Update on the project to build Gresley class P2 No. 2007 Prince of Wales - Britain’s most powerful steam locomotive
The project to build Britain’s most powerful steam locomotive will be holding a series of roadshows across Great Britain in 2019, with the next one being held at Darlington Locomotive Works, Darlington. The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, also the builders, owners and operators of 100mph famous new steam locomotive No. 60163 Tornado, has announced that it will again be holding several presentations on the project to build new Gresley class P2 No. 2007 Prince of Wales in 2019. Entry into each roadshow is free.
The seventh 2019 Roadshow is at Darlington Locomotive Works, Hopetown Lane, Darlington, DL3 6RQ. Each presentation will feature key Trust personnel including Mark Allatt (P2 Project Director) and/or David Elliott (Director of Engineering) and will cover the background to the project, progress to-date, future plans and details of how to get involved. The presentation will start promptly at 11:00hrs until 13:00hrs on each of the days listed below and are open to existing supporters and interested members of the public:
- Saturday 6th July 2019 – Darlington Locomotive Works, Darlington
- Saturday 14th September 2019 – Hilton Leeds Hotel, Leeds
- Saturday 2nd November 2019 – Darlington Locomotive Works, Darlington
- Saturday 7th December 2019 – Pendulum Hotel (Manchester Conference Centre), Manchester.
We also have Open Days at Darlington Locomotive Works, Darlington on the first and third Saturday of every month, from 11:00 – 16:00hrs.
Public interest in seeing a new Gresley class P2 become a reality sooner rather than later is high with over 900 people having already signed up to the ‘P2 for the price of a pint of beer per week’ (£10 per month or more) Covenant scheme since its launch. In addition, funds have been raised through The Founders Club (over 360 people have donated £1,000 each – target 100 people, now closed), The Cylinder Club (the target of 100 people to each pledge £1,000 each achieved – now closed), The Boiler Club (over 175 people have pledged £2,000 each - target of 300 people), The Mikado Club (the target of 200 people to each pledge £1,000 reached – now closed), The Motion Club (over 136 people have pledged £1,000 each - target of 175 people), The Tender Club, launched in April 2019 (over 25 people have pledged £1,500 each - target of 250 people), Dedicated Donations (around £345,000 from supporters sponsoring a variety of components) and the sponsorship of the locomotive’s distinctive front-end by The Gresley Society Trust. This means that the project has already raised – including Gift Aid – £2.6m and received pledges of £3.3m of the required £5m.
Mark Allatt, P2 Project Director and Trustee, The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, commented, “The past five years have seen dramatic progress towards our aim of completing new Gresley class P2 No. 2007 Prince of Wales by 2021. We are holding a series of free roadshow presentations in 2019, with the seventh in our Darlington Works (where the build can be viewed first hand) to promote the £5m project and at each we will cover the background to the project, our progress to-date, future plans and details of how to get involved. These presentations are open to anyone interested in the project and we are encouraging our existing supporters to bring along interested family and friends.”
“Now is the time to get on board this ground-breaking project and help the Trust to raise the £5m needed to ensure its completion in 2021.”