Ertblog: A King is (re)born: GWR King Edward II's coronation at Didcot

Great Western superpower: A King and Castle at Didcot

Today was a very special day. One of Britain's most magnificent steam locomotives was reborn almost 50 years after ending its working days in my hometown, Cardiff. The Great Western Railway's King Edward II was 'crowned' at Didcot Railway Centre, home of the Great Western Society.

It was an emotional moment for me. As a teenager, I loved climbing over the engine at Barry scrapyard in South Wales. I made straight for 6023 on my many visits to Barry. Yet I could hardly imagine that anyone would be foolhardy enough to think that King Edward II could ever steam again. But the Great Western Society and Dennis Howells were determined to restore him to the rails. And 6023 was a lucky engine. Fate delivered it and 'father' engine King Edward I to Barry scrapyard rather than the smelters' yard.

The Kings were the GWR's premier express engines. For most of their life they ran expresses between London and Plymouth. Several were moved to Cardiff Canton at the start of the 1960s to run expresses between the Welsh and English capitals. But the diesels were taking over, and Canton was graced by Great Western royalty for just a couple of years. King Edward II was destined to spend the next two decades in exile at Woodham's scrapyard at Barry Island - just 10 miles from Canton.

The Barry years

A few acres of ground beside the sea in Wales proved hallowed territory. Dai Woodham's decision not to cut up the hundreds of rusting steam engines in his scrapyard gave preservation societies the chance to save them for posterity. Two Kings were amongst their number: 6024 King Edward I and 6023 King Edward II. The photo above shows 6023 in Barry in 1979. You can see that the team restoring his 'father' engine (King Edward I) have used the tender as an advert for their own efforts.

Above: March 30 1982. Here. you can see the ruined rear driving wheels, which made restoring this King such a challenging project. This was the result of a shunting accident in the 1960s at Barry. Didcot have put the old wheels on display (below, with Owen and Karen). We were told today that 6023's three pairs of driving wheels were made by three different owners: GWS; GWR and BR.

A King reborn

Didcot put on a magnificent show today to mark 6023's rebirth. Karen bagged us a prime spot in front of the turntable, where the coronation took place. Steve Davies, head of the National Railway Museum, paid tribute to everyone who made this emotional event possible - especially Dennis Howells, the project leader. It has taken over 20 years since the GWS took on mission impossible, but today made it all worthwhile. The photos below show the ceremony. We love the fact that GWS chose the very unusual early British Railways blue for 6023's rebirth. It suits the King and makes a change from the more common GWR and BR liveries. Didcot will host an even more royal occasion on Easter Saturday, with 'father and son' kings Edward I and Edward II in steam - the first time two Great Western Kings have worked together since the year the Beatles had their first hit, 1962.

Finally, two year old Owen had a brilliant day. He loved seeing the King, Oliver (4866 0-4-2) and Duck (0-6-0PT).

Above: Owen and me on the footplate of 4866, the locomotive that launched the Great Western Society 50 years ago. The GWS has done a magnificent job restoring and conserving the Great Western, Britain's longest lasting and best loved railway.

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