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Full steam ahead for plan to build new loco to design by Scotsman engineer

(http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_700,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/webimage/1.8591721.1497285766!/image/image.jpg)
Flying Scotsman in Fairburn, Yorkshire, as it travels from Castleton to the National Railway Museum in York

A project to build a new steam locomotive to a design by the engineer of Flying Scotsman has raised nearly £90,000 in a month, its organisers have announced.

The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, which operates the new 100mph Tornado engine, seen on Yorkshire’s Settle-Carlisle line earlier this year, said a crank axle had already been completed for the new loco, a P2 class engine to be called Prince of Wales.

The original class P2 “Mikado” locomotives were the most powerful passenger steam engines to operate in the UK. They were designed by Sir Nigel Gresley to haul 600-ton trains on the Edinburgh to Aberdeen route.

Sir Nigel was chief engineer of the London and North Eastern Railway, and also designed the Mallard, which could reach 126mph and still holds the record as the fastest steam locomotive in the world.

Mark Allatt, project director for the new P2 engine, said the axle construction and the latest financial pledges were two significant milestones.

“We are delighted with the level of support that the project to build Britain’s most powerful steam locomotive has received since construction started only three years ago,” he said.

The new loco is said to be on track for completion in 2021, but its progress depends on raising more than £700,000 a year, which, Mr Allatt said, “becomes more challenging as each year passes”.

He added: “We would encourage all steam enthusiasts who haven’t yet contributed to become a monthly covenantor or support one of our other fundraising initiatives.”

According to my my sources (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reliability_of_Wikipedia), the Midland's 2290 (Lickey Banker) at 192.6kN beat a Princess Coronation's 180kN. However, the LNER P2 turned out 193.3kN. As far as I can see, nothing ever beat that in the UK.

All of these look a bit weedy in comparison with a Union Pacific 'Big Boy' though - they churned out a somewhat more impressive 602kN, or 4690kW if you prefer.

It was both the longest and the most powerful steam locomotive ever to run in Britain.

A bit more than just the crank axle !..
See below
  https://www.p2steam.com/category/news/

A splendid project, and looking at the amount of work completed, likely to be running in not many years time.

Subject to a proper testing and inspection regime, I very much hope that network rail permit it to run routinely at 90MPH, and perhaps faster still.

Will we ever see the record held by Mallard broken by a newly built steamer ?

Perhaps I'm happier with EMU's

I suspect that many old steam locos that are rusting in sidings are now beyond economic repair. Some need so much work that any "restoration" might be better called a replica incorporating a few original parts.

I suspect that many old steam locos that are rusting in sidings are now beyond economic repair. Some need so much work that any "restoration" might be better called a replica incorporating a few original parts.