A PROJECT to build Britain’s most powerful express passenger steam locomotive has made significant progress in its construction.

The Darlington-based A1 Steam Locomotive Trust are behind the scheme to build a £5m Gresley class P2 No. 2007 Prince of Wales.

The tender frames currently under construction by I D Howitt of Wakefield are now fully erected, the baseplate for the tender tank being manufactured by North View Engineering Solutions of Darlington is now complete and the final of the four tender axles has arrived at Darlington Locomotive Works from Unilathe of Stoke-on-Trent.

The Trust's financial appeal to raise £450,000 through The Tender Club has also already raised £50,000.

Mark Allatt, P2 project director and trustee, said: “We are delighted with the level of support that the project to build Britain’s most powerful steam locomotive has received since its launch. Thanks to our supporters’ continued generosity, over £3.3m has now been donated or pledged.

“We have now turned our attention to the tender which is our current major manufacturing challenge."