British Rail Class 08

British Rail Class 08

08509 in Rail Blue livery at Chesterfield Goods Yard
Type and origin
Power type Diesel-electric
Builder British Railways: Derby Works, Crewe Works, Darlington Works, Doncaster Works and Horwich Works.
Build date 1952–1962
Total produced 996
Specifications
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; 55.6 short tons) to
51 long tons (51.8 t; 57.1 short tons)
Fuel capacity 668 imp gal (3,040 l; 802 US gal)
Prime mover English Electric 6KT
Generator DC
Traction motors DC English Electric 506, 2 off
Transmission Diesel-electric transmission double reduction drive
Multiple working Not originally fitted, some retrofitted with type ★ Blue Star
Performance figures
Maximum 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 long tons-force (190 kN)
Train brakes Vacuum, later Air & Vacuum or Air only
Career
Operator(s) British Railways
Number(s) 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
Axle load class Route availability 5 or 6 (see text)

The British Rail (BR) Class 08 is a class of diesel-electric shunting locomotive. The Pioneer Class 08 No. D3000 (currently preserved at the Heritage Shunters Trust based at Peak Rail) was built in 1952 although it did not enter service until 1953. Production continued until 1962; 996 locomotives were produced, making it the most numerous of all British locomotive classes.

As the standard BR general-purpose diesel shunter, almost any duty requiring shunting would involve a Class 08. The class became a familiar sight at many major stations and freight yards. Since their introduction, though, 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 Consequently, a large proportion of the class has been withdrawn from mainline use and stored, scrapped, exported or sold to industrial or heritage railways.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, Doncaster and Horwich between 1952 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 in subsequent decades until by the beginning of the 1990s most of the class were no longer in service.[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 350 hp locomotives based on the Class 11/Class 08 design, but modified for 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) gauge, were built new and exported 1951–53 to Australia, entering service on the Victorian Railways as the F class.

Five examples of the Class 08 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

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. A total of three were made and all since have been scrapped.

Fleet

TOPS number range Operators Comments
08389, 08405, 08428, 08441, 08495, 08500, 08511, 08567, 08578, 08580, 08593, 08605, 08623, 08630, 08632, 08633, 08653, 08676, 08683, 08703, 08706, 08709, 08714, 08735, 08737, 08752, 08765, 08784, 08799, 08802, 08804, 08865, 08879, 08886, 08888, 08904, 08905, 08907, 08909, 08924, 08951, 08993, 08994, 08995 DB Schenker
08571, 08596, 08615 East Coast
08943 HNRC
08525, 08690, 08908, 08950 East Midlands Trains
08948 Eurostar
08410, 08483, 08641, 08643, 08644, 08663, 08795, 08822, 08836 First Great Western
08616, 08805 London Midland
08754 & 08874 (Norwich Crown Point TMD), 08573 (Ilford TMD) Greater Anglia
08502 Northern
08308, 08788 ScotRail
08451, 08454, 08611, 08696, 08721, 08790, 08887, 08934 Virgin Trains
08418, 08485, 08678 West Coast Railway Company, Carnforth
08682 Bombardier Site, Derby

Models

Several manufacturers have produced models of Class 08 shunters. In OO scale, Wrenn, Tri-ang, Hornby Railways and Bachmann Branchline all produced models. Lima also produced a model in several different liveries, but it was of the near-identical 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]

In fiction

The Class 08 locomotives were the basis for the character Devious Diesel in The Railway Series books written by the Rev. W. Awdry, and the subsequent Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends TV Series. The Class 08 has also provided the basis Dodge, Splatter, Arry, Bert, Paxton, and Sidney in the series.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 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

External links

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British Rail Class 08.