Widely regarded as the ultimate development of the Great Western 4-6-0, ‘Kings’ were locomotives of great beauty and extremely powerful workhorses as well, as EVAN GREEN-HUGHES relates.
IN THE HEYDAY of the Great Western Railway (GWR) the line’s immaculate expresses were a publicist’s dream. Fast colourful trains ran from the capital to the big cities of the west and onwards to the coastal areas of Devon and Cornwall pulled by imposing green locomotives with copper capped chimneys and inspiring names. The most powerful of these, which were trusted with handling the most prestigious services, was the 30-strong ‘King’ class, a design written about in popular publications such as The Boys Wonder Book of Speed, on posters everywhere and even featured on cigarette and playing cards.
The appe