Project 27 & the Fenchurch Fund

Project 27 & the Fenchurch Fund Welcome to the page for the up-to-date Fenchurch Fund News & progress on the current restoration of SE & CR P class 27 (Primrose).

The Fenchurch Fund is part of the Bluebell Railway Preservation Society. We were originally formed as the Chip Wood Fund as a memorial to a young Bluebell Railway locoman (Matthew Wood) who died in 1991 at the age of 24. The fund was used at that time to help restore his favourite locomotive LBSCR No.72 Fenchurch. To facilitate this, we became the Fenchurch Wheel Appeal, later becoming the Fenchur

ch Fund. We raised enough money to help with casting a new set of driving wheels to replace a cracked wheel and provided funding for much more work to be carried out. Having raised the money and seen the loco return to traffic in 2001 we decided to get SECR locomotive No.27, a First World War veteran which worked in France on dock shunting in Boulogne, working again. For more than ten years now, we have been raising funds to restore the loco to as original condition as possible. This work includes a new boiler and riveted smoke box, at least one new riveted tank, a complete mechanical overhaul and wheel turning. There is also plenty of plate work which needs replacing, such as the cab sheeting and bunker. This is why we are now launching the Project 27 Appeal. We have already managed to raise over £10,000 towards the restoration of the loco to working order, but we now need to raise in the region of £90,000 more for a complete overhaul. The funds raised through the Project 27 Appeal, as the part of the Bluebell Railway's "Fenchurch Fund", will be held for the project by the Bluebell Railway Trust.

We have produced a mug that is just the ticket! We will have a limited supply of them at the model weekend (27th & 28th ...
15/06/2026

We have produced a mug that is just the ticket! We will have a limited supply of them at the model weekend (27th & 28th June) if you would like one come along and snap one up! First come first served.

Fenchurch Fund on tour!
12/06/2026

Fenchurch Fund on tour!

3 new banners for our 35th anniversary year! (plus a set of car magnets!) They also reflect 25 years of fundraising for ...
01/06/2026

3 new banners for our 35th anniversary year! (plus a set of car magnets!)
They also reflect 25 years of fundraising for Project 27!

29/05/2026

Shout out to our newest followers! Excited to have you onboard! Joey Wright, Васіль Цярэшка, Alfie Jones, Michel-inversiones Seguras, Ahjourne Deejay Stify, Raúl Holness Commercial, Russell Cameron

To celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Fenchurch Fund we are hoping to be running a special train and social eventWhil...
16/05/2026

To celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Fenchurch Fund we are hoping to be running a special train and social event
Whilst the date has not been fixed, it may in August.
The train may consist of a set of 4 wheeled pre grouping carriages with Fenchurch at the head. There may be a few special surprises en route too!

Photo below courtesy of Bryan Burton

A recent donation to the Fenchurch Fund is for sale at the Crewe railwayana auction on 19th to 21st of June. If you want...
20/04/2026

A recent donation to the Fenchurch Fund is for sale at the Crewe railwayana auction on 19th to 21st of June. If you want a real piece of Haywards Heath station why not have a cheeky bid!

An excellent article (though I say it myself!) on page 13 of the spring edition of Bluebell News!
16/04/2026

An excellent article (though I say it myself!) on page 13 of the spring edition of Bluebell News!

A fine pair of photos on page 22 of "railway liveries - Southern Railway"
13/04/2026

A fine pair of photos on page 22 of "railway liveries - Southern Railway"

9 years ago Marmite did a personalised jar offer and of course we had one done for Project 27!
04/04/2026

9 years ago Marmite did a personalised jar offer and of course we had one done for Project 27!

Another fine picture in this month's Steam Railway magazine! (photo by David Cable)
03/04/2026

Another fine picture in this month's Steam Railway magazine! (photo by David Cable)

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Project 27 Fenchurch Fund
Uckfield
TN223QL

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