Virtual Railfan Tour UK - York Railway Museum (part three)

 

The main hall has an interesting display of signals

A strange colour for a Great Western locomotive.  This is actually a Hall class 4-6-0 5975 Olton Hall

There is another hall which is devoted to longer trains. Here we see LBSCR "Gladstone?

Railway heraldry is not forgotten

A Great Western diesel car.

A Midland locomotive in maroon

I have saved the best, in my view, to last.

At one time the GWR King class 4-6-0 No. 6000 King George V was at York.  It has now been moved to Swindon, its birthplace

This is the famous bell that was put on 6000 for its trip to the USA and which was retained after it returned to the UK.

On Wednesday 15 August 1962 I reported for duty as a cleaner at Reading and was delighted to find 6000 in the yard, having come off an overnight train with steam heating problems. Extract from my diary for that day:

"The cleaners badgered the charge hand foreman, Eddie, to allow them to clean the King but he wouldn't let them because it wasn't one of his engines.  He did let me and another cleaner polish up the bell.  I put on a shovelful of coal.  It went out light to Swindon later in the morning.  I spoke to the fireman - he was in seventh heaven because his driver said he would let him drive it."

One can sit and have lunch surrounded by locomotives Paul is sitting with his back to the LMS Coronation class 4-6-2

I turned through a right angle and could see 2500, an engine I actually fired in regular service.

This is the fireman's sie injector.  It was never shiny in my day, I often wondered if I put any of the dents in the pipework

My diary for 31 August 1961

"Have been doing a few odd jobs this morning and went on duty at 13.00. I didn't do anything for the first hour but then helped the shed pilot for a bit.  At 14.50 I was told to go on 42500 which was due out at 15.02.  I got there to find the tanks were empty, there were no tools and there was only 70 lb of steam.  I started to work frantically while the driver looked on. It was only when I had seen to the fire that he told me we were light to Upminster.  We chugged down to Upminster, stood there 3¾ hours and chugged back.  We had to be there in case another engine failed."

My diary for 4 September 1961

"I was on duty at 02.00 but didn't do anything until 05.30 when I was sent out on 42500 up to London, empty cars and then back from London.  There was a great deal of waiting around and I didn't finish until 14.00."

This is a great way for me to end my visit to York.