SIR NIGEL GRESLEY’S OLDEST LOCOMOTIVE REUNITED WITH ITS SUPERHEATER HEADER, CHIMNEY AND SIDETANKS
The N2 Overhaul Completion Club raises almost £45,000
Doncaster, UK – 23 February 2026: The Gresley Society is delighted to announce that the oldest surviving locomotive to the design of Sir Nigel Gresley was reunited with its superheater header, chimney and sidetanks at the workshops of the North Norfolk Railway (NNR) at Weybourne in February 2026. Gresley class N2 GNR No.1744 was withdrawn from service late in 2018 for an overhaul that has proved to be considerably more extensive and costly than anticipated. This is the next step towards its anticipated return to traffic in late Spring 2026.
The overhaul began in 2019 but was impacted by the Covid-19 lockdown and the war in Ukraine which affected both timescales and costs. Additionally, once the locomotive was stripped down, it became evident that far more work was needed than first anticipated. This has meant an extensive programme of both mechanical and boiler work leading to eventual overhaul cost of around £800,000.
The work completed on No. 1744 since Christmas includes the fitting of the superheater header to the front tubeplate of the overhauled boiler and the refitting of the Chimney to the smokebox, in addition to the installation of the refurbished sidetanks and the front of the cab.
The next key task is to install the superheater elements into the boiler and also to commence the painting of the locomotive into its distinctive GNR green livery. No. 1744 will then be weighed using the equipment at the NNR so that the springs can be balanced.
As agreed with Andy Wright, the boiler inspector, a further hydraulic test will be carried out on the boiler and then within 28 days the final in steam test with the locomotive effectively complete – the final touches being items like building the brick arch.
The NNR has generously agreed to initially fund the completion of the overhaul, with the value reimbursed later through operation of the locomotive for a period without charge. However, The Gresley Society still faces a substantial funding shortfall to meet the final overhaul cost and has launched The N2 Overhaul Completion Club to raise the required £100,000 from 100 people each donating £1,000 in up to eight instalments. Special benefits for those supporting the club include:
- Certificate signed by John Cameron (President) and Philip Benham (Chairman)
- Exclusive opportunity to visit No. 1744 under overhaul at the NNR
- Opportunity to buy a ticket (seat already reserved) on one of the first trains hauled by No. 1744
- Exclusive Limited Edition print (100) of No. 1744 in GNR livery by Matthew Cousins (GRA)
- One year’s free membership of The Gresley Society Trust
The Club was launched to Gresley Society members in late November 2024 and has already raised almost £45,000 from both members and other supporters. Details of how to join The N2 Overhaul Completion Club can be found at gresley.org.
Philip Benham MBE, Chairman of The Gresley Society, commented:
“The Gresley Society was created to preserve a working Gresley locomotive, and we owe it to our founders, and for the benefit and education of today’s generation, to maintain that vision. The latest progress on No. 1744’s overhaul at the North Norfolk Railway is one more step towards the return of Sir Nigel Gresley’s oldest surviving locomotive to traffic in late spring 2026 resplendent in its distinctive Great Northern Railway livery – hopefully in time for the 150th anniversary of Sir Nigel’s birth on 19 June 2026.
“However, The Gresley Society is not yet out of the woods financially and launched a major £100,000 financial appeal with The N2 Overhaul Completion Club to fund No. 1744’s return to traffic which has already raised almost £45,000. I’d encourage all LNER lovers who want to see the class N2 paired once again with the Midland & Great Northern Society’s unique set of Quad-Art carriages on the North Norfolk Railway to get on board with our appeal!”
