A ROADSHOW highlighting a project to build “Britain’s most powerful steam locomotive” will head to the county later this year.

The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust – which also built, owns and operates the 100mph famous new engine named Tornado – is to hold a number of presentations on its plan to build the Gresley class P2 No. 2007 Prince of Wales.

The class P2 2-8-2 ‘Mikado’ locomotives were the most powerful passenger steam locomotives to operate in the UK, designed by Sir Nigel Gresley to haul 600-ton trains on the difficult Edinburgh to Aberdeen route.

The design was never fully developed, and they were rebuilt in 1943/44 and scrapped by 1961.

Now, the trust is building the seventh member of this class over seven years at an estimated cost of £5m.

The project aims to demonstrate how the design can be fully realised through use of modern computer design techniques, enabling the new locomotive to deliver its full potential hauling passenger trains at high speed across today’s national network.

Mark Allatt, P2 project director and trustee from the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, said: “The past five years have seen dramatic progress towards our aim of completing new Gresley class P2 No. 2007 Prince of Wales by the end of 2022.

“We are holding a series of free roadshow presentations in 2020, starting at Darlington Locomotive Works, Darlington, to promote the £5m project and at each we will cover the background to the project, our progress to-date, future plans and details of how to get involved.

“These presentations are open to anyone interested in the project and we are encouraging our existing supporters to bring along interested family and friends.

“Now is the time to get on board this ground-breaking project and help the trust to raise the £5m needed to ensure its completion in 2022.”

Attendees will hear about the background to the

project, progress to-date,

future plans and details of how to get involved.

It will run from 11am to 1pm at the Hallmark Hotel near Carlisle’s Citadel railway station on Saturday, June 6, and will be open to existing supporters and members of the public.