THE A1 Steam Locomotive Trust (A1SLT) is making headway with preparations to launch its project to build new Gresley class ‘V4’ No. 3403 in the spring of 2020.
The trust has also revealed some of the improvements it will incorporate into the design, based on 10 years’ operation of ‘A1’ No. 60163 Tornado.
The design will largely follow that of the two original LNER ‘V4s’ that emerged from Doncaster Works in 1941 (No. 3401 Bantam Cock and No. 3402), but the trust has agreed the high-level specification for the yet-to-be-named No. 3403.

This includes the fitting of an electrical system similar to that created for No. 2007, which itself developed from that successfully implemented on No. 60163.
Likewise the new loco will be fitted with air and vacuum brakes, but with only one air pump, owing to the limited space available.
Read more in the May 2019 issue of The RM – on sale now!
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