Sponsor a component throughout the twelve days of Christmas and help to build No. 2007 Prince of Wales

This Christmas members of the public will once again be able to sponsor a component on Britain’s newest and most powerful express passenger steam locomotive. For a limited time only, parts for giant new Gresley class P2 No. 2007 Prince of Wales will be available for sponsorship to people who are neither ‘P2 for the price of a pint’ monthly Covenantors or other registered supporters. Components sponsored through the Dedicated Donations Scheme range in price from one of over 1,000 driven bolts & nuts for £25 to the complete exhaust steam injector for £15,000 – an ideal Christmas present for the railway enthusiast in your family.

People who subscribe to the Dedicated Donations Scheme will have their names (or that of the gift’s recipient) inscribed on the official roll of honour at Darlington Locomotive Works listing the components sponsored, receive a certificate recording the sponsorship and a copy of the drawing of the component. New components for sponsorship will become available as construction progresses.

Components available for sponsorship for the twelve days of Christmas include:

• 1^st day of Christmas – one exhaust steam injector at £15,000
• 2^nd day of Christmas – two pony truck tyres at £1,200 each
• 3^rd day of Christmas – three piston crosshead cotters at £300 each
• 4^th day of Christmas – four pony truck adjustment ring halves at £250 each
• 5^th day of Christmas – five foundation ring wash out door escutcheons at £70 each
• 6^th day of Christmas – six inlet valves from £1,200 - £1,800 each
• 7^th day of Christmas – seven upper superheater elements at £900 each
• 8^th day of Christmas – eight footplate brackets from £350 - £700 each
• 9^th day of Christmas – nine buffer springs (rear LH buffer) from £65 to £170 each
• 10^th day of Christmas – ten hornstay 1" BSW driven bolts & slotted nuts at £30 each
• 11^th day of Christmas – eleven frame stays from £300 - £6,900 each
• 12^th day of Christmas – twelve valve cover castings at £100 each

…with other parts at prices to suit all pockets, however deep.

Mark Allatt, P2 Project Director and Trustee, The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, commented, “This Christmas you can buy a part of giant new steam locomotive No. 2007 Prince of Wales for the railway enthusiast in your family before it is completed; what could be a more appropriate present than helping to recreate the lost days of the steam age? One of the key ways in which we are raising funds for the new locomotive is through supporters sponsoring particular components either on their own behalf, or as a gift for others.

“The lucky recipient of this gift will receive an A4 copy drawing of the component sponsored and a certificate recognising the sponsorship with the dedication worded however the giver wishes. The recipient will have the satisfaction of pointing to the component they have sponsored when the locomotive enters service on Britain’s main line railway in 2021. We have many parts on offer, from individual nuts and bolts to the wheels and chimney, ranging in price from £25 to £15,000.”

Mark added, “On the First day of Christmas my true love gave to me an exhaust steam injector for a P2. On the Second day of Christmas my true love gave to me two pony truck tyres. On the Third day of Christmas my true love gave to me three piston crosshead cotters. On the Fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me four pony truck adjustment ring halves. On the Fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me five foundation ring wash out door escutcheons. On the Sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me six inlet valves lifting. On the Seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me seven upper superheater elements drying. On the Eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me eight footplate brackets holding. On the Ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me nine buffer springs a bouncing. On the Tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ten hornstay bolts and nuts a gripping. On the Eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me eleven frame stays separating. On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me twelve valve covers sealing… and an exhaust steam injector for a P2.”