THE construction of the new-build‘P2’by the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust (A1SLT) has taken two key steps towards completion, after milestones were reached on both the tender and the valve gear.
In late June, the tender frames for‘P2’No. 2007 Prince of Wales, which have been manufactured off site, were delivered to the A1SLT’s Darlington Locomotive Works (DLW).The completed frames were dispatched from Ian Howitt’s works in Wakefield on June 12, for final gritblasting, preparation and painting in primer.This was undertaken at a specialist contractor DLW to save mess and cost and the process was complete onWednesday, June 19.
The frames were delivered to DLW two days later, signifying a major milestone in the project to build the 2-8-2. Further fitting out will be required for pipework and conduits, with discussions around European Train Control Systems (ETCS) requirements ongoing. The tender tank – delivered in 2020 – will be fixed to the frames as the tender takes shape. The tender wheelsets also require balancing but can be trial fitted before that occurs.