Donation scheme has already raised over £440,000
  • The Founders Club, The Mikado Club, The Cylinder Club, The Motion Club, The Pony (Truck) Club, and The Turbogen Club have all now reached or exceeded their initial targets
  • Altogether this means that over £4m has been spent and more than £4m raised of the estimated £6m required to complete No. 2007 Prince of Wales within the next two years, if Gift Aid is included.

Updated 4th September 2021