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
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 Consequently, a large proportion of the class has been withdrawn from mainline use and stored, scrapped, exported or sold to industrial or heritage railways.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.[2]
^ abcdefgh"Preface, General Data". Diesel Engine Instruction and Maintenance Manual. Strand, London: English Electric. p. Instruction 701/9/1/1, Instruction 703/10/2/1–703/10/2/2, Instruction 704/1/1/1–704/1/1/2.
^Fleet status (subsection Class 01-14) wnxx.net Archived 20 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine
and 29 Related for: British Rail Class 08 information
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