Why did I chose King Henry VI?
Great Western Railways King Class 6018 "King Henry VI"
Some might wonder where the name King Henry VI comes from. Well it is one of the Kings of England, then to honour that person it was placed on a Great Western Railway Locomotive of the 'King Class'. The King Class locomotives were a 4-6-0 engine built for high speed mainline working. With a boiler pressure of 250lbs/sq in. and 4 -16žin x 28in double acting compound cylinders, a 313sq ft surface area super heater (later increased to 448sq ft) providing a drawbar effort of 40,300lbs, so it could put in a respectable turn of speed.
King Henry VI was built at Swindon in June 1928 and assigned the number 6018. Before this locomotive was withdrawn from service it made a run from Paddington to Bristol, a distance of 118 miles in 99 minutes an average speed of 71 miles per hour (113kph) a top speed of 102.5 mph. (164kph).
Great Western Railways King Class 6026 "King John"
The disadvantage though for a engine such as this is that once it arrived at Newton Abbot it was faced with the banks of Devon and Cornwall some of them very steep none with the notoriety as Shepps Hill which has broken the pushrod glands of many fine engines. The 'King Class' lost its legs when pulling in hills, this was no fault of design, the large cylinders long stroke and smaller driving wheels gave it plenty of power, but its demand for steam and large fire box were too much for one fireman to keep pace with.
Form Newton Abbot the main line carried on to Totnes, Plymouth and Penzance. Express trains to Plymouth and Cornwall were double headed out of Newton Abbot (as were most that carried heavy loads) to climb up over Dainton bank the first of the fireman's challenges. At Newton Abbot the line separated to serve Torbay and finally down to Dartmouth. (No train ever arrived at Dartmouth in the whole life of the station) This is the area that the well loved 'Hall' class locomotives were used, these predecessors to the King were better suited for the hills and tighter turns of the rolling hills of Devon and Cornwall.
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