THE A1 Steam Locomotive Trust’s (A1SLT) proposed project to construct the third member of Sir Nigel Gresley’s LNER ‘V4’ class of 2-6-2s is underway following the formation of subsidiary company the V4 Steam Locomotive Company Ltd to oversee the new locomotive’s construction.
Work on No. 3403, the A1SLT’s third new-build, is expected to begin as soon as its ‘P2’ 2-8-2 No. 2007 Prince of Wales is completed in 2021, although construction could begin sooner if the trust’s new works at Whessoe Road in Darlington is available before that date.
Already, the A1SLT has acquired more than 500 ‘V4’ drawings from Malcolm Barlow, the Doncaster scrap dealer who launched a project to build a new ‘V4’ – the Gresley V4 Society – back in 1994.
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Mr Barlow was also the original source of the complete set of fully certified tyres for the ‘V4’s’ pony, Cartazzi and 5ft 8in coupled wheels, which the A1SLT acquired from David Buck.
“We want to be ready to start assembling our new ‘V4’ as soon as our new class ‘P2’ is completed,” said A1SLT trustee Mark Allatt.
“We anticipate the project costing around £3million and taking around five years, subject to the pace of fundraising.
Read more in the October issue of The RM – on sale now!
