GWR 6000 Class

6000 King Class
6024 King Edward I at Didcot Railway Centre in June 1994
Type and origin Power type Steam Designer Charles Collett Builder GWR Swindon Works Order number Lots 243, 267, 309 Build date 1927–1928 (20), 1930 (10), 1936 (1) Total produced 31
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-6-0  • UIC 2′C h4 Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Leading dia. 3 ft 0 in (0.914 m) Driver dia. 6 ft 6 in (1.981 m) Minimum curve 8 chains (530 ft; 160 m) normal, 7 chains (460 ft; 140 m) slow Length 68 ft 2 in (20.78 m) over buffers Width 8 ft 11+1⁄2 in (2.731 m) Height 13 ft 4+3⁄4 in (4.083 m) Axle load 22 long tons 10 cwt (50,400 lb or 22.9 t) (25.2 short tons) full Adhesive weight 67 long tons 10 cwt (151,200 lb or 68.6 t) (75.6 short tons) full Loco weight 89 long tons 0 cwt (199,400 lb or 90.4 t) (99.7 short tons) full Tender weight 46 long tons 14 cwt (104,600 lb or 47.4 t) (51.2 short tons) full Total weight 135 long tons 14 cwt (304,000 lb or 137.9 t) (152.0 short tons) Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 6 long tons 0 cwt (13,400 lb or 6.1 t) (6.7 short tons) Water cap. 4,000 imp gal (18,000 L; 4,800 US gal) Boiler GWR Standard No. 12[1] Boiler pressure 250 lbf/in2 (1.72 MPa) Cylinders Four: two inside, two outside Cylinder size 16+1⁄4 in × 28 in (413 mm × 711 mm) Valve gear Inside cylinders: Walschaerts Outside cylinders: derived from inside cylinders via rocking bars
Performance figures Tractive effort 40,300 lbf (179.3 kN) original, 39,700 lbf (176.6 kN) after 1st overhaul
Career Operators Great Western Railway British Railways Class 6000 King-class Power class GWR: Special BR: 8P Number in class 30 Numbers 6000–6029 Official name King-class Axle load class GWR: Double Red Locale Western Region Withdrawn 1936 (1), 1962 (30) Preserved 6000, 6023, 6024 Disposition Three preserved, remainder scrapped.

The Great Western Railway (GWR) 6000 Class or King Class is a class of 4-6-0 steam locomotives designed for express passenger work and introduced in 1927. They were the largest locomotives built by the GWR, apart from the unique Pacific (The Great Bear). The class was named after kings of the United Kingdom and of England, beginning with the then reigning monarch, King George V, and going back through history. They handled the principal GWR expresses on the main line from London to the West of England and on the Chiltern line to Birmingham and Wolverhampton, until 1962 when the class was withdrawn.