MASSIVE KICKSTART FOR NEW GRESLEY P2 PROJECT FROM SUPPORTERS

A sensational level of support for membership to the club designed to raise sufficient funds for the cutting of No. 2007’s frames has been announced.
Within one week of the launch of The P2 Founders Club, The P2 Steam Locomotive Company (charitable status pending), is very pleased to report that it has already raised 35% of the £100,000 pre-launch phase minimum to kick off the project to build Britain’s most powerful steam locomotive!
In what can only be described as a sensational demonstration of support, 35 of the 100 minimum membership of The Founders Club have already signed up to the objective to raise the funds for the acquisition and cutting of the frames for the Gresley P2 class No. 2007.
Members of the Founders Club each donate £1,000 (in up to four payments of £250 by standing order) allowing the purchase of the steel and subsequent cutting to take place in May 2014. In return for this commitment and as well as being the first contributors to this exciting project, members receive these exclusive benefits:
• Reserved seat on 2007’s first main line train
• Reasonable access to 2007 at all times
• Exclusive Founders Club tie
• Opportunity to join one of the teams building 2007
• First choice of components to sponsor
• Special limited edition version (signed/numbered) of the launch painting of 2007
• Special Founds Club day with Tornado
Mark Allatt, chairman, The P2 Steam Locomotive Company, commented:
“We have been overwhelmed by the sheer pace of support for The Founders Club. It’s unheard of to generate paid up members to such a proposition so quickly, which can only be a demonstration of the faith in in the team behind this project and desire to see No. 2007 become a reality”.
He added “It’s no simple exercise cutting the frames for a P2, especially given the history around the design. This is why we have invested significant amounts of time and money with our Vampire study to assess the feasibility of the project and implement the necessary changes to the frame design in order to be accepted for main line running on today’s railway. We still have spaces in this exclusive club, so if you wish to join please sign up today!”
The mission of the P2 Steam Locomotive Company (P2SLC) is to develop, build and operate an improved Gresley class P2 Mikado steam locomotive for main line and preserved railway use. These 2-8-2 locomotives were the most powerful express passenger locomotives to operate in the UK, designed by Sir Nigel Gresley to haul 600 ton trains on the arduous Edinburgh to Aberdeen route.
Sadly the design was never fully developed and they were rebuilt by his successor Edward Thompson into ungainly 4-6-2’s in 1943/4.
The P2SLC will build the 7th member of this class and demonstrate how the design can be fully realised through use of modern computer design and modelling techniques, enabling it to deliver its full potential hauling passenger trains at high speed across the national network.
For more information about the P2 Project and details on how you can join The Founders Club, please visit http://www.p2steam.com