King George V- 4-6-0 Express Passenger Locomotive

Index

• Wikipedia entry
• General
• History
  • 1920's 1930's 1940's 1950's 1960's 1970's 1980's
  • Description
    • Cylinders
    • Wheels
    • Boiler
    • Weights
    • Tender
    • Dimensions
    • Tractive effort
  • Performance
    • 1949 Interchange trials Superheaters Draughting "King" vs "Duchess"
  • Sources

General

• No. 6000 King George V
• 4-6-0 Express Passenger locomotive
• Designed by Charles Benjamin Collet (1871-1952)
  • Great Western Railway Chief Mechanical Engineer (1922-1941)
• First steam locomotive to return to mainline service after final withdrawal of steam traction by British Railways
• Preserved at GWR Museum, Swindon, Wilts, UK
• Coal
  • Welsh (soft) - Oakdale or Lady Windsor
  • Hard (for lighting up, also sometimes for running) Daw Mill

Index

History

1926

Designed under instruction from GWR General Manager, Sir Felix Pole, to build an engine with greater tractive effort than the Southern Railway's Nelson class

1927

Built at Great Western Railway Swindon Works

• Chargeman fitter - F. Williams
• Leading hand - W.G. Dando
• Allegedly second in class to be completed

29th June 1927

Entered service, allocated to Old Oak Common shed (PDN)

1st July 1927

First public appearance

20th July 1927

First public train 'Cornish Riviera Express'

2nd August 1927

Embarked at Cardiff Roath Dock on board SS Chicago City for transfer to Baltimore and Ohio Railway Centenary Exhibition - The Fair of the Iron Horse - Baltimore, USA, together with replica North Star

21st August 1927

Arrived in USA

• Reassembled at B&O Mount Clare Workshops
• Supervisor - William.A. Stanier, Principal Assistant to the CME
• Chargeman Williams, Leading hand Dando

September 1927

Following Midgeham derailment (10th August), coil springs fitted to bogie spring hangers, trailing axle springs strengthened, trailing axle lateral play reduced to 0.0625in

24th September 1927-15th October 1927

Principal exhibit at The Fair of the Iron Horse

• Driver - Young
• Fireman - Pearce

17th October 1927

Test run from Baltimore to Philadelphia via Washington (return trip on 18th October)

26th November 1927

Returned to UK, via Cardiff

3rd December 1927

Returned to traffic

December 1927

Side screen on driver's cabside fitted, removed in 1939

1929

Pulled inaugural run of 'Cornish Riviera' coaching stock

1929

Garter coat of arms on tender replaced by London and Bristol arms

Index

1935

Pulled GWR Centenary train from London to Bristol and return (and established new 'Bristolian' timing of 1.75 hours

September 1939

'Evacuted' to Plymouth Laira shed (with short stays at Exeter, Newton Abbot and Swindon)

Index

1948

Step plate welded to inside valve cover

1st February 1949

First official passenger train run through Severn Tunnel

June 1949

BR garter blue livery, allocated to Bristol Bath Road

Index

1952

BR Brunswick Green livery

1952

Four row superheater fitted, hydrostatic lubricator replaced by Wakefield mechanical lubricator

October 1952

Reallocated to Old Oak Common

1954

Larger radius outside steam pipes fitted, sliding vents put in roof

1955

Modified single chimney fitted following trials on 6001 King Edward VII

February 1956

Withdrawn for strengthening bars to be welded to bogie frames following problems with fatigue cracks

September-December 1956

Withdrawn to fit new boiler, double chimney and blastpipe

28th January 1957

hauled inaugural 'Royal Duchy'

1957

Temporary middle lamp bracket fitted to front buffer beam

1958

Front end replaced, basket type spark arresters fitted

1959

Large front buffers replaced GWR tapered buffers

Index

1960

Wooden plinth fitted under bell

September 1962

Diagrammed workings cease, 6000/11/18/25 retained at Old Oak to cover diesel failures

9th September 1962

'Last King Run', Wolverhampton to Swindon and return

29th September 1962

Talyllyn RPS train to Ruarbon

26th October 1962

Special working to opening of Spencer steel works at Llanwern

27th October 1962

Last steam working into Newbury racecourse

3rd November 1962

Reported to have deputised for failed diesel on up 'Inter City'

4th December 1962

Condemned after 1,910,424 miles, assigned to National Collection and moved to Swindon Stock Shed

1964

Towed to London Stratford Works (abortive planned base for restoration of engines in the National Collection)

31st December 1966

Returned to Swindon in trusteeship of Swindon Corporation, with a view to placement in Swindon GWR Museum

March 1968

Peter Prior of Bulmer's cider makers in Hereford negotiates sub-lease

9th August 1966

Moved to United Wagon Company at Newport, Mon. for restoration

• Cylinders and valves in good order
• bearings and mechnical parts virtually new
• Some superheater elements corroded - now blanked off or welded, and boiler pressure dropped to 210lb/sq in
• Firebars needed replacing

19 October 1968

Passed fit by British Railway inspectors, engine moved to Ebbw Vale

30th October 1968

Moved to Bulmer's Hereford by Class 37 Diesel D6878

10th November 1968

Steam trials at Hereford

13th November 1968

Offical handover to Bulmers

Index

13th September 1971

King approved for mainline running by Inspector Norman Tovey

15th September 1971

Secret trial run to Newport

2nd October 1971

'Return to Stream' special Hereford to Tyseley via Newport and Didcot

• Chief Inspector - Jack Temple
• Driver - Ron Wargen
• Fireman - Derek Foster
• Guard - Tom Reynolds

   

4th October 1971

'Return to Steam' special Birmingham Moor Street to Kensington Olympia

7th October 1971

'Return to Steam' special London to Hereford

• 525 miles, 12tons of coal, 15,000 gallons of water consumed

Index

1987

Lease to Bulmer's and boiler certificate expires

1988

Exhibited in Swindon Works as part of National Railway Museum on Tour exhibition

1989

Moved to GWR Museum Swindon as static display

Index

Description

                                        As Built   As Modified

Cylinders

    number                                     4
    dia                                  16.25in
    stroke                                  28in

Index

Wheels

    driving wheels dia                   6ft 6in
    bogie wheels dia                         3ft

Wheelbase

    coupled                             16ft 3in
    total engine                        29ft 5in

Minimum curve

    normal                               8chains
    slow                                 7chains

Axle weights

    Full
        Engine
            Bogie                    21ton 10cwt
            Leading                  22ton 10cwt
            Middle                   22ton 10cwt
            Trailing                 22ton 10cwt
        Tender
            Leading                  15ton 12cwt
            Middle                   15ton 11cwt
            Trailing                 15ton 11cwt
   Empty
        Engine
            Bogie                    19ton 14cwt
            Leading                  20ton  9cwt
            Middle                   20ton  9cwt
            Trailing                 20ton 18cwt
        Tender
            Leading                   7ton 15cwt
            Middle                    7ton  9cwt
            Trailing                  7ton  6cwt

Index

Boiler

    type                          Swindon No. 12
    length                              16ft 0in
    dia (max)                            6ft 0in
    dia (min)                         5ft 6.25in

Firebox

    outside
        length                          11ft 6in
        dia (max)                        6ft 3in
        dia (min)                        4ft 0in
    inside
        length                      10ft 7.875in
        dia (max)                    5ft 2.125in
        dia (min)                    3ft 2.125in
     height (max)                   7ft 0.1875in
     height (min)                   5ft 1.1875in

Index

Heating surface

    fire grate                         34.3sq ft
    firebox                           193.5sq ft      195sq ft
    tube and flues                  2,007.5sq ft    1,818sq ft
    superheating                     311.88sq ft      489sq ft
    total                          2,512.88sq ft    2,502sq ft

Tubes

    small tubes
        dia                               2.25in
        length                      16ft 5.375in
        number                               171           115
    large tubes
        dia                              5.125in
        length                      16ft 5.375in
        number                                16            32
    superheater tubes

        dia                                  1in
        length                          16ft 6in
        number                                96

Working pressure

                                      250lb/sq ft

Index

Tender

    water capacity                        4000gal
    coal capacity                          6.5ton

Index

Adhesive weight

                                          67.5ton

Weight of engine (working order)

                                          89.0ton

Weight of engine and tender

                                         135.7ton

Index

Maximum height above rail level

                                      13ft 5.25in

Maximum width across cylinders

                                       8ft 11.5in

Overall length

                                         68ft 2in

Tractive effort (at 85% pressure)

                                         40,300lb

Index

Performance

No 6018 King Henry VI during 1949 Interchange trials - worst/best figures

Coal 
     lb/mile              53.93     40.12
     lb/hr                2,521     1,898 (running time)
     lb/ton mile          0.088     0.067 (incl engine)
     lb/dbhp hour          3.21      3.21
     lb/sq grate ft/hr     73.4      55.4
Water
     gal/mile              44.6      35.0
     lb/hr               20,850    16,490
     lb/ton mile          0.715     0.586
     lb/dbhp hour         31.61     26.42
     lb/lb coal            9.38      7.25
Btus/dbhp hour           44,400    52,600
Av dbhp                     693       780
Av db pull, tons           2.39      3.03

Index

No 6001 King Edward VII (low superheat) vs 
No 6022 King Edward III (high superheat)

                               No 6001             No 6022

Coal
     lb/mile              43.31     41.77     43.37      38.18
     lb/hr                2,466     2,154     2,365      2,156
     lb/ton mile          0.094     0.091     0.080      0.065
     lb/dbhp hour          3.40      3.26      3.37       2.99
     lb/sq grate ft/hr     62.7      57.3      64.4      54.75
Water
     gal/mile              39.5      38.0     38.94      33.94
     lb/hr               19,710    22,430    19,170     20,620
     lb/ton mile          0.639     0.663     0.579      0.714
     lb/dbhp hour         29.59     31.14      26.9       30.2
     lb/lb coal            9.07      9.29      8.89       8.97
Btus/dbhp hour           48,600    50,900    44,000     49,500
Av dbhp                     739       633       767        700
Av db pull, tons           2.58      2.33      2.82       2.34

Index

Effect of Coal on No 6001 King Edward VII after improved draughting

Coal
     Grade                       1A          2B
     Type                       Soft       Hard
     Pit                     Markham  Blidworth
     Calorific value Btu/lb   14,510     12,740
Steam rate lb/hr              24,900     22,730
Max ihp                        1,770      1,630
     at speed mph              70-80      70-80
     at cut-off percent        20-23      18-19
Max edbhp                      1,340      1,210
     at speed mph                 35         33
     at cut-off percent           30         28
Coal per ihp hr/lb              1.70       1.84
Coal per ddhp hr/lb             2.24       2.48

Index

Cornish Riviera Express Trials with No 6013 King Henry VIII 1955
      (single blast pipe)

                               Down          Up
Coal lb/hr                    3,245       4,210
Steam lb/hr                  26,950      29,835
Av dbhp                         978       1,020
Coal per dbhp/hr               3.21        4.00 (excl. auxiliaries)

Cornish Riviera Trial with No 6002 King William IV 1956
       (double blast pipe)
Coal lb/hr                    2,800
Steam lb/hr                  20,800
Av dbhp                         799
Coal per dbhp/hr               3.50 (excl. auxiliaries)

Index

1956 Comparison of No 6002 v. LMS 'Duchess' class No 46237 
Best/Worst figures for No 6002 (outperformed No 46237 in all
respects)

Coal lb/ton mile              0.106      0.116
Water lb/ton mile             0.711      0.804
Coal lb/dbhp hr                3.73       4.09
Water lb/dbhp hr               25.5       28.4

Index

Sources

O.S. Nock, The GWR Stars, Castles and Kings, Parts 1 and 2, David and Charles, Newton Abbot, 1980, ISBN 9 780715 379776.

B. Holden & K. Leech, Portraits of 'Kings', Fraser Stewart, Waltham Abbey, 1979, ISBN 0 903485 93 1.

B. Dodd, Great Preserved Locomotives - 'King' Class No 6000 King George V, Ian Allan, 1987, ISBN 0 7110 1710 7

Index

April 1995