BR Class 08 at Chasewater Railway

BR English Electric Class 08 Nº D3429 / 08359

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 Consequently a large proportion of the class has been withdrawn from mainline use and stored, scrapped, exported, or sold to industrial or heritage railways.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 2008 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.

It will be at Chasewater Railway for the next few months.