Since the completion of Tornado in 2008, multiple smaller projects have been started since then by our friends in the UK. One of the projects was on a 4-6-0 for the London, Midland, and Scotland railway, known as the patriot class. As most reproductions, this class does not have any original members of the class. They started in 2008, and have progress going quickly. They only need to build the engine, as they found 2 spare tenders in good enough condition to restore. Their website is @lms-patriot.org.uk . It is a cool project, and I want to know what you guys think of it

The LMS Patriot project, if I am not mistaken, is a "re-start" of an earlier project, or the same idea with new principals.

In the past forty years, there have been numerous "rebuild" proposals, some working from scratch and some adapting hulks from the Woodhams scrap yard in Barry, South Wales. As I loosely recall, there were three or so GWR proposals (a "Saint" class 4-6-0 being one, with a proposed occasional conversion to 4-4-2 by substituting a pony axle for the last drivers--but that was started in 1974 and is still uncompleted!), two LNER proposals at least (The Gresley P2 and a B17 4-6-0), at least two LMS proposals besides the Patriot, and at least one SR proposal, not counting a pie-in-the-sky proposal to rebuild Bullied's "Leader". And, of course, there are also narrow-gauge proposals for the Welsh lines. There are so many proposals out there that one of the magazines recently asked on its Facebook page which of the already-proposed ones readers wished to see most--and got a myriad of responses.

In a sense, the A1 Tornado worked by being the most practical and being a design from the "Big Four" pre-BR lines with the least representation in preservation--think NYC or L&N here.

The first Patriot replica was proposed around thirty years ago, I think in the end they settled for a 10 1/4" gauge miniature. It takes a long time to build a new loco and a much greater proportion of skilled engineering compared with a restoration.

Some of the proposals have had a facebook page and very little else, but there are around fifteen which are making serious progress. Try http://newbuildsteam.com/

Tim

Expected completion in 2 years, tender I think is finished, it only needs its boiler and pony truck for its main parts, boiler being completed, pony truck hasn't been put on yet