GWR 6000 Class 6000 King George V

6000 King George V at Swindon having just hauled the last King-hauled train from Wolverhampton and Birmingham Snow Hill (1962). Note the bell which was given to the engine when it toured the U.S. This engine is now preserved.

Great Western Railway (GWR) 6000 Class King George V is a preserved British steam locomotive.

The locomotive was the first of the "King" Class, and was built in June 1927. It was shipped to the United States in August 1927 to feature in the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad's centenary celebrations. During the celebrations it was presented with a bell and a plaque, and these are carried to this day. This led to it being affectionately known as "The Bell".

The bell carries the inscription:

Presented to

Locomotive King George V
by the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company
in commemoration of its
centenary celebration
24 September – 15 October 1927

After returning from the US it was allocated to Old Oak Common, but was moved to Bristol in 1950. It was subsequently allocated to Old Oak Common again in 1959, to be withdrawn by the Western Region of British Railways in December 1962 after covering 1,910,424 miles (3,074,529 km).

The locomotive was officially preserved, being restored to main line running order and based at Bulmer's Railway Centre in Hereford and in 1971 became the very first steam engine to break the mainline steam ban that had been in place since 1969. Its restoration to main line service and subsequent operation is often credited with opening the door for the return of steam to the main lines of the UK. After years of running a costly overhaul was declined since King Edward I had been restored for mainline operation. Subsequently King Edward II has been returned to working order after a lengthy restoration reducing any chance of No. 6000 been restored. These have had their original chimneys, cabs and safety valve bonnets cut down to allow running on the modern railway, with its much deeper ballast and consequently reduced clearance under bridges. No. 6000 is now displayed in its original condition with full-height fittings. In 2008 No. 6000 moved from the Swindon 'Steam' Railway Museum, where it had been displayed for several years, to the National Railway Museum in a swap with BR standard class 9F 92220 "Evening Star".

In late 2015 No. 6000, along with No. 3717 City of Truro, returned to STEAM – Museum of the Great Western Railway (located at the site of the old railway works in Swindon), and were put on display in preparation for Swindon 175 (in 2016), celebrating 175 years since the inception of Swindon as a railway town.[1][2] Both locomotives are expected to remain at Swindon for 5 years.[1]

Gallery

References

  1. 1 2 "Back home! Swindon legends go back on display". The Railway Magazine (Horncastle, Lincs: Mortons Media Group) 161 (1,377): 9. 2 December 2015. ISSN 0033-8923.
  2. ↑ "STEAM Gets Set for Swindon175 Celebrations". STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
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