With funds in the bank, we are now able to mobilise manufacturing of the driving wheelsets and the establishment of a dedicated fund to support the complete manufacture of the driving wheelsets is our first fund of its type. An extraordinarily generous donation has enabled the commencement of wheelset manufacture with the production of the pattern for the driving wheel castings.

The scope of construction that this fund will support includes the casting and machining of all four wheels, purchase and machining of tyres, the fabrication and machining of the built-up crank axle and forging and machining of the trailing straight axle and the machining of the axle boxes and bearings and manufacture of the springs. Upon completion of these items, they will be fitted to the main frame and an iconic landmark in the construction of the locomotive achieved.

It is intended that the manufacturing process will proceed to a timescale for completion in December 2025, we hope that fund raising will enable this completion date to be met, without drawing on general funds to hand and monthly subscription income. We therefore ask all of our supporters to look at the opportunities to sponsor the manufacture of the driving wheels and we will be most grateful for any and all donations that you can make.