A BLUEPRINT for the strategy to build a new Gresley LNER V4 2-8-2 has been drawn up prior to the formal launch of the project.
The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, which 29 years ago drew up plans for a new Peppercorn A1 Pacific which materialised as No. 60163 Tornado and is now one of the biggest icons of the heritage era, and which is building a new Gresley P2 2-8-2 No. 2007 Prince of Wales, has announced a series of what it calls “significant decisions” regarding its third project, V4 No. 3403.
The as yet unnamed locomotive will be only the third in the class, after No. 3401 Bantam Cock and No. 3402, known unofficially as ‘Bantam Hen’, built at Doncaster Works, but no further examples were constructed after Gresley’s sudden death that year. Both locomotives were scrapped in 1957 when their boilers became due for renewal.
It is now anticipated that the formal launch of the V4 Project will be in spring 2020, subject to final trust board approval.
Read more in Issue 253 of HR – on sale April 12!
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