King’s of Norwich - A Norfolk Scrapyard

King’s of Norwich was one of the many outside scrap contractors who assisted BR in dealing with the increasing numbers of withdrawn locomotives when their own resources were struggling to cope with the volume of work. Although only handling just over 100 steam locomotives and a handful of diesel locomotives, that did include a surprising variety of classes including some prestigious types such as Castles and Gresley Pacifics. King’s separate facility near Wymondham is also covered being the location where much coaching stock was burnt before the resulting underframes were towed back to Norwich. The destruction of one particular vehicle under conditions of great secrecy is worthy of mention namely the Royal Mail coach which was the scene of the theft of some £2.6 million pounds, £69 million at today’s prices, during the Great Train Robbery of 1963.