LMS Route: Birmingham New Street to Tamworth

LMS Route: Nuneaton to Birmingham New Street

Bromford Bridge Station: mrbb1292

An unidentified Class 08 Diesel shunter is seen on Washwood Heath sidings headshunt circa 1966. Based on the LMS 12033 series, the pioneer Class 08 No D3000 was built in 1952 although it did not enter service until 1953 and production continued at the British Railways works of Crewe, Darlington, Derby and Doncaster until 1962. In total 996 locomotives were produced making it the most numerous of all British locomotive classes. As the standard general-purpose diesel shunter on BR, almost any duty requiring shunting would involve a Class 08. The class became a familiar sight at many major stations and freight yards. However, since their introduction, 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, 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 Consequently, a large proportion of the class has been withdrawn from mainline use and stored, scrapped, exported or sold to industrial or heritage railways.

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