Our engineering team of David Elliott and Terry Graham made the long journey to Howco in Irvine to view progress on the P2 cylinder block and to deliver some more items required to blank off all the holes to enable the hydraulic test to be carried out.  By and large the results were satisfactory and almost everything tried on the cylinder block fitted. They only had to bring the release valve adapters for the cylinder covers back for a bit of thread easing - a minor adjustment.

We have raised £75,000 in Monobloc Club sign ups towards the manufacture of this ground breaking component: a unique design and first fabricated monobloc for a steam locomotive. This is in excess of the £100,000 already raised for the design of the cylinder block. Hypothecated donations, therefore, are just over half way towards the £350,000 that the monobloc will cost, from design to delivery.  With payment for the manufacturing process due on delivery in July, the invoice for this major component will significantly impact our financial reserves, which could have otherwise been spent on the next part of the P2 project. To help accelerate the project towards the first steaming of Prince of Wales, please consider making a one off donation or joining the Monobloc Club today.