Locomotive Class

King Class

King Class Class: King Class
Type: Steam
Designer: C. B. Collett
Weight: 136 tons (including tender)
Purpose: Express Passenger

Information: Built under the direction of C.B. Collett the King Castle Class 6000 series was built by Great Western Railway (GWR) with the intent of wresting back the title of “most powerful steam locomotive in Britain” after losing the title to Southern Railways Lord Nelson Class. The King’s were the largest steam locomotives built by the GWR and entrusted the railways most prestigious passenger train workings including “The Cornish Riviera” express.

Details: After GWR had previously dabbled in designs using a Pacific type wheel arrangement with “Great Bear” in 1908, ultimately rebuilt as a 4-6-0 Castle, conventional wisdom decided on building the King Class with a 4-6-0 wheel arrangement. The King Class was employed on express passenger services, over the most heavily travelled mainline routes between London Paddington via Bristol, Taunton, Plymouth and Paddington, Birmingham Wolverhampton.
Employing a 4-cylinder layout, with two each inside and outside cylinders the class was comparable in performance to competitor company 4-6-2 Pacific designs. In later years British Railways designated the class 8P. In common with the earlier “Great Bear” design, axle load prohibited the locomotives to be used beyond the prescribed lines, due to severe route weight restrictions. A total of 30 locomotives were built in two batches at Swindon Locomotive Works between 1927 and 1930. A final King was “built” using parts from 6007 “King William III” after a severe accident in 1936 and reentered traffic under the same name and number. The Class was named after Kings of England. In service the Kings performed admirably on fine Welsh coal. During 1948 locomotive exchange trials performance deteriorated significantly. This was blamed on the quality of Yorkshire coal used during the trial. During their lives minor changes and improvements to steam draughting and exhaust were implemented in an effort to improve performance and economy using lower grade coal. The most obvious visual difference being the fitting of double chimneys, applied to all Class members between 1956 and 1958. Changes resulted in superior performances all-around.
On completion of construction, class leader 6000 “King George V” was shipped to the United States to take part in the centenary celebrations of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. A bell was presented by the host for the occasion in order to comply with American regulations and has distinguished the locomotive to this date. Another member, 6014 King Henry VII received pseudo streamlining in 1935 and subsequently removed.
In traffic the Kings were always painted Top-Link express passenger livery. Because the British Railways corporate green scheme was similar to that of the GWR the locomotives remained green through most of their lives, with the exception of several members being painted Experimental Blue livery after 1948.
As the Kings could not be reassigned to lesser workings as dieselization took hold on the mainline routes, the entire class was withdrawn in quick succession during 1962. Although preservation was not under full swing at the time, three managed to escape the breakers torch and survive into preservation.

John Faulkner

King Class Releases (18)

MODEL NO. LIVERY
King Class Locomotive - King Charles I
Released: 1996 1997
6010 B.R. Green
King Class Locomotive - King Edward I
Released: 1978 1979
6024 G.W.R. Green
King Class Locomotive - King George I
Released: 1997 1998
6006 G.W.R. Green
King Class Locomotive - King George I
Released: 2006 2007
6006 G.W.R. Green
King Class Locomotive - King George II
Released: 1995 1996
6005 B.R. Green
King Class Locomotive - King George V
Released: 1985
6000 G.W.R. Green
King Class Locomotive - King George V
Released: 1996 1997
6000 B.R. Blue (Steam)
King Class Locomotive - King Henry II
Released: 2004
6028 G.W.R. Green
King Class Locomotive - King Henry VI (Royal Doulton)
Released: 1996
6018 G.W.R. Green
King Class Locomotive - King Henry VII
Released: 1999 2000 2001
6014 G.W.R. Green
King Class Locomotive - King Henry VIII
Released: 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985
6013 G.W.R. Green
King Class Locomotive - King James II
Released: 1993 1994 2005
6008 G.W.R. Green
King Class Locomotive - King Richard I
Released: 1988 1989 1990
6027 G.W.R. Green
King Class Locomotive - King Stephen
Released: 2001 2003
6029 G.W.R. Green
King Class Locomotive - King William III
Released: 2006 2007
6007 B.R. Green
King Class Locomotive - King William IV
Released: 2001 2003 2004 2005
6002 B.R. Green
King Class Locomotive - King William IV - The Royal Mail Great British Railways Collection
Released: 2011
6002 G.W.R. Green
The Merchant Venturer (King Class - King John)
Released: 1998
6026 B.R. Green

King Class Images (18)

King Class Locomotive - King Charles I
King Class Locomotive - King Charles I 6010

King Class Locomotive - King Edward I
King Class Locomotive - King Edward I 6024

King Class Locomotive - King George I
King Class Locomotive - King George I 6006

King Class Locomotive - King George I
King Class Locomotive - King George I 6006

King Class Locomotive - King George II
King Class Locomotive - King George II 6005

King Class Locomotive - King George V
King Class Locomotive - King George V 6000

King Class Locomotive - King George V
King Class Locomotive - King George V 6000

King Class Locomotive - King Henry II
King Class Locomotive - King Henry II 6028

King Class Locomotive - King Henry VI (Royal Doulton)
King Class Locomotive - King Henry VI (Royal Doulton) 6018

King Class Locomotive - King Henry VII
King Class Locomotive - King Henry VII 6014

King Class Locomotive - King Henry VIII
King Class Locomotive - King Henry VIII 6013

King Class Locomotive - King James II
King Class Locomotive - King James II 6008

King Class Locomotive - King Richard I
King Class Locomotive - King Richard I 6027

King Class Locomotive - King Stephen
King Class Locomotive - King Stephen 6029

King Class Locomotive - King William III
King Class Locomotive - King William III 6007

King Class Locomotive - King William IV
King Class Locomotive - King William IV 6002

King Class Locomotive - King William IV - The Royal Mail Great British Railways Collection
King Class Locomotive - King William IV - The Royal Mail Great British Railways Collection 6002

The Merchant Venturer (King Class - King John)
The Merchant Venturer (King Class - King John) 6026


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Database

11,328 yearly Items over 57 Years.
4,069 individual Items.
3,707 Models.
362 catalogued Train Sets.
156 Train Packs.
820 Steam Locomotives.
497 Diesel Locomotives.
1,082 Passenger Coaches.
1,152 Freight Wagons.


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