From 2nd to 9th September 1962 GWR King Class 4‑6‑0 No. 6002 King William IV (84A Wolverhampton – Stafford Road) was on show at Birmingham (Snow Hill) to mark the end of the Kings on the Wolverhampton (Low Level) – Birmingham (Snow Hill) – Paddington route.
However, on 4th September it was commandeered to take over from a failed diesel and worked an express from Snow Hill to Wolverhampton.
GWR ‘KING’ Class 4‑6‑0 No. 6002 King William IV on display at Birmingham (Snow Hill) on this day on 5th September 1962.
6002 gently steams and simmers in Bay Platform 3.
Copyright ‑ Peter Hands
'Reflections'
Copyright ‑ Peter Hands
Nameplate of King William IV.
Copyright ‑ Peter Hands
King William IV shows its 'clean lines.'
Copyright ‑ Peter Hands
The final Kings to work regularly on 9th September 1962 were No. 6002 King William IV (84A Wolverhampton – Stafford Road) on the 8.0pm from Birmingham (Snow Hill) to Paddington and 6011 King James I (84A Wolverhampton – Stafford Road) which hauled the 8.10pm from Paddington to Wolverhampton.
Other King Class locomotives that were noted working earlier in the day on 9th September 1962 were as follows:
6007 King William III (84A Wolverhampton – Stafford Road), 6011 King James I (84A Wolverhampton – Stafford Road), 6019 King Henry V (81A Old Oak Common), 6022 King Edward III (84A Wolverhampton – Stafford Road) and 6026 King John (81A Old Oak Common).
On Sunday 9th September No. 6000 King George V (81A Old Oak Common was employed on a special from Wolverhampton (Low Level) to Swindon and return on an advertised ‘Last King Run.’ This travelled via Didcot West Curve, hitherto prohibited to these locomotives.
Following the mass withdrawals of thirteen members of the King Class (Nos. 6001, 6002, 6007, 6009, 6012, 6014, 6015, 6016, 6019, 6021, 6022, 6026 and 6027, between 6.9.62‑21.9.62 this left just six surviving members of the Class Nos. 6000 King George V (81A Old Oak Common), 6005 King George II (84A Wolverhampton – Stafford Road), 6011 King James I (84A Wolverhampton – Stafford Road), 6018 King Henry V1 (81A Old Oak Common), 6025 King Henry III (81A Old Oak Common) and 6028 King George V1 (81A OLd Oak Common) and of these Nos. 6025 and 6028 were in store in Old Oak Common Carriag Shed.
No. 6018 King Henry VI was employed by the Locomotive Club of Great Britain inspired ‘King Commerative Rail Tour’ from Paddington – Birmingham (Snow Hill) – Wolverhampton (Low Level) on 10th November 1962.
After withdrawal 6018 was based at 84E Tyseley (working local passenger trains) being retained for a Stephenson Locomotive Society special from Birmingham (Snow Hill) to Swindon Works and return via the Greenford Loop (outbound) and Didcot West Curve and Oxford (inbound) on 28th April 1963.
