This class W7 locomotive was built by Peckett & Sons in 1941 and spent all of its working life at the General Electric Co (GEC) factory at Swinton near Rotherham. Here it was given the No 6.
GEC originally acquired a factory at Swinton during the Second World War which produced munitions. In June 1946 a GEC factory at Swinton produced its first cooker. GEC had previously produced cookers in Birmingham but moved the production to Swinton as the company struggled to find good workers at Birmingham. The problem GEC encountered was probably because they required the same skills as the car manufacturing plants based in the same area. The company later became known as Morphy Richards.
After its service at Swinton the locomotive moved to Tyseley where it was restored and has since been steamed for open days and shunting duties. It has also masqueraded as Percy but in a maroon livery!
In September 2016 the locomotive was taken by road to Curzon Street Station in Birmingham as part of Birmingham Heritage Week where it was in light steam – the first steam train there for 50 years. The event was to recognise that the station will what some describe as the northern terminus of HS2 which is odd since HST is due to go further north. Curzon Street Station was opened in 1838 and is described as the world’s oldest surviving piece of monumental architecture. It is not the first passenger station as Liverpool Road Station at Manchester opened in 1830 on the Liverpool & Manchester Railway which is now part of the Science and Industry Museum at Manchester.
The locomotive is operational at Tyseley and carries the No 1.
Preserved British Steam Locomotives 