GWR 2900 Class 2999 ''Lady of Legend''
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No.2999 Lady of Legend is a steam locomotive which is under construction as a "new-build" project, based at Didcot Railway Centre in Didcot, Oxfordshire. Described as "building the 78th Saint", the project started in the 1970s to look at building a new 2900 Saint since none of the original class-members were preserved.
The Saint project
Following the formation of the society in the 1970s a plan was formed to look at building a new 2900 Saint since none of the original class members were sent to Barry Island and none were purchased directly from preservation (the last class member being no 2920 Saint David which was withdrawn from service in October 1953 and was sent straight for scrap).
With there being eleven members of the 4900 Hall class 4-6-0's preserved and because most of those had been returned to service from scrapyard condition unless purchased directly for preservation it was decided to use 4942 Maindy Hall which was in scrapyard condition to rebuild it as a GWR 2900 Class 4-6-0; this is appropriate as the original 4900 class prototype of 1925 was converted from 2900 class engine Saint Martin. Also, instead of creating a replica it was decided like 60163 Tornado to number it 2999 as a new member of the class (the last original engine being 2998 Ernest Cunard), the name meanwhile had not been decided on.
The original driving wheels for the Hall were 6 ft in size while the size of the driving wheels for a Saint were 6 ft 8in, the front bogie wheels were also smaller than those for a Saint as they were 3 ft and the front bogie wheels for a Saint were 3 ft 2in. Some of the parts used in the construction of 2999 are original Saint parts which include: a connecting rod from 2906 Lady of Lynn & whistle from 2910 Lady of Shalott. The chimney for 2999 is also an original part but is from a 6800 class 4-6-0. The engine is being built in the original form with straight frames and lever reversing gear; these engines were named after Ladies, which corresponds with the name Lady of Legend chosen for 2999.
The original height of the 2900 Saints was 13 feet 3 1⁄2 inches (4.051 m), but the max height allowed for steam locomotives to work on the mainline by Network Rail because of overhead wire clearances is 13 feet 1 inch (3.99 m). The height of 2999 is therefore being cut down as it's planned to operate 2999 Lady of Legend on the mainline at some point. In order to operate on the mainline Lady of Legend will require the fitment of equipment that none of the original members of her class would have had in steam days other than a speedometer, this includes: AWS, TPWS, OTMR & GSM-R.
Her tender is expected to be modified to allow more water to be carried and less coal, the reason for this being as there are no water columns on the mainline other than a few select locations like Appleby (most stops being done by either hydrants or roadside tankers) and the water troughs have long since disappeared.
Naming 2999
A large number of names were submitted in a competition run by the group which were constructing 2999 and the name that was chosen to be carried by the new engine was Lady of Legend. Other names that were submitted in the competition to name the new engine included: Lady in Waiting, Lady Diana, Lady of Lourdes, Saint Dai, Prince Charles, John Betjeman & Phoenix. A full list of names sent in for the competition can be viewed via the link.[1]
Atlantic option
An integral part of the Saint Project is the Atlantic option. Although it is intended by the Saint Project that the completed engine will run primarily in its 4-6-0 configuration as a saint because of the plan to go mainline, it is planned to have the engine run for a period during its 10-year boiler ticket as a 4-4-2 Atlantic. The number she is expected to carry when converted into her 4-4-2 Atlantic form is 191 and the names include Atlantic and Churchward.