British Rail Class 08

British Rail Class 08
08694 in EWS livery at the Great Central Railway (April 2010)
Power type	Diesel-electric
Builder	British Railways: Derby Works, Crewe Works, Darlington Works, Doncaster Works and Horwich Works.
Build date	1953–1962
Total produced	996
Configuration	0-6-0
UIC classification	C
Wheel diameter	4 ft 6 in (1.372 m)
Wheelbase	11 ft 6 in (3.51 m)
Length	29 ft 3 in (8.92 m)
Width	8 ft 6 in (2.59 m)
Height	12 ft 8 5⁄8 in (3.88 m) 11 ft 9 5⁄8 in (3.60 m) (08/9)
Locomotive weight	49.6 long tons (50.4 t) to 51 long tons (51.8 t)
Fuel capacity	668 imp gal (3,040 l; 802 US gal)
Prime mover	English Electric 6KT
Traction motors	English Electric 506, 2 off
Transmission	DC generator, DC traction motors, double reduction drive
Multiple working	Not originally fitted, some retrofitted with type ★ Blue Star
Top speed	15 mph (24 km/h) or 20 mph (32 km/h)
Power output	Engine: 350 hp (261 kW)
Tractive effort	Maximum: 35,000 lbf (160 kN)
Train heating	None
Locomotive brakeforce	19 LTf (190 kN)
Train brakes	Vacuum, later Air & Vacuum or Air only
Career	British Railways
Number	13000–13116, 13127–13136, 13167–13365; later: D3000–D3116, D3127–D3136, D3167–D3438, D3454–D3472, D3503–D3611, D3652–D3664, D3672–D3718, D3722–D4048, D4095–D4098, D4115–D4192; later 08001–08958
Nicknames	Gronk
Axle load class	Route availability 5 or 6 (see text)

The British Rail Class 08 is a class of diesel-electric shunting locomotive. From 1953 to 1962, 996 locomotives were produced, making it the most numerous of all British locomotive classes.

As the standard general-purpose diesel shunter on BR, almost any duty requiring shunting would involve a Class 08. The class became a familiar sight at many major stations and freight yards. However, since their introduction, the nature of rail traffic in Britain has changed considerably. Freight trains are now mostly fixed rakes of wagons and passenger trains are mostly multiple units, neither requiring the attention of a shunting locomotive. Consequently, a large proportion of the class has been withdrawn from mainline use and stored, scrapped, exported or sold to industrial or heritage railways.

As of 2011, around 100 locomotives remain working on industrial sidings and on the main British network. On heritage railways, they have become common, appearing on many of the preserved standard-gauge lines in Britain, with over 60 preserved.^[1]

History

The Class 08 design was based on the LMS 12033 series (later TOPS Class 11) design. There were also 26 of the near-identical but higher-geared Class 09, and 171 similar locomotives fitted with different engines and transmissions (some of which became Class 10), which together brought the total number of outwardly-similar machines to 1193.

The locomotives were built at the BR Works of Crewe, Darlington, Derby and Doncaster between 1953 and 1962.^[2]

The majority of the class were re-classified as TOPS sub-class 08/0, when some locomotives were reduced in height for use on the Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway in south west Wales and became Class 08/9.

The first locomotive to be withdrawn was D3193 in 1967. Four other machines were withdrawn before TOPS reclassification in 1973.^[3] Withdrawals continued throughout the 1970s and 1980s. By the beginning of the 1990s, most of the class were no longer in service. Withdrawals continued in the 1990s.^[4] At the same time as the withdrawals, many were purchased by heritage railways.

When British Rail was privatised and sold in the 1990s, EWS inherited most of the class. More units were disposed of, being sent to EWS's Component Recovery & Distribution Centre (CRDC) in Wigan for stripping of re-usable components prior to scrapping. Others were stored in case of an increase in traffic.

Former 08032 at Foster Yeoman's Torr Works, 2008

As of mid 2008, EWS had over 40 class 08 locomotives in operation, with a greater number stored. Freightliner also had about five locomotives in operation, as did locomotive company Wabtec. First Group operated less than five; additionally, some work at industrial sidings - two for Foster Yeoman, one for Mendip Rail, one for Corus, one at ICI Wilton, two for English China Clays, amongst others. A few other businesses in railway-related business operated single examples.^[1]

Exported locomotives

Sixteen English Electric 060DE 350hp locomotives were built new and exported 1951-1953 to Australia as Victoria Railways F Class. Five examples of the class were exported to Liberia; numbers: 3047, 3092, 3094, 3098 and 3100.^[5] At least one of these has been repatriated and is now preserved.

Preserved railways

Main article: List of preserved British Rail Class 08 locomotives

Continuing in its designed-for role as a shunter, the Class 08 has been found useful by numerous heritage railways in the UK. With over 60 examples preserved,^[1] they are the most numerous class of preserved locomotive in the UK.

Operations

As the standard general-purpose diesel shunter on BR, almost any duty requiring shunting would involve a Class 08; thus the many locations where two portions of a train were merged, or where additional stock was added to a train, were hauled (briefly) by a Class 08, thus the class was a familiar sight at many major stations and termini.

Technical description

The Class 08 design was based on the LMS 12033 series (later TOPS Class 11) design.

The engine is an English Electric (EE) 6 cylinder, 4-stroke, 6KT. Traction motors are two EE 506 motors with double reduction gear drive. The main generator is an EE 801.

Design variations

There were variations on the basic design, which were given the following TOPS design codes:

TOPS design code	Electrical system	Max speed	Weight	Brakes	Route availability	Notes
08-0AV	90 V	20 mph (32 km/h)	49.8 te (496 kN)	vacuum	5
08-0BX	110 V	20 mph (32 km/h)	50.4 te (502 kN)	dual	5
08-0CA	90 V	20 mph (32 km/h)	49.6 te (494 kN)	air	5
08-0DV	90 V	15 mph (24 km/h)	49.8 te (496 kN)	vacuum	5
08-0BX	90 V	15 mph (24 km/h)	50.4 te (502 kN)	dual	5
08-0FA	90 V	15 mph (24 km/h)	49.6 te (494 kN)	air	5
08-0KX	110 V	15 mph (24 km/h)	50.4 te (502 kN)	dual	5
08-0LX	110 V	15 mph (24 km/h)	50.4 te (502 kN)	dual	5	Scharfenberg adapter fitted
08-0MA	110 V	15 mph (24 km/h)	49.8 te (496 kN)	air	5
08-0NA	90 V	15 mph (24 km/h)	49.8 te (496 kN)	air	5	fitted with Buckeye couplings
08-0PA	90 V	15 mph (24 km/h)	51 te (508 kN)	air	6	fitted with Buckeye couplings
08-0QA	90 V	15 mph (24 km/h)	51 te (508 kN)	air	6	fitted with Buckeye couplings
08-0RA	110 V	15 mph (24 km/h)	51 te (508 kN)	air	6	fitted with Buckeye couplings
08-0SA	110 V	15 mph (24 km/h)	49 te (488 kN)	air	6

Class 08/9

Class 08/9 locomotives were modified from the standard class by being given headlights and cut-down bodywork in which the overall height was reduced to 11’ 10” (3.61 m), for use on the Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway up to Cwm Mawr. In 2007, a few of these locomotives were used on the Manchester Metrolink track relaying project. Their job was to take the track to the construction sites.

TOPS design code	Electrical system	Max speed	Weight	Brakes	Notes
08-9AV	90 V	15 mph (24 km/h)	49.8 te (496 kN)	vacuum brakes	08 991 converted from 08 203
08-9CX	90 V	15 mph (24 km/h)	50.4 te (502 kN)	dual brakes	08 992 created from 08 259 08 993 created from 08 592
08-9DA	90 V	15 mph (24 km/h)	49.6 te (494 kN)	air brakes	08 994 created from 08 462 08 995 created from 08 687

BR Class 13

Main article: British Rail Class 13

Six Class 08 units were adapted for a specialist role at Tinsley Marshalling Yard, where there was a requirement for more powerful shunters. These locomotives were permanently coupled together in pairs as a 'master and slave' (or 'cow and calf'), the latter with its cab removed, to form the British Rail Class 13.

Fleet

TOPS number range	Operators	Comments
8389, 8405, 8428, 8441, 8495, 8500, 8511, 8567, 8578, 8580, 8593, 8605, 8623, 8630, 8632, 8633, 8653, 8676, 8683, 8703, 8706, 8709, 8714, 8735, 8737, 8752, 8765, 8784, 8799, 8802, 8804, 8865, 8879, 8886, 8888, 8904, 8905, 8907, 8909, 8924, 8951, 8993, 8994, 8995	DB Schenker
08571, 08596, 08615	East Coast
08525, 08690, 08908, 08950	East Midlands Trains
08948	Eurostar
08750	First Capital Connect
08410, 08483, 08641, 08643, 08644, 08663, 08795, 08822, 08836	First Great Western
08616, 08805	London Midland
08847, 08874	National Express East Anglia
08502	Northern
08308, 08788	ScotRail
08451, 08454, 08611, 08696, 08721, 08790, 08887, 08934	Virgin Trains

In fiction

A Class 08 known as Diesel was the first diesel locomotive to appear in The Railway Series books by the Rev. W. Awdry. In the spin-off TV Series based on the Railway Series, Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, several Class 08s have appeared: Diesel, 'Arry and Bert, Splatter and Dodge, Sidney and Paxton.

Models

Several manufacturers have produced models of Class 08 shunters. In the past, in OO scale, Wrenn, Tri-ang and Hornby Railways all produced models of varying accuracy.

Lima also produced a model in several different liveries, but the model was actually of the near-identical British Rail Class 09.

Since 2000, both Bachmann Branchline and Hornby have released much more detailed models, in a variety of liveries and with a variety of appropriate detail variations.

In British N Gauge, Graham Farish have also produced two versions; a relatively crude version lacking outside frames that was discontinued in 2007, and a more detailed version with outside frames that was unveiled 2008.^[6]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Fleet status (subsection Class 01-14) wnxx.net
2. ^ Marsden, Colin J. (1981). The Diesel Shunter - A Pictorial Record. Oxford: Oxford Publishing. ISBN 978-0-86093-108-9. 
3. ^ Disposals Class 08 wnxx.com
4. ^ Locomotive Disposals Class 08 (see also subsequent pages) wnxx.com
5. ^ A brief look at the diesel locomotives built by Derby Locomotive Works from 1932 - 1967 derbysulzers.com
6. ^ Farish Class 08 diesel shunter emerges at Redhill bachmann.co.uk

Further reading

• Lund, E (1980). To the last drop. Chesterfield: Longden technical Publications. ISBN 0 9507063 0 2. 
• Williams, Alan; Percival, David (1977). British Railways Locomotives and Multiple Units including Preserved Locomotives 1977. Shepperton: Ian Allen Ltd. ISBN 0 7110 0751 9. 

External links

• Restoration work on Class 08 - 08220