Sunday, July 27, 2014

Torbay Express, England, 1931 art


The Great Western Railway's Torbay Express headed by the first of the company's Class 6000 or King Class from 1927, King George V.  They were 10 wheelers and 31 were produced from 1927 to 1936.

This one was shipped to the United States in August 1927 to feature in the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad's centenary celebrations. During the celebrations it was presented with a bell and a plaque, carried to this day. This led to it being affectionately known as "The Bell".

The engine was officially preserved, being restored to main line running order and based at Bulmer's Railway Centre in Hereford; in 1971 it became the first steam engine to break the BR imposed mainline steam ban that had been in place since 1969. 

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