TRACK TALK

➜ Might a ‘ Super Pacific’ await us in the future?

THE article in issue 272 about P2

2- 8- 2 No. 2007 Prince of Wales, its development and construction, makes very interesting reading, and I would agree that it will be the heritage movement’s biggest triumph, certainly in terms of locomotive building.

Can I speculate that with its extra power and adhesion it might be able to surmount Shap summit at 70mph with an eight- coach load, and that would be some achievement? Finding out how well the modified valve gear works and interacts with boiler performance will be particularly fascinating.

It’s interesting to read that

No. 2007 is described as an express locomotive because, I think, it started the process of blurring the distinction between express and mixed traffic locomotives. The V2s, a lighter version of the P2, were classed as mixed traffic and Bulleid had to describe his Merchant Navies as mixed traffic. From 1941 onwards, all new Pacific designs adopted three cylinders and 6ft 2inch wheels ( other than the A1s), but they all still achieved the sort of performances normally associated with larger wheeled express locos.

Which leads me to the question: What would be the ultimate Pacific? A Duchess with 6ft 2inch wheels, a four- cylinder rebuilt Merchant Navy, further development of an A1, A2 or Duke of Gloucester?

In the meantime Steve Davies, chairman of The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, has stated that he is interested in further ‘ big’ projects after the V4, so maybe he could look at the possibility of a ‘ Super A4’ as the best way of maintaining the general public’s interest in steam longer term?

David Smith, Sheffield