Ex-Great Western Railway Collett 'King' class 4-6-0 No. 6000 'King George V'. Built at Swindon in June 1927, withdrawn in December 1962 and preserved.

A superb May 1957 photograph from the camera of Cecil Blay and one to really savour. The driver of 6000 is looking at his 'road' as he's about to plunge into 291 yards of gloom in Dainton Summit Tunnel. Meanwhile, today's banker rests quietly in the siding for it's next duty.

Peter Kerslake says "Train Reporting Number '605' is the 8:30a.m. from Plymouth to Paddington and with no assisting pilot engine the load should be no more than the ten coaches or 360 tonnes maximum for a single 'King' over these South Devon banks.
Transferred to Old Oak Common from Bristol Bath Road in October of 1952 its earlier four years at Bristol had taken it regularly on 'West to North' rosters to Shrewsbury but its time at Old Oak extended its duties as seen here to Plymouth in addition to the engine still working the Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury rosters from Paddington.
The steep one in thirty seven gradieint is apparent as the banking engine on the left is on level track with the Saxby and Farmer Dainton signal box alongside and the mirror visible above the second coach for use of its signal man to see that all is well with ascending workings heading into the tunnel, and 6000's driver looks content now that the climb is over!"

© Steve Armitage Archive