The boiler fund for Britains most powerful steam locomotive has passed the halfway point at £380,000.

The P2 Steam Locomotive Company has announced over half of the required 300 members of ‘The Boiler Club’ have signed up.

The Boiler Club was launched in October 2014 to raise the £600,000 needed to pay for the manufacture of the boiler.

The Boiler Club now has 150 members, each pledging £2,000 (plus gift aid) and now means the fund stands at £380,000 (including gift aid).

What is a P2 steam locomotive?

The P2s, also known as The ‘Mikados’, was the most powerful express locomotive in the UK. Designed in the 1930s by Sir Nigel Gresley, they were designed to haul 600-ton trains. The build of 2007 is at an estimated cost of £5 million and will use modern construction techniques, such as Computer Aided Design (CAD).

Benefits of being part of the Boiler Club

In return for being a member of The Boiler Club, members receive the following benefits:

• Opportunity to buy a ticket (seat already reserved) on No. 2007’s first mainline train
• Reasonable access to No. 2007 at all times
• Opportunity to buy exclusive Boiler Club badge
• Opportunity to join one of the teams building No. 2007
• First choice of other components to sponsor
• Special limited edition version (signed/numbered) of the first official painting of No. 2007 Prince of Wales with No. 60163 Tornado – ‘Dream Team’ by renowned railway artist Chris Ludlow
• Special Boiler Club day with Tornado.

No. 2007’s boiler in detail:

• Use of diagram 118A Tornado boiler with detailed modifications to improve overhaul life
• Interchangeable with Tornado boiler
• Tornados boiler is 17″ shorter than the P2s boiler. No. 2007’s smoke box will be extended within the cladding
• 250psi of No. 60163’s boiler will be retained to improve the economy and increase maximum power

What did the officials say?

Mark Allatt, Trustee and P2 Project Director, The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, commented:

“Passing the half-way point in the membership of The Boiler Club marks a significant milestone in the project to build Britain’s most powerful steam locomotive. It is our desire if possible to complete No. 2007 debt-free and so we launch The Boiler Club in October 2014 to raise £600,000 to fund Prince of Wales’s boiler.

“The boiler is the beating heart of a steam locomotive and to keep the construction of No. 2007 Prince of Wales on schedule for completion in 2021 we need to place the order for the boiler in 2018 for delivery in 2021. With this latest announcement, no-one can now doubt that we really mean business. The next few months will see further major announcements as the construction of the locomotive gathers pace. We are now appealing to those who want to be a part of this exciting project to become covenantors, sponsors and volunteers to help us maintain this momentum.”

• Visit the P2 Steam Locomotive Company website
  For more information
• Visit the RailAdvent news homepage
  For the latest railway news