BR Class 08 (BR/English Electric 0-6-0 DE)

These locomotives, the standard large shunter design for British Railways, were a descendent of locomotives produced for the LMS in the 1930s, and subsequent locomotives produced for the Southern Railway, the Great Western Railway and others, all featuring English Electric diesel engines, generators and traction motors. These were all 0-6-0 designs with a rear mounted cab and a wide bonnet (US: hood) the full height of the locomotive. Almost 1,200 of them were built, of which over 300 remain in service today. They became the standard shunter type of British Rail after the withdrawal of other classes in the 1968-1981 period, and there are, currently, no plans to replace them.

There have been numerous modifications to the class, but only one has led to a formal reclassification; five locomotives were reduced in height for the Bury Port & Gwendraeth Valley line in West Wales, which has a restricted loading gauge, and they are classified as 08/9 with numbers 08 991-995. Other modifications over the years have included braking (adding train air brakes, and in some cases removing the vacuum brake equipment), various additional couplers for coupling with multiple unit stock, including buckeye couplings and (on 08 948) Scharfenburg couplers, a design of fully automatic coupler including automatically coupling brake lines, for shunting Eurostar trains at North Pole International Depot. Other modifications include waterproofing on certain locomotives for use in carriage washing plants, one locomotive with a siren and flashing lights for use at Ipswich Docks, and several locomotives fitted with remote control equipment.

With the break-up and piecemeal privatisation of British Rail, Class 08 locomotives have passed into the ownership of numerous companies, as well as quite a few in service with industrial users and preserved railways.

Specifications:

    TOPS Numbering:  (08/0) 08 077 - 08 958
                     (08/9) 08 991 - 08 995
    1957 Numbering:  D3000 - D4192
          Built by:  BR Derby, Crewe, Darlington, Doncaster, Horwich
        Introduced:  1953-1959
 Wheel Arrangement:  0-6-0 (C)
            Length:  29ft 3in (8.91m)
            Weight:  48-49 tonnes (metric tons)
    Maximum  Speed:  20mph (32 km/h)
            Engine:  English Electric 6KT
     Engine Output:  400hp (298 kW)
      Transmission:  Electric
    Main Generator:  EE801-8E or E801-14E
   Traction Motors:  2 x EE506-6A or EE506-7C
        Brake Type:  Vacuum or dual Air and Vacuum or Air only
       Brake Force:  19 tons
      Heating Type:  None Fitted
Route Availability:  5