About the Trust
When did the project start and how?
2012. The charitable trust was set up that year and the project was launched at the NRM festival in the summer. The great age of twentieth century LNWR express travel was a huge gap in the preservation scene which we were anxious to fill. We were also keen to have the pre first world war 4-4-0 as part of the regular main line scene. The late Paul Hibberd had been trying to promote interest in such a project and by pure chance stumbled across an old railway magazine which asked anybody interested to make contact with Bruce Nixon. Each brought their range of contacts to the party and the project was born.
How Much will it cost £££££?
We estimate the cost of construction to be around £1.5 million. Though this only an informed estimate this has been corroborated by others in the new build steam community.
We depend entirely on donations so please give
What are the current priorities?
Our key objectives for the build for 2026 is to complete platework (cab, splashers, footplating etc) and fit it to the frames, and to fit the hornblocks when they are delivered. Design of the cylinder block is well advanced and hopefully we can order the casting before thre end of the year. Organisational improvements are an ongoing priority. Keep up to date with our news by following this website, or our Social Media, and consider subscribing to our free email newsletters.
Can we view the locomotive?
The locomotive is at a commercial industrial site, hence access is restricted. We held an Open Day Saturday May 16th 2026 and hope to make it an annual event. Other visits by arrangement.
How much engagement do you have with the household of the Prince and Princess of Wales? How much of a difference has the link made in terms of fundraising and publicity?
We were honoured that the then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge granted permission for us to name the locomotive after their son, and we were delighted to unveil the name on its splasher with the LNWR crest at GCR Quorn on the Prince’s first birthday. More recently we displayed our front end decorated with the Union Flag and bunting at Alstom’s Greatest Gathering in August. For 2026, now that we have a Frame Assembly, we plan a photoshoot for the Prince’s 13th birthday.
Supply chain issues seem to cause problems for lots of new builds – have you had any experience of this so far?
Supply chain problems will always occur. Unfortunately the most frequent source of problems is poor procurement by the buyer. We have had minor problems but nothing significant. We are fortunate that Jamie Keyte, who is ex Bombardier and now runs his own engineering company, Keyte Smith Limited which is a recognised supplier of components for the modern railway, had been a great friend of the project. Our Engineer Terry McMenamin is a veteran of Crewe Works, starting as an Engineering Apprentice in 1961 when steam locomotives were still the biggest part of the workload. He has a lifelong involvement with railway vehicles and associated quality issues and is developing the Trust’s system of Supplier Assurance to the current Standard RIS-2750. Membership of the Main Line Steam Builders Group also provides a forum for exchange of information on suppliers.
What’s your fundraising strategy – what kind of person is donating the money, how do you find them, what are the revenue streams?
We aim to win as many regular donors as possible, and to this end we have recently adopted Zeffy as a platform for donations. Zeffy provides a simple payment process and takes no commission, we get the full amount donated. Gift aid is very valuable to us, effectively increases the amount given by 25%. A donate button now appears on all our publicity.
We aim to make it as easy as possible to donate, click for a single donation or better still click to become a Member with a regular donation.
Legacy giving is also supported, and can be very important to us. It provides a lasting legacy for future generations.
How do I become a member? Who does the work on the locomotive? Steam enthusiasts tend to be older –what’s the demographic of your group like?
Members pay at least £5/month regularly (or equivalent lump sums) to qualify as members, click here to join. Members are entitled to attend the AGM and other events, and to vote at the AGM.
Design is carried out by our Engineer Terry McMenamin using Solidworks CAD.
Work on the locomotive is almost all done by contractors, although there is now the opportunity for suitably skilled volunteers to assist. We are also open to offers to film the frame assembly process. All components are bought directly by the Trust so that appropriate Quality Assurance can be put in place; however sponsorship of individual items by members is welcome.
Our demographic is undeniably tilted towards the older generation. These are the ones who may have had direct experience of steam power, and have the time to devote to the project. Just the same we do have younger members and encourage them to play their full part in the project.
What’s the biggest obstacle you’ve overcome so far?
Unquestionably the understanding of the realities of the project. Enthusiasm is only part of it; we are involved a complex engineering project in a highly regulated industry and need to adhere to the same standards as the mainstream industry. This means professional standards of project management, design, quality assurance etc. We need to demonstrate full compliance with the standards for Heritage vehicles. We have appointed Ricardo Rail as our Acceptance Body. Ricardo’s efforts in sponsoring the Main Line Steam Builders Group have been very helpful to us.
Archives – where have you looked, what have you found?
The NRM fortunately has most of the original drawings and LNWR Society has been very helpful in supplementing these and in providing information on other literature relevant to the class.
What’s the likely working future for the engine? Do you intend it to go on the main line, and if so what sort of top speed would you expect it to have?
Heritage railways, the main line and appearances as a ‘star’ at special events.
The Georges were surprisingly powerful express locomotives and commonly ran at speeds of 75mph. So we initially aspired to get clearance for 75mph. We think we are looking at an exciting new entrant to the main line scene.
Will there be a reduced height for the main line?
Yes, there will be a height reduction applied to the chimney, dome and cab corners. Unfortunately people have put up overhead live wires on most of the stamping grounds that the Georges used to enjoy. Many existing express locomotives on the main line have had to be modified to conform to the modern loading gauge, so we are not alone.