British Rail Class 08

British Rail Class 08
08 801 at Penzance station in 1990
Type and origin Power type Diesel–electric Builder British Railways: Crewe Works Darlington Works Derby Works Doncaster Works Horwich Works Build date 1952–1962 Total produced 996
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 0-6-0DE  • UIC C Wheel diameter 4 ft 6 in (1.372 m) Wheelbase 11 ft 6 in (3.505 m) Length 29 ft 3 in (8.92 m) Width 8 ft 6 in (2.591 m) Height 12 ft 8+5⁄8 in (3.877 m) 11 ft 9+5⁄8 in (3.597 m) (08/9) Loco weight 49 long tons (49.8 t; 54.9 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[1] RPM range 300–680 rpm (D3503–D4192)[1] Engine type Four-stroke inline-six diesel[1] Aspiration Naturally aspirated[2] Displacement 5,655 cu in (92.67 L)[1] Generator DC Traction motors DC English Electric 506, 2 off Cylinders 6[1] Cylinder size 10 in (254 mm) × 12 in (305 mm) (bore × stroke)[1] Transmission Diesel–electric transmission, double reduction gearing MU working Not originally fitted, some retrofitted with type ★ Blue Star Train heating None Train brakes Vacuum, later Air & Vacuum or Air only
Performance figures Maximum speed 15 mph (24 km/h) or 20 mph (32 km/h) Power output Engine: 350 or 400[1] hp (261 or 298 kW) Tractive effort Maximum: 35,000 lbf (160 kN) Brakeforce 19 long tons-force (190 kN)
Career Operators British Railways InterCity Network SouthEast Rail Express Systems Freightliner Eurostar DB Cargo UK GNER National Express East Coast East Coast Virgin Trains East Coast LNER Midland Mainline East Midlands Trains East Midlands Railway Arriva Rail North Northern Trains Harry Needle Railroad Company Foster Yeoman Mendip Rail Numbers 13000–13116, 13127–13136, 13167–13365; later: D3000–D3116, D3127–D3136, D3167-D3365 (renumbered from above), D3366–D3438, D3454–D3472, D3503–D3611, D3652–D3664, D3672–D3718, D3722–D4048, D4095–D4098, D4115–D4192; later 08 001–08 958 Axle load class Route availability 5 or 6 (see text) Withdrawn 1967–present Disposition 82 preserved, 10 converted to Class 09s, 6 converted to Class 13s, 5 exported to Liberia, 100 in service, remainder scrapped

The British Rail Class 08 is a class of diesel–electric shunting locomotives built by British Railways (BR). As the standard BR general-purpose diesel shunter, the class became a familiar sight at major stations and freight yards. Since their introduction in 1952, however, 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 or have driving van trailers, 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 2020, around 100 locomotives remained working on industrial sidings and on the main British railway network. On heritage railways, they have become particularly common, appearing on many of the preserved standard-gauge lines in Britain, with over 80 preserved, including the first one built.^[3]