The British Rail Class 08

British Rail Class 08

The British Rail Class 08 is a class of diesel-electric shunting locomotive. From 1953 to 1962, 996 locomotives were produced, making it the most numerous of all British locomotive classes....

 was the standard class of diesel locomotive

Diesel locomotive

A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...

 designed for shunting. From 1953 to 1962, 996 locomotives were produced, making it the most numerous of all British locomotive classes. There were also 26 of the near-identical but higher-geared Class 09

British Rail Class 09

The British Rail Class 09 is a class of 0-6-0 diesel locomotive designed primarily for shunting and also short distance freight trips along branch lines....

, and 171 similar locomotives fitted with different engines and transmissions (some of which became Class 10

British Rail Class 10

The British Rail Class 10 diesel locomotive was a variation on the Class 08 diesel-electric shunter in which a Blackstone diesel engine was fitted instead of one made by the English Electric company...

), which together brought the total number of outwardly-similar machines to 1193.

Since their introduction, the nature of rail freight in Britain has changed considerably, reducing or removing the need for shunting, therefore only a few Class 08 locomotives remain in service today. However, many have found an active retirement on heritage railway

Heritage railway

thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...

s in Britain, with at least 65 being classed as preserved, (although there was a 66th preserved member which was preserved at Crewe but was sinced scrapped in early 2009), though there may be more unregistered Class 08s still working in Britain or abroad. Their low maintenance requirements means that most of them are still in operational condition, with only a few examples left unrestored.

Preserved examples

Numbers carried (Current in bold)				Name	Location	Current Status	Livery
13000	D3000	-	13046	-	Barrow Hill Engine Shed Barrow Hill Engine Shed Barrow Hill Roundhouse & Railway Centre, until 1948 known as Staveley Roundhouse & Train Centre, is a former Midland Railway roundhouse in Barrow Hill, near Staveley and Chesterfield, Derbyshire .-History:...	Awaiting overhaul; first one built	Black
13002	D3002	-	-	-	Plym Valley Railway Plym Valley Railway The Plym Valley Railway is part of the closed South Devon and Tavistock Railway near Plymouth, a branch line of the Great Western Railway in Devon.The Plym Valley Railway is currently rebuilding the Marsh Mills to Plym Bridge section of the line...	Operational	BR Black
13014	D3014	-	-	Samson Samson Samson, Shimshon ; Shamshoun or Sampson is the third to last of the Judges of the ancient Israelites mentioned in the Tanakh ....	Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway The Paignton & Dartmouth Steam Railway is a heritage railway on the former Kingswear branch line between Paignton and Kingswear in Torbay, Devon, England....	Operational	BR Blue, Dart Rail insigna
13018	D3018	08011	-	-	Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway The Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway is a heritage railway with its main station at Chinnor on the border between Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, England.-History:...	Operational	BR Black
13019	D3019	-	-	Haversham Haversham Haversham is a village in the Borough of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England. It is situated just north of Milton Keynes near Wolverton and lies between Newport Pagnell and Stony Stratford. Haversham-cum-Little Linford is a civil parish in the Borough of Milton Keynes.The village has two...	Cambrian Railway Trust	Operational	Blue and White
13022	D3022	08015	-	-	Severn Valley Railway Severn Valley Railway The Severn Valley Railway is a heritage railway in Shropshire and Worcestershire, England. The line runs along the Severn Valley from Bridgnorth to Kidderminster, following the course of the River Severn for much of its route...	Operational	BR Green
13023	D3023	08016	-	-	Peak Rail Peak Rail Peak Rail is a preserved railway in Derbyshire, England, which operates a steam service for tourists and visitors to both the Peak District and the Derbyshire Dales....	Operational	BR Green
13029	D3029	08021	-	-	Tyseley Locomotive Works	Operational	BR Black
13030	D3030	08022	-	Lion Lion The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...	Cholsey and Wallingford Railway Cholsey and Wallingford Railway The Cholsey and Wallingford Railway is a long standard gauge heritage railway in the English county of Oxfordshire. It operates along most of the length of the former Wallingford branch of the Great Western Railway , from Cholsey station, north of Reading on the Great Western Main Line, to a...	Operational	Guinness Guinness Guinness is a popular Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin. Guinness is directly descended from the porter style that originated in London in the early 18th century and is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost...  Black
13044	D3044	08032	33	Mendip Mendip Mendip is a local government district of Somerset in England. The Mendip district covers a largely rural area of ranging from the Mendip Hills through on to the Somerset Levels. It has a population of approximately 110,000...	Mid Hants Railway	Undergoing repairs	Yeoman Blue
13059	D3059	08046	-	Brechin City Brechin Brechin is a former royal burgh in Angus, Scotland. Traditionally Brechin is often described as a city because of its cathedral and its status as the seat of a pre-Reformation Roman Catholic diocese , but that status has not been officially recognised in the modern era...	Caledonian Railway (Brechin) Caledonian Railway (Brechin) The Caledonian Steam Railway Ltd is a private limited company formed by a group of steam railway enthusiasts, the Brechin Railway Preservation Society, with the object of operating a railway service on the former Caledonian Railway line between Brechin and Montrose, Angus, Scotland...	Operational	BR Green
13067	D3067	08054	-	-	Embsay and Bolton Abbey Railway	stored awaiting re-wiring	BR Blue
13074	D3074	08060	-	Unicorn Unicorn The unicorn is a legendary animal from European folklore that resembles a white horse with a large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead, and sometimes a goat's beard...	Cholsey and Wallingford Railway Cholsey and Wallingford Railway The Cholsey and Wallingford Railway is a long standard gauge heritage railway in the English county of Oxfordshire. It operates along most of the length of the former Wallingford branch of the Great Western Railway , from Cholsey station, north of Reading on the Great Western Main Line, to a...	Operational	Guinness Guinness Guinness is a popular Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin. Guinness is directly descended from the porter style that originated in London in the early 18th century and is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost...  Black
13079	D3079	08064	-	-	National Railway Museum National Railway Museum The National Railway Museum is a museum in York forming part of the British National Museum of Science and Industry and telling the story of rail transport in Britain and its impact on society. It has won many awards, including the European Museum of the Year Award in 2001...	Operational	Black
13101	D3101	-	3101	-	Great Central Railway Great Central Railway (preserved) The Great Central Railway is a heritage railway split into two adjacent sections, one in Leicestershire and the other Nottinghamshire.The Leicestershire section is currently Britain's only double track mainline heritage railway, with of working double track, period signalling, locomotives and...	Awaiting restoration	Black
13167	D3167	08102	-	-	Lincolnshire Wolds Railway Lincolnshire Wolds Railway The Lincolnshire Wolds Railway is a heritage railway based at Ludborough station, near Grimsby in Lincolnshire, England and the only standard gauge steam railway in Lincolnshire open to the public. The line is part of the original Great Northern Railway , a rail system that opened in 1848 and once...	Operational	BR Green
11374	D3174	08108	3174	Dover Castle Dover Castle Dover Castle is a medieval castle in the town of the same name in the English county of Kent. It was founded in the 12th century and has been described as the "Key to England" due to its defensive significance throughout history...	Kent and East Sussex Railway Kent and East Sussex Railway The Kent & East Sussex Railway refers to both an historical private railway company in Kent and Sussex in England, as well as a heritage railway currently running on part of the route of the historical company.-Historical Company:-Background:...	Operational	Black
13180	D3180	08114	-	-	Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre The Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre is a heritage centre based at Ruddington, Nottinghamshire, the terminus of the northern section of the Great Central Railway . The site includes locomotive and rolling stock workshops , as well as cafeteria and shops...	Operational	BR Green
13190	D3190	08123	-	George Mason George Mason George Mason IV was an American Patriot, statesman and a delegate from Virginia to the U.S. Constitutional Convention...	Cholsey and Wallingford Railway Cholsey and Wallingford Railway The Cholsey and Wallingford Railway is a long standard gauge heritage railway in the English county of Oxfordshire. It operates along most of the length of the former Wallingford branch of the Great Western Railway , from Cholsey station, north of Reading on the Great Western Main Line, to a...	Operational	BR Green
13201	D3201	08133	-	-	Severn Valley Railway Severn Valley Railway The Severn Valley Railway is a heritage railway in Shropshire and Worcestershire, England. The line runs along the Severn Valley from Bridgnorth to Kidderminster, following the course of the River Severn for much of its route...	Undergoing overhaul	BR Green
13232	D3232	08164	-	-	East Lancashire Railway East Lancashire Railway The East Lancashire Railway is a heritage railway in Lancashire and Greater Manchester, England.-Overview:After formal closure by British Rail in 1982, the line was reopened on 25 July 1987. The initial service operated between Bury and Ramsbottom, via Summerseat. In 1991 the service was extended...	Operational	BR Green
13236	D3236	08168	-	-	Battlefield Line Railway Battlefield Line Railway The Battlefield Line Railway is a heritage railway in Leicestershire, England. It runs from Shackerstone to Shenton , via Market Bosworth, a total of...	Operational; on loan to the Bluebell Railway Bluebell Railway The Bluebell Railway is a heritage line running for nine miles along the border between East and West Sussex, England. Steam trains are operated between and , with an intermediate station at .The railway is managed and run largely by volunteers...	BR Black
13255	D3255	-	-	-	Private site, near York	To be restored	N/A
13261	D3261	-	-	-	Swindon and Cricklade Railway Swindon and Cricklade Railway The Swindon & Cricklade Railway is a heritage railway in Wiltshire, England, that operates on a short section of the old Midland and South Western Junction Railway line between Swindon and Cricklade.-History:...	Undergoing restoration	BR Green
13265	D3265	08195	WD40	Mark Mark (given name) Mark is a common male given name and is derived from old Latin "Mart-kos", which means "consecrated to the god Mars". Marcus was one of the three most common given names in Ancient Rome. See Roman given names.-Acting:* Mark A...	Llangollen Railway Llangollen Railway The Llangollen Railway is a volunteer-run preserved railway in Denbighshire, Wales, which operates between Llangollen and Carrog; at long, it is the longest preserved standard gauge line in Wales and operates daily in Summer as well as weekends throughout the Winter months using a wide variety of...	Operational	BR Black
13290	D3290	08220	-	-	Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre The Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre is a heritage centre based at Ruddington, Nottinghamshire, the terminus of the northern section of the Great Central Railway . The site includes locomotive and rolling stock workshops , as well as cafeteria and shops...	Operational	BR Blue
13308	D3308	08238	-	Charlie	Dean Forest Railway Dean Forest Railway The Dean Forest Railway is a long heritage railway that runs between Lydney and Parkend in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. The route was part of the Severn and Wye Railway which ran from Lydney to Cinderford. The society that operates the line started steam locomotive operations in 1971, and...	Operational	BR Blue with Wasp Stripes
13336	D3336	08266	-	-	Keighley and Worth Valley Railway Keighley and Worth Valley Railway The Keighley and Worth Valley Railway is a long branch line that served mills and villages in the Worth Valley and is now a heritage railway line in West Yorkshire, England. It runs from Keighley to Oxenhope. It connects to the national rail network line at Keighley railway station...	Operational	BR Green
13358	D3358	08288	-	-	Mid Hants Railway	Operational	BR Black
-	D3401	08331	-	-	Midland Railway - Butterley Midland Railway - Butterley The Midland Railway – Butterley is a heritage railway, formerly known until 2004 as the Midland Railway Centre, at Butterley, near Ripley in Derbyshire.-Overview:...	Operational	Black
-	D3420	08350	-	-	Crewe Heritage Centre	Scrapped. Early 2009.	BR Green
-	D3429	08359	-	-	Telford Steam Railway Telford Steam Railway The Telford Steam Railway is a heritage railway located at Horsehay, Telford in Shropshire, England, formed in 1976.The railway is operated by volunteers on Sundays and Bank Holidays from Easter to the end of September, and at Christmas...	Operational	BR Green
-	D3462	08377	-	-	West Somerset Railway West Somerset Railway The West Somerset Railway is a railway line that originally linked and in Somerset, England.It opened in 1862 and was extended from Watchet to by the Minehead Railway in 1874. Although just a single track, improvements were needed in the first half of the twentieth century to accommodate the...	Operational	BR Green
-	D3503	08388	-	-	Private Site Property Property is any physical or intangible entity that is owned by a person or jointly by a group of people or a legal entity like a corporation...	Undergoing restoration	Trainload Petroleum
-	D3551	08436	-	-	Swanage Railway Swanage Railway The Swanage Railway is a long heritage railway in the Purbeck district of Dorset, England. The railway follows the route of the Purbeck branch line between Norden railway station, Corfe Castle railway station, Harman's Cross railway station, Herston Halt railway station and Swanage...	Operational	Black
-	D3558	08443	-	-	Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway The Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway is a Heritage railway in Falkirk, Scotland. It is operated by the Scottish Railway Preservation Society, and operates some 5 miles of track, virtually the entire Slamannan and Borrowstounness Railway that became part of the former North British Railway on the Firth...	Operational	BR Green (No Logo)
-	D3559	08444	-	-	Bodmin and Wenford Railway Bodmin and Wenford Railway The Bodmin & Wenford Railway is a heritage railway, based at Bodmin in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It has an interchange with the national rail network at Bodmin Parkway railway station, the southern terminus of the line.-History:...	Operational	BR Green
-	D3560	08445	-	-	East Lancashire Railway East Lancashire Railway The East Lancashire Railway is a heritage railway in Lancashire and Greater Manchester, England.-Overview:After formal closure by British Rail in 1982, the line was reopened on 25 July 1987. The initial service operated between Bury and Ramsbottom, via Summerseat. In 1991 the service was extended...	Awaiting repair	Grey
-	D3586	08471	-	-	Severn Valley Railway Severn Valley Railway The Severn Valley Railway is a heritage railway in Shropshire and Worcestershire, England. The line runs along the Severn Valley from Bridgnorth to Kidderminster, following the course of the River Severn for much of its route...	Operational	BR Green
-	D3588	08473	-	-	Dean Forest Railway Dean Forest Railway The Dean Forest Railway is a long heritage railway that runs between Lydney and Parkend in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. The route was part of the Severn and Wye Railway which ran from Lydney to Cinderford. The society that operates the line started steam locomotive operations in 1971, and...	Stored; source of spares	BR Blue
-	D3591	08476	-	-	Swanage Railway Swanage Railway The Swanage Railway is a long heritage railway in the Purbeck district of Dorset, England. The railway follows the route of the Purbeck branch line between Norden railway station, Corfe Castle railway station, Harman's Cross railway station, Herston Halt railway station and Swanage...	Undergoing overhaul	BR Black
-	D3596	08481	-	-	Vale of Glamorgan Railway Vale of Glamorgan Railway The Barry Tourist Railway is a railway developed to attract visitors to Barry in the Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales...	Operational	BR Blue
-	D3605	08490	-	-	Strathspey Railway	Operational	Black
-	D3723	08556	-	-	North Yorkshire Moors Railway North Yorkshire Moors Railway The North Yorkshire Moors Railway is a heritage railway in North Yorkshire, England. First opened in 1836 as the Whitby and Pickering Railway, the railway was planned in 1831 by George Stephenson as a means of opening up trade routes inland from the then important seaport of Whitby. The line...	Operational	BR Green
-	08576	D3743	-	-	Battlefield Line Railway Battlefield Line Railway The Battlefield Line Railway is a heritage railway in Leicestershire, England. It runs from Shackerstone to Shenton , via Market Bosworth, a total of...	Awaiting restoration	BR Blue
-	D3757	08590	-	Red Lion	Midland Railway - Butterley Midland Railway - Butterley The Midland Railway – Butterley is a heritage railway, formerly known until 2004 as the Midland Railway Centre, at Butterley, near Ripley in Derbyshire.-Overview:...	Operational	Maroon, Black Roof
-	D3761	08594	-	-	Private Site Property Property is any physical or intangible entity that is owned by a person or jointly by a group of people or a legal entity like a corporation...	Awaiting overhaul	BR Blue
-	D3771	08604	604	Phantom Ghost In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to...	Didcot Railway Centre Didcot Railway Centre Didcot Railway Centre, located in the town of Didcot in the English county of Oxfordshire, is based around the site of a comprehensive "engine shed" which became redundant after the nationalisation of the UK railways, due to the gradual changeover from steam to diesel motive power.-Description:The...	Operational	BR Green
-	D3795	08628	-	-	Private Site Property Property is any physical or intangible entity that is owned by a person or jointly by a group of people or a legal entity like a corporation...	Awaiting overhaul	BR Blue
-	D3798	08631	-	Eagle Eagle Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...	Mid Norfolk Railway	Operational	Network SouthEast Network SouthEast Network SouthEast was one of three passenger sectors of British Rail created in 1982. NSE principally operated commuter trains in the London area and inter-urban services in densely populated South East England, although the network reached as far west as Exeter...
-	D3861	08694	-	-	Great Central Railway Great Central Railway (preserved) The Great Central Railway is a heritage railway split into two adjacent sections, one in Leicestershire and the other Nottinghamshire.The Leicestershire section is currently Britain's only double track mainline heritage railway, with of working double track, period signalling, locomotives and...	Awaiting Repairs	EWS EWS DB Schenker Rail , before 2009 known as English, Welsh and Scottish Railway is a British rail freight company. EWS was established by a consortium led by Wisconsin Central Transportation Corporation in 1996 by acquisition of five of the six freight companies created by the privatisation of British...
-	D3867	08700	-	-	East Lancashire Railway East Lancashire Railway The East Lancashire Railway is a heritage railway in Lancashire and Greater Manchester, England.-Overview:After formal closure by British Rail in 1982, the line was reopened on 25 July 1987. The initial service operated between Bury and Ramsbottom, via Summerseat. In 1991 the service was extended...	Operational	BR Blue
-	D3871	08704	-	-	Private Site Property Property is any physical or intangible entity that is owned by a person or jointly by a group of people or a legal entity like a corporation...	Operational	BR Green
-	D3902	08734	-	-	Dean Forest Railway Dean Forest Railway The Dean Forest Railway is a long heritage railway that runs between Lydney and Parkend in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. The route was part of the Severn and Wye Railway which ran from Lydney to Cinderford. The society that operates the line started steam locomotive operations in 1971, and...	Awaiting restoration	Blue
-	D3918	08750	-	-	Private Site Property Property is any physical or intangible entity that is owned by a person or jointly by a group of people or a legal entity like a corporation...	Operational	Black
-	D3935	08767	-	-	North Norfolk Railway North Norfolk Railway The North Norfolk Railway – also known as the "Poppy Line" – is a heritage steam railway in Norfolk, England, running between the coastal town of Sheringham and Holt, It cuts through the countryside to the east of Weybourne with views of its windmill and passes through the well preserved country...	Undergoing overhaul	BR Green
-	D3937	08769	-	Gladys	Severn Valley Railway Severn Valley Railway The Severn Valley Railway is a heritage railway in Shropshire and Worcestershire, England. The line runs along the Severn Valley from Bridgnorth to Kidderminster, following the course of the River Severn for much of its route...	Operational	BR Green
-	D3940	08772	-	Tiny/Camulodunum Camulodunum Camulodunum is the Roman name for the ancient settlement which is today's Colchester, a town in Essex, England. Camulodunum is claimed to be the oldest town in Britain as recorded by the Romans, existing as a Celtic settlement before the Roman conquest, when it became the first Roman town, and...	North Norfolk Railway North Norfolk Railway The North Norfolk Railway – also known as the "Poppy Line" – is a heritage steam railway in Norfolk, England, running between the coastal town of Sheringham and Holt, It cuts through the countryside to the east of Weybourne with views of its windmill and passes through the well preserved country...	Operational	BR Green
-	D3941	08773	-	-	Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway The Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway is a heritage railway in North Yorkshire, England, . It is part of the former Midland Railway branch from Skipton to Ilkley . The E&BASR currently runs from Embsay via Draughton and Holywell to Bolton Abbey station, a distance of...	Operational	BR Blue
-	D3948	08780	-	-	Private Site Property Property is any physical or intangible entity that is owned by a person or jointly by a group of people or a legal entity like a corporation...	Operational	Dark Blue
-	D3991	08823	-	-	Churnet Valley Railway Churnet Valley Railway The Churnet Valley Railway is a standard gauge heritage railway to the east of Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire. The CVR has two main operational headquarters - Cheddleton station, where the motive power department is based and where the first trains ran, and Kingsley and Froghall station, where...	Operational	BR Blue
-	D3993	08825	-	-	Battlefield Line Railway Battlefield Line Railway The Battlefield Line Railway is a heritage railway in Leicestershire, England. It runs from Shackerstone to Shenton , via Market Bosworth, a total of...	Awaiting restoration	BR Blue
-	D4018	08850	4018	-	North Yorkshire Moors Railway North Yorkshire Moors Railway The North Yorkshire Moors Railway is a heritage railway in North Yorkshire, England. First opened in 1836 as the Whitby and Pickering Railway, the railway was planned in 1831 by George Stephenson as a means of opening up trade routes inland from the then important seaport of Whitby. The line...	Operational	BR Blue
-	D4141	08911	-	-	National Railway Museum National Railway Museum The National Railway Museum is a museum in York forming part of the British National Museum of Science and Industry and telling the story of rail transport in Britain and its impact on society. It has won many awards, including the European Museum of the Year Award in 2001...	Operational	Railfreight Grey Railfreight Railfreight was a sector of British Rail responsible for all freight operations on the British network. The division was created in 1982 when BR sought to assign particular stock and management to the evolving requirements of freight traffic...
-	D4167	08937	-	Bluebell Common Bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta, commonly known as the common bluebell, is a spring-flowering bulbous perennial plant. -Taxonomy:... Mel	Dartmoor Railway Dartmoor Railway The Dartmoor Railway is a long railway line in Devon, England. From Crediton the line parallels the Tarka Line to the site of the former Coleford Junction. Heading west it then serves Sampford Courtenay, Okehampton and Meldon Quarry. The route is owned from Coleford to Meldon by Aggregate...	Operational	BR Green
-	D4174	08944	-	-	East Lancashire Railway East Lancashire Railway The East Lancashire Railway is a heritage railway in Lancashire and Greater Manchester, England.-Overview:After formal closure by British Rail in 1982, the line was reopened on 25 July 1987. The initial service operated between Bury and Ramsbottom, via Summerseat. In 1991 the service was extended...	Awaiting repair	Black