The work involved in designing and manufacturing the motion for new Gresley class P2 No. 2007 Prince of Wales includes:
- Redesign of coupling and connecting rods to use modern material (pre-war nickel chrome steel alloy proved prone to fracture
- Incorporation of late-pattern BR-type continuous white metal lined crank pin bearing bushes
- Use of the late-A1 design of inside connecting rod which overcame the tendency for the original design of inside connecting rods on LNER ‘Pacifics’ to big-end failure
- Open die forging of six coupling rods, two outside connecting rods and the inside connecting rod and strap
- CNC machining of all rods
- Manufacture of oil box lids, coupling rod knuckle pins, nuts and washers and bearing bush keys
- Casting of leaded gunmetal and phosphor bronze castings of crank pin bearing bushes
- Machining and white metalling of bearing bushes
- Fitting oil box tops
- Assembly of bearing bushes to rods
- Polishing rods.
In May 2018 the Trust placed a £181,000 order with Stephenson (Engineering) Ltd of Atherton, Manchester for the heavy motion. The order included the forging, machining and heat treatment of the nine heavy motion rods – intermediate coupling rod LH/RH, trailing coupling rod LH/RH, leading coupling rod LH/RH, outside connecting rod LH/RH and the inside connecting rod assembly (including strap, gluts and strap nuts and washers) – and the combined piston and rod.
Progress to-date on the heavy motion includes:
- Six coupling rods: intermediate coupling rods (between second and third coupled wheelsets) were delivered to DLW in September 2020 and have been fettled and polished to a mirror finish; leading coupling rods (between first and second coupled wheelset) have been machined and were delivered to DLW in December 2020; trailing coupling rods (between third and fourth coupled wheelset) have been forged with machining starting in the January 2021 and delivery to DLW expected in early February 2021
- Two outside connecting rods: forging has started, to be followed by heat treatment, then machining and delivery expected at the end of April 2021
- Inside connecting rod and strap: inside connecting rod has been forged and the strap is in the process of being forged, to be followed by heat treatment and machining with delivery to DLW expected at the end of March 2021
- Bronze white metal lined rod bushes: taking shape at Locomotive Maintenance Services Ltd, Loughborough, with the first four bushes for the intermediate rods expected to be delivered to DLW in early 2021.
Orders are to follow for the motion including rod bushes, oil box covers and miscellaneous components.
If the project is to remain on schedule to complete No. 2007 within three years, the Trust needed to order the motion in 2021. Following the success of The Founders Club (to get the project to the point of cutting the frames), The Boiler Club (to fund the construction of the boiler) and The Mikado Club (to wheel the locomotive), The Cylinder Club (to make the cylinder block), the Trust decided to establish The Motion Club to raise an estimated £210,000 required to manufacture No. 2007’s motion.
In April 2018, The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust launched a new appeal to raise the funds to manufacture the motion for new Gresley class P2 No. 2007 Prince of Wales. The Motion Club was established with the aim of raising £210,000 from 175 supporters each donating £1,000 (plus Gift Aid) to the project in up to eight payments of £125 by standing order. In just seven weeks the appeal had already reached over a quarter of its £210,000 target and by the end of July 2019 we had recruited over 140 members to The Motion Club, with over £168,000 pledged. By the summer of 2020 we had reached the initial target of 175 members of The Motion Club. You can download The Motion Club leaflet here.
In return for supporting this appeal, special benefits for members of The Motion Club include:
- Opportunity to buy ticket (seat already reserved) on one of the first trains hauled by No. 2007 Prince of Wales
- Reasonable access to No. 2007 at all times
- Opportunity to buy exclusive Motion Club badge
- Opportunity to join one of the teams building No. 2007
- First choice of other components to sponsor
- Special supporters’ day with Tornado
- Special limited-edition version (signed/numbered) of Stuart Black’s drawing of No. 2007 Prince of Wales.
If you would like to support No. 2007 Prince of Wales by joining The Motion Club then please either complete the on-line forms in section 1 or download the forms in section 2 below:
Section 1: on-line donation
I would like to donate £1,000 to become a member of The Motion Club for Gresley class P2 No. 2007 Prince of Wales:
- A single donation of £1,000.00
- 4 monthly donations of £250.00
- 8 monthly donations of £125.00
May we also draw your attention to the Trust’s privacy policy which details the manner in which we treat any personal data that you send us. Please also print this out and read carefully.
Section 2: downloadable forms
If you would like to support No. 2007 by becoming a member of The Motion Club then the forms below will enable you to do so. There are two forms to download:
The first form confirms your personal data and the amount that you would like to donate – please DOWNLOAD, print out, complete and return it to us at the address shown.
The second form confirms your bank details, please DOWNLOAD, complete in full and return it along with the monthly donation form, we will then forward it to your bank.
May we also draw your attention to the Trust’s privacy policy which details the manner in which we treat any personal data that you send us. Please also print this out and read carefully.
Section 3: recruit a friend
You can see full details of The Motion Club here – please share this with your friends!
This club is funds for the manufacture of the motion for the new Gresley class P2 No. 2007 Prince of Wales. If there are surplus funds left over following the manufacture of the motion, we will use the money to purchase or manufacture other components for the Gresley class P2 that the charity would not otherwise have.
Join The Motion Club today
Donations needed here