The LNER Encyclopedia

http://www.5at.co.uk/

Interesting project or a wind up ?

It has been around for a few years. I don't see it having a chance of being built, though.

There are already concerns as to whether there's a big enough market to support all the "heritage" new builds, and less people will be interested in a 5AT.

It is a bit like L.D. Porta's criticism of the Peppercorn A1 project for being too conservative. Yes L.D. Porta did some great things for "modern steam", but he missed the point of the Peppercorn A1 rebuild. Adding his enhancements would result in an engine that wasn't a Peppercorn A1 - it would be a "Porta A1". It would be like building a 'Rocket' replica with Walschaerts gear, piston valves, and a superheater!


Richard

The 5AT Project based upon the work of Porta and David Wardale has aroused the interest of many people, professional engineers and enthusiasts alike, but with little tangible result so far. In late 2006 there was a seminar on the subject at the NRM with a number of distinguished speakers ,including David Wardale.
Various large engineering concerns have from time to time cast an eye over the idea of a modern 21st century steam locomotive, usually during unwelcome changes in supply or prices in the energy markets, one example being Sulzer in Switzerland .Despite this, no material progress appears to have been made, despite a great deal of design and theoretical work on the 5AT by its proponents and even though the cost of a prototype would be quite modest when set against the R & D budgets of some of these large companies. One problem to be overcome is probably the psychological one of steam being perceived by the public at large as,dirty, inefficient and simply outmoded.
This is perhaps why attention was turned towards the heritage steam scene and its possible future needs .The latter has however involved itself with re-creations and replicas, no harm in that, people have the right to use their hard collected money as they choose.