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Class 08 D3940 (08772)
(Photo: Coral Gillespie)
History
The class 08 shunter is the largest class of diesel
locomotives on British Railways. Although due to
increasing use of multiple unit stock for passenger
workings and reduction of freight services (with many of
those remaining being block workings) the overall number
is now much reduced the venerable and largely unsung 08 is
still highly regarded and will still be about in quantity
for a long time to come.
The origins of this class lie in the pre World War Two
fledgling development of diesel traction by British
railway companies. In particular both the SR and the LMS
had small fleets of diesel shunters in service before the
war. After obtaining prototypes from a number of private
locomotive companies the LMS selected a design by the
English Electric Company with six coupled wheels driven by
a 350 hp engine-generator set powering two nose suspended
electric motors on the outer axles via reduction gearing.
10 were in service before the war and were the start of an
intended order of 100. With the outbreak of war
responsibility for production passed to the War Department
who had a further 14 built for use on the LMS system.
Following nationalisation a further 96 were built with
production ending in 1952 by which time British Railways
were ready to produce their own unified design.
The BR shunter - subsequently TOPS class 08 - is based on
and virtually indistinguishable from the LMS design
(although its wheel size is inherited from a similar post
war SR type). English Electric continued to supply the
power and electrical parts whilst BR supplied the chassis
and bodywork. Construction was at Derby, Darlington
Doncaster, Horwich and Crewe BR works between 1953 and
1962. Over 1000 were built and construction included 27
higher geared versions (subsequently TOPS class 09) for
the Southern region where shunter hauled trip freights
were required to thread their way between tightly timed
EMU services. (In comparatively recent years use of 09s
has spread beyond the Southern and a further twelve 09s
were converted from 08s in 1992/3.)
There have been minor modifications to the class over the
years. Six locomotives were converted into six cow and
calf pairs - designated class 13 - for use at Tinsley hump
yard between 1965 and the mid 1980s. There was also a
batch of 146 08s built in 1955 with Blackstone prime
movers and GEC electrical plant and 10 with Crossley
engines and Crompton and Parkinson electrical equipment . Such non standard
locomotives could not survive long in an increasingly
standardising BR and they were sold to Netherlands
Railways where they have continued to prove themselves to
be a useful locomotive. Surplus 08s have found ready
customers among industrial users.
The above was based on information on
Southern E-Group website
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