Locomotive hope for Doncaster Railway Heritage Centre
Enthusiasts who are trying to rebuild an iconic railway engine are hoping to link up with a planned Doncaster Railway Heritage Centre.
The Doncaster P2 Steam Locomotive Trust wants to build a working replica of the Cock O’ The North steam loco, and promote Doncaster’s rich railway history in the process.
The trust’s plans are long term. It will cost £5.5 million to get the replica on the rails, although it has already built the frame of the engine, which is housed at the South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum, at Lakeside.
Chairman David Court said the trust was working closely with Doncaster Council and the Grammar School Collection to develop a proposal for a rail heritage centre in Doncaster. The Grammar School collection is a major collection of rail related memorabilia.
He said the trust was keen to support a heritage centre.
He said: “The aim would be to share knowledge about the incredible history of the most famous rail engineering town in the world. The proposed heritage centre would house the Grammar School Collection and present a learning experience on Doncaster’s railway engineering history.
“A working museum is included in the concept, where the Cock O’ The North would be built to demonstrate the skills upon which the Doncaster Plant depended.
“It is believed that such a venue would promote Doncaster to a new worldwide interest group, increase tourism and promote new jobs.”
Mr Court said the trust’s members wanted to see a museum dedicated to Doncaster’s locomotive building past.
“Doncaster is the world’s most famous locomotive town,” Mr Court said. “All the most famous locomotives were built here, like the Flying Scotsman and the Mallard.”
There were only six of the Cock O’ The North engines built, all in Doncaster between 1934 and 1936.
Mr Court, aged 70, was the fireman on the Flying Scotsman during its US tour in 1969.