6000 Locomotive Association

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GWRGreat Western Railway 6000 King George V

Based at the Bulmer Railway Centre at Hereford, (also known as 'Bulmer's Steam Centre'), the 6000 Locomotive Association ("6000 LA") operated the Centre on behalf of H.P. Bulmer Ltd. Its particular concern was the stewardship of ex-GWRGreat Western Railway King class locomotive 6000 King George V ("KGV") during its tenure there.[1] Although they were not a direct support group of SVRSevern Valley Railway in preservation, they enjoyed a close working relationship with it. Many of the SVRSevern Valley Railway's main line excursions in the 1980s were operated out of Hereford, including double-headers with KGV.

Background

6000 King George V was the first 'King' built, and was one of the final four members of the class to be withdrawn from service at the end of 1962, having accumulated more than 1.9 million miles in service. It was selected for preservation as part of the National Collection and sent to the stock shed at Swindon for storage.[2]

In 1964, KGV was towed to Stratford Works in London, where it was again stored.[note 1] Swindon Council then expressed an interest in returning KGV to the Great Western Railway Museum in Swindon. Agreement was reached for KGV to be placed in the Corporation's trusteeship while remaining under the control of the Museum of British Transport. As there was insufficient room in the Great Western Railway Museum, KGV returned to store at the back of the Swindon stock shed at the end of 1968.[3]

In 1968 H.P. Bulmer's Managing Director Peter Prior set out to create a new Reception Centre for visitors to the factory on part of the former LMSLondon Midland & Scottish Railway Moorfields Goods Yard in Hereford, whose sidings also served Bulmer's factory. After initially refusing, Swindon Corporation agreed to a sublease of KGV to Bulmer's who would house it and maintain it in running order for an initial period of two years.[4] Bulmer's announced their intention to open the centre, from which KGV and the "Bulmer Cider Train", an exhibition train formed of five ex-Pullman cars, would tour the country promoting the company's history and products. This was expected to operate from 1969.[5][6]

KGV was moved by rail to Newport in August 1968 for restoration by A.R. Adams & Sons. This was quickly completed, with KGV being towed back to Hereford in light steam in November of that year.[7] However, BRBritish Rail or British Railways had imposed a 'steam ban' after the Fifteen Guinea Special in 1968 and as a result, while 'KGV' hauled the exhibition train on the site at Hereford, the excursions themselves were diesel-hauled for several years. The Hereford group of the Great Western Society, which was formed to care for the locomotive, was subsequently re-formed as the "6000 Locomotive Association".[5][8]

Bulmer's eventually negotiated with BRBritish Rail or British Railways to run the excursion train steam-hauled on the main line, with KGV being credited as the first steam locomotive to break BRBritish Rail or British Railways's mainline steam ban in October 1971.[note 2]

After that time 'KGV' operated regularly on the main line, although it was damaged in September 1974 when the safety valve studs struck an overbridge.[9] Boiler repairs were carried out in 1979 and further major repairs in 1983. Bulmer's lease was extended until 1987,[8] after which the NRMThe Railway Museum, formerly the National Railway Museum declined to carry out further overhauls.[note 3] 6000 initially moved to the "Steam" museum at Swindon,[10] and subsequently to the NRMThe Railway Museum, formerly the National Railway Museum at York.

The Bulmer Steam Centre operated open days with other resident locomotives as well as 'KGV' until it finally closed in 1990. The 6000 LA was wound up in 2006.

The 6000 LA and the SVRSevern Valley Railway

In 1970 the Worcester Locomotive Society relocated their locomotives Kitson & Co 5474 'Carnarvon' and GWR Pannier 5786 to the Bulmer Railway Centre after they failed to agree the terms on which the two locomotives would remain on the SVRSevern Valley Railway.[11]

GWR 40362 PW Brake Van was purchased by the 6000 LA in 1970 and subsequently restored by them. The brake van arrived on the SVRSevern Valley Railway after 1998. It remains on display as a cosmetically restored exhibit outside Kidderminster Railway Museum.

  • 40362 at Kidderminster (2015)

To mark KGV's 50th 'birthday', BRBritish Rail or British Railways agreed to a one-off use of the Newport-Hereford line[note 4], for which the SVRSevern Valley Railway provided its rake of GWR carriages restored for use on the main line.

On Thursday 29 May 1980, after 'Rocket 150' finished, a class 25 brought a convoy of the SVRSevern Valley Railway's rolling stock back to Bridgnorth including 3205, D1062 and two GWRGreat Western Railway coaches. The convoy also included a 6000 LA coach and LMR 600 Gordon which were detached at Hereford on the way. Gordon remained at Hereford until 10 June.

In January 1981, WD 193 Shropshire left the SVRSevern Valley Railway on loan to the 6000 LA in what became a permanent departure for the locomotive.

  • WD 193

In April 1985 7819 Hinton Manor worked the first day of a 2-day rail tour from Bristol The Great Western Limited double-headed with 6000 King George V. On arrival at Hereford the day before, 7819's tender was suffering from a hot axle box and the 6000 LA's jack was used to try and effect a repair, although unsuccessfully. On the first day of the raitour the following day, the King failed at Taunton with a 'hot box'. 7819 suffered a similar fate at Exeter but was later able to proceed to Plymouth to be repaired overnight. 4930 Hagley Hall worked light engine overnight from Kidderminster to Plymouth, and the two SVRSevern Valley Railway engines hauled the return to Bristol over the Devon Banks the following day.[12]

BR 35219 Brake Corridor Second was preserved in 1976, having been bought by the 6000 LA for use as the main line support vehicle for KGV . Following the closure of the Hereford steam centre, 35219 arrived on the SVRSevern Valley Railway from there on 22 July 1995. At the time it was still owned by the 6000 Locomotive Association. Some of the Association members helped with the mechanical overhaul at Kidderminster Carriage Works during 1997 and subsequently went on to work on other carriages.

  • BRBritish Rail or British Railways 35219 (2015)

In February 2005 the 'Staite Pullman' railtour was organised to mark Bernard Staite's retirement.[note 5] At Bernard's request 7802 Bradley Manor was used along with 6024 King Edward 1.[13]

In June 2006 a letter from Brian Whitehurst, the outgoing Hon. Treasurer of the 6000 LA, appeared in SVRSevern Valley Railway News. It noted that "I write to advise you that in the winding UpIn reference to the direction of travel means towards the major terminus (i.e. towards Kidderminster on the present day SVR) of Steam in Hereford Ltd / 6000 Locomotive Association, the committee and members decided to donate their shares in SVR (Holdings) Ltd to Severn Valley Railway Co. Ltd..

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Stratford Works was earmarked at the time as a base for restoring items in the National Collection to museum condition. However no work appears to have been carried out on KGV while there.
  2. ↑ The 'steam ban' did not include 4472 Flying Scotsman which had continued to operate on BRBritish Rail or British Railways's rails until 1971 under an agreement between BRBritish Rail or British Railways and the locomotive's then owner, Alan Pegler.
  3. ↑ Since its last overhaul, 6024 King Edward 1 had begun to operate on the main line having being 'cut down' in height to avoid gauge problems which had arisen after re-ballasting of the ex-GWRGreat Western Railway running lines to accommodate 'Inter-City 125' trains. 6000 remains as the only un-modified example.
  4. ↑ Newport-Hereford had been 'out of bounds' to KGV since the bridge strike in 1974
  5. ↑ Bernard Staite had a long involvement with the 6000 LA and was also manager of the SLOASteam Locomotive Operators Association, formed in 1975 to bring together and assist operators wishing to run steam on the main line, in which capacity he recruited John Leach as marketing manager, who later carried out the same role at the SVRSevern Valley Railway. Bernard sadly died in April 2009; SVRSevern Valley Railway News noting that "Bernard's crucial contribution to the origination and organisation of main line running in the dark days of the early 1970s has been chronicled in detail in the national railway magazines recently. Here, I would like to highlight his association with the Severn Valley Railway and many of its early members and shareholders. The result of this mutual respect was the prominent inclusion of Severn Valley-based locomotives in main line running all over the country, particularly in the early years. Although expensive to do, such activities raised the profile of the Severn Valley Railway amongst railwaymen, enthusiasts and the general public alike, and also gave us much pleasure! Bernard also played his part in helping us acquire coaching stock from time to time, by saying the right word in the right place. The likes of this sort of railway entrepreneur will never be seen again."

References

  1. ↑ Dodd (1987) p. 46.
  2. ↑ Dodd (1987), p. 17.
  3. ↑ Dodd (1987), pp. 22-24.
  4. ↑ Dodd (1987), pp. 22-24.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Kent Rail, Bulmer's Cider Train
  6. ↑ Adrian Nicholls' post on Flickr
  7. ↑ Dodd (1987), pp. 22-24.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Great Western King Class 4-6-0s from Construction to Withdrawal, David Maidment, P.249
  9. ↑ Dodd (1987), p.31.
  10. ↑ Wikipedia GWRGreat Western Railway 6000 Class 6000 King George V
  11. ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 17
  12. ↑ Railtour details from Six Bells Junction (Day 1) and (Day 2).
  13. ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 150, 7802 and the Staite Pullman, Gerald Peacock

Links

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