Following the success of The Founders Club, which was designed to get to the P2 Project to the point of cutting No.2007’s frames, the Trust has decided to establish The Boiler Club to fund the construction of Prince of Wales’s boiler. The Trust set an initial target for The Founders Club of at least £100,000 from 100 ‘Founders’ but due to the overwhelming generosity of its supporters actually raised £450,000 (including gift aid) from over 360 donors. It is the Trust’s desire to leave No. 2007 Prince of Wales debt free upon completion and therefore its aim is to raise at least £600,000 for The Boiler Club from 300 supporters each donating £2,000 to the project (in up to 40 payments of £50 by standing order). In return for this commitment, members of The Boiler Club receive these special benefits:

 

•Opportunity to buy ticket (seat already reserved) on No. 2007’s first main line train

•Reasonable access to No. 2007 at all times

•Opportunity to buy exclusive Boiler Club badge

•Opportunity to join one of the teams building No. 2007

•First choice of other components to sponsor

•Special limited edition version (signed/numbered) of the first official painting of No. 2007 Prince of Wales with No. 60163 Tornado – ‘Dream Team’ by renowned railway artist Chris Ludlow

•Special Boiler Club day with Tornado.

 

Mark Allatt, chairman, The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, commented, “The launch of The Boiler Club marks a significant milestone in the project to build Britain’s most powerful steam locomotive. The boiler is the beating heart of a steam locomotive and to keep the construction of No. 2007 Prince of Wales on schedule for completion in 2021 we need to place the order for the boiler in 2015 for delivery in 2018. It is our desire if possible to complete No. 2007 debt-free and so we have decided to launch The Boiler Club to raise £600,000 to fund Prince of Wales’s boiler.”

 

No. 2007’s boiler in detail:

•Use of diagram 118A Tornado boiler with detailed modifications to improve overhaul life

•Interchangeable with Tornado boiler

•Tornado boiler is 17in shorter than P2 boiler – No. 2007’s smoke box will be extended within the cladding

•250psi of No. 60163’s boiler will be retained to improve economy and increase maximum power

 

You can download the Boiler Club cash donation form here, the monthly donation form here, the standing order form here and you can view our privacy policy here.

 

The launch of The Boiler Club also saw the unveiling of the first official painting of No. 2007 Prince of Wales with the Trust’s first new-build steam locomotive No. 60163 Tornado entitled ‘Dream Team’ by renowned railway artist Chris Ludlow. The original oil painting will be the subject of a sealed bid auction to the benefit of No. 2007 Prince of Wales and No. 60163 Tornado to be announced later in the year.

 

 

One of Chris’s first pictures was of a Peppercorn class A1 Pacific like Tornado. Early retirement and a move to France gave him the opportunity to pick up where he left off. He won the ‘Prix Schefer’ in Paris in 2004 and, in 2011, the French national railway museum at Mulhouse mounted a solo exhibition of his work, which included around 30 paintings.  Chris Ludlow added, “Steam locomotives are a lifelong passion. No other machine expresses elemental power in such an emotive, impressive fashion, and this is what I try to express in my work. The design of the Gresley class P2 Cock O’The North was influenced by the ideas of French steam genius André Chapelon, and the locomotive was tested in France during 1934. So it is fitting that as a French-based Gresley and LNER enthusiast, I should paint No. 2007 Prince of Wales alongside No. 60163 Tornado, alive and at speed.”

 

Mark Allatt concluded, “With the launch of The Boiler Club, no-one can now doubt that we really mean business. The next few months will see further major announcements as the construction of the locomotive gathers pace. We are now appealing to those who want to be a part of this exciting project to become covenantors, sponsors and volunteers to help us maintain this momentum.”