‘King George’ was built by the Hunslet Engine Company in Leeds in 1942 and delivered new to Linby Colliery, Nottinghamshire on 20 May 1942. After moving to Bestwood Colliery in 1959 and on to Gedling Colliery in 1960, No. 2409 was purchased by Titanic Steam Ship Enterprises and moved to Ecclestone, Staffordshire. In 1980 she was sold for scrap to Jeremy Walker scrap merchants of Witney, Oxfordshire, but was rescued and moved to the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway at Toddington on 28 June 1981. Painted red, the locomotive was restored at Toddington and became the first steam locomotive for over 30 years to reach Cheltenham Race Course in February 2001. ‘King George’ was moved to Didcot in December 2011 and was dismantled for overhaul. …
