As the project progressed it became obvious that a formal company structure would be needed to recruit and train a team of appropriately qualified engineers and then undertake the detailed design and development of the demonstrator 5AT locomotive - including the testing required to gain acceptance to run on the main line. 

It is estimated that the development of the 5AT demonstrator will take 4 years to complete and cost around £10.4 million assuming that the full amount of finance is put into place at the outset for work to be carried out continuously.   The figure of £10.4 million includes the costs of company formation and the estimated £2.5 million build cost of the first 5AT locomotive.

It was realised that the probability of obtaining £10.4 million through public subscription is very small and the Group therefore investigated the commercial potential of forming a Steam Locomotive Development Company to design and develop SGS locomotives (SGS Loco DevCo).  The results of these investigations are summarised in the Feasibility Study. 

As part of an analysis of the commercial possibilities a business model has been constructed to enable users to project the potential profitability of the SGS Loco DevCo under different scenarios.   Indications from the model are that, with appropriate levels of locomotive sales and optimum locomotive build costs, a reasonable commercial case can be made once the challenge of funding the demonstrator locomotive has been met.

The immediate objective is to use the Feasibility Study to interest railway minded entrepreneurs, financiers and potential investors in the unique opportunities offered by the proposed SGS Loco DevCo.    Possibilities for sponsorship will also be explored.

See also the Current Plans section of this website.