The Bachmann design perfectly captures this common prototype, with a highly detailed body shell made up of numerous components such as separate handrails, lamp brackets, and even windscreen wipers.
The chassis and the distinctive outside frames are accurately recreated, while a strong five-pole motor geared for shunting allows this great Bachmann model to take care of even the most demanding jobs.
The model has the BR Early Emblem on each side and red buffer beams and coupling rods, as it depicts a railway in the early BR Black livery.
CLASS 08 HISTORY
The LMS was the first to develop diesel shunters during the 1930s. It became clear that this kind of traction had several benefits over steam locomotives, such as being "ready to use" and requiring less maintenance.
By the time of Nationalization in 1948, the LMS had already developed several shunters based on its 12033 series, and BR adopted it as the foundation for a new standard design of diesel-electric shunting locomotive.
BR built additional 12033 series locomotives as a stopgap while the Class 08 was being designed, and these would later be numbered as class 11s.
The first 08s were produced in 1952, with the first example, No. 13000, going into service in 1953.
Construction lasted until 1962, and during that time 996 engines were produced, making the Class 08 the most numerous of all British locomotive classes.
Built ‘in-house’ at BR’s Crewe, Darlington, Derby, Doncaster and Horwich Works, the 08s were allocated across the BR regions.
Many were based at major stations and terminals where the rolling stock was marshalled and positioned ready for service, and of course at many freight facilities.
Although they could manage only 15 mph, the 08s compensated for it with their tremendous tractive effort, which was more than double that of the 03s and 04s.
Despite the fact that the first example was discontinued in 1967, only four had gone ahead of time before the introduction of TOPS, and despite a continual decrease in shunting engines required.
At the start of the 21st century, one-quarter of the Class was still in traffic.
EWS inherited a number of the survivors when British Rail was privatized in 1994, with others being supplied to passenger operators for use as depot shunters.
EWS kept running over 40 of the shunters more than a decade later, with many more in store.
Even today, Class 08s can still be found earning their keep at numerous depots, freight facilities and railway workshops.
Meanwhile, since the first withdrawals, Class 08s have been quite popular with heritage railways and today more than 70 of them are still in operation. They're generally performing similar activities to those for which they were designed over 60 years ago.
