MidlandRed.net

Having been "obsessed" for some of my life with the DD12 class of buses, I have in recent years made a link in my tiny mind between their fleet numbers starting with 60, and today's well known steam locos --
6010(3) Flying Scotsman, and 6016(3) Tornado, both of which have cost "mega-bucks" !

Tonight I was sat in my local chinese takeaway, looking at a copy of the Worcester News, and I was shocked to discover that there is a restored loco No. 6023 in existence - (King Edward II), and I think it said it's coming to Worcester --

How appropriate when DD12, 6015 is currently in Worcester bus garage undergoing partial restoration work.
I clearly remember c1968, seeing bus 6023 in the garage, just a few yards away from where 6015 is now, and it had severe front-end accident damage, after which it went to Central Works, and was heavily modified --

and not so long ago our forum member 943KHA posted a "RECONSTRUCTED photo" of a "DD12" which was largely based on 6023.

I've just seen Tim's post about the loco 60009 - does anyone know of any more surviving old locos with numbers starting with 60??

Locomotive 6023 was a GWR 4-6-0 King class, King Edward II built in 1930 and spent most of its national network career based at Newton Abbot in Devon. It always carried number 6023 even after nationalization in 1948.
Locomotive 60103 (formerly LNER 4472 ) Flying Scotsman a class A3 Pacific 4-6-2 built in 1923.
Locomotive 60163 Tornado (named after the RAF aircraft of that name) was a new build completed in 2008. It is a continuation of the LNER A1 class and was also a 4-6-2.

King Class 6023, the blue liveried one, and indeed Tornado are at the Severn Valley Railway Spring steam gala this coming weekend..

chason wrote: ↑

09:12 Monday 12th March 2018

King Class 6023, the blue liveried one, and indeed Tornado are at the Severn Valley Railway Spring steam gala this coming weekend..

I am with the late Sir Felix Pole here: don't want to see a blue King!
I have seen Tornado quite a few times however.

DD12 wrote: ↑

21:20 Sunday 11th March 2018

I've just seen Tim's post about the loco 60009 - does anyone know of any more surviving old locos with numbers starting with 60??

Two more GWR King class locomotives exist;

6000 'King George V' is on static display at NRM Steam in what remains of the once massive GWR Swindon Works. This locomotive was used by Bulmer's Hereford for many years and featured 'in steam' on a short length of track at their open days of yore. It carries a big brass bell on the front buffer beam commemorating a tour of USA during autumn of 1927.
6024 'King Edward I' is owned by the Royal Scot Locomotive and General Trust and the locomotive is currently being overhauled back to mainline standard at West Somerset Railway.

One GWR Class 6100 tank engine 6106 is currently a static exhibit at Didcot railway Centre. These powerful and speedy 2-6-2 engines were used on commuter services from London Paddington to Aylesbury, Oxford and Basingstoke.

D12 bus 6106 was based at Ludlow garage from 04/75 until 12/79.

Six LNER Class A4 locomotives still exist, these locomotives were renumbered in the BR 60xxx series upon Nationalisation in 1948.

60007 (LNER 4498) 'Sir Nigel Gresley' is undergoing overhaul at NRM workshops back to mainline running standard.
60008 (LNER 4496) 'Dwight D. Eisenhower' is on static display at The national Railroad Museum, Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA.
60009 (LNER 4488) 'Union of South Africa' is still in main line use but soon to be retired as a static exhibit in a Fife museum to be constructed on the owner's farm.
60010 (LNER 4489) 'Dominion of Canada' is on static display at Canadian Railway Museum, Montreal.
60019 (LNER 4464) 'Bittern' is currently awaiting overhaul at Crewe and will hopefully be back running on main line sometime in the future.
60022 (LNER 4468) 'Mallard' holder of world record 126 MPH for steam is on static display at NRM York. For me this locomotive is more deserving of 'the most famous locomotive in the world' than 'Flying Scotsman'. Very doubtful if the record will ever be beaten by steam.

Incidentally un-streamlined 60163 'Tornado' held 101 MPH with 9 coaches for about 10 miles on the level last Autumn in preparation for a charter later this year allowing some 90 MPH running between Kings Cross and York. About four years ago 4464 (60019) 'Bittern' did a similar run with 11 coaches and managed some continuous running between 92 and 95 MPH for many miles on the ECML.

For number crunchers, D7 4489 ran from Worcester garage between 02/68 and 03/71 very often working all day on the 144. D7 4496 was converted to a towing vehicle after withdrawal as a PSV and is owned in this form by The Transport Museum at Wythall .

Great info above, thanks guys.

.... brilliant info from you again Tim, thanks very much !

- I shall have to make a special "fleet list" now, to hang on the kitchen wall !

Another DD12 that ALMOST survived was 6016 GHA416D, being one of those that Midland Red chose to overhaul rather than scrap, when it was approx. 12 years old.

60019 is my favourite
https://flic.kr/p/pMwoAN

Thanks for the info regarding Broadway the other day too Tim. Must be time for another trip on the GWSR.

MattW wrote: ↑

19:05 Monday 12th March 2018

60019 is my favourite
https://flic.kr/p/pMwoAN

Thanks for the info regarding Broadway the other day too Tim. Must be time for another trip on the GWSR.

Think I prefer the 60019 in this shot taken at Fernhill Heath on 19 April 2008.

I thought that one might divide opinion

A4 is beautiful though