This page is a digest of progress to date building the new Gresley Class P2 No. 2007 Prince of Wales.
Headline news: One of the motion brackets trial fitted – David Elliott
CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS TO DATE:
- Frames: engine’s frames erected; all frame stays, brackets, horn blocks, axle boxes & buffers cast and fitted; cab erected and cab side & spectacle window frames fitted; footplating & splasher kits fitted to frames
- Cylinders & valves: design studies into cylinder block manufacture and selection of valve gear complete; 3D CAD design of the cylinder block and valve gear substantially complete; weld details and assembly order being finalised
- Smoke box & fittings: smokebox assembled and trial fitted to the frames; chimney fitted
- Boiler: boiler design study completed; forged foundation ring corners manufactured & machined; regulator castings delivered; superheater header cast & machined; boiler cladding manufactured, trial fitted to frames and now in storage; boiler order placed with DB Meiningen for delivery in July 2021; foundation ring forgings and regulator castings despatched to Meiningen; the minor re-design of the banjo dome to suit the P2 cladding by has been completed by DB Meiningen; first firebox flange plates manufactured
- Fittings: many non-ferrous fittings are being cast and machined
- Brakes: work well advanced on manufacture of brake rigging
- Spring gear well underway; spring hanger brackets complete; coupled spring links bolts and spring cups manufactured, procurement of springs underway
- Wheelsets: study into ride & suspension completed using Vampireâ software; crank axle re-designed to comply with modern standards, approved and manufactured; all engine wheelsets complete and fitted to engine; balance weights being fitted
- Motion: all heavy motion ordered from order with Stephenson Engineering Ltd of Atherton, Manchester; first 2 forgings completed – more underway
- Valve gear: updated poppet valve gear design almost complete; components in manufacture
- Pipework: design well advanced and installation under way
- Electricals: significant progress on design and manufacture of electrical system; overall system architecture signed off; layout of electrical trunking almost complete; battery boxes approaching completion, belt driven tender alternator nearing completion; turbine wheel for steam turbo alternator manufactured
- Tender: axlebox and other tender castings produced by William Cook Cast Products; frames being assembled by ID Howitt at Crofton; tank construction under way by North View Engineering Solutions in Darlington; wheelsets delivered to South Devon Railway Engineering for assembly and substantially complete
- Finishing: nameplates and chime whistle delivered
- Over £2.1m spent, £2.7m raised and £3.4m pledged of the required £5m.
Over the next 12 months, the Darlington based team aims to:
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- Complete the pony truck
- Make substantial progress on the tender tank and frames
- Finish the detailed design of the electrical system
- Manufacture and take delivery of most of the coupling and connecting rods
- Complete the cylinder block design with construction nearing completion
- Start manufacture of the valve gear.
FUNDRAISING PROGRESS TO DATE (last updated 1st October 2019)
£2.1m spent, £2.7m donated, £3.4m pledged (over two-thirds of required total) – current status:
- Covenants: minimum of £2.50pw (price of a pint in of beer a week), average donation of over £15pm; around 920 Covenantors already signed up worth over £1.5m
- The Founders Club (for the frames): 360 people donated £1,000 plus GiftAid totalling around £450,000 – now closed
- The Mikado Club (for the wheeling): 200 people donated £1,000 plus GiftAid totalling around £240,000 – now closed
- The Cylinder Club (for the cylinders): 100 people donated £1,000 plus GiftAid totalling around £120,000 – now closed
- The Boiler Club (for the boiler): seeking 300 people to donate £2,000 plus GiftAid totalling around £720,000; 180 members so far, with around £450,000 pledged
- The Motion Club (for the heavy motion): seeking 175 people to donate £1,000 plus GiftAid totalling around £210,000; 149 members so far, with around £186,000 pledged
- The Tender Club (for the tender frames and tank): seeking 250 people to donate £1,500 plus GiftAid totalling around £450,000; 41 members so far, with around £77,000 pledged
- Dedicated Donations (component sponsorship): almost £400,000 already pledged