 the british rail (br) class 08 is a class of diesel-electric shunting locomotive. the pioneer class 08 no. d3000 (currently preserved at the heritage shunters trust based at peak rail) was built in 1952 although it did not enter service until 1953. production continued until 1962; 996 locomotives were produced, making it the most numerous of all british locomotive classes. as the standard br general-purpose diesel shunter, almost any duty requiring shunting would involve a class 08. the class became a familiar sight at many major stations and freight yards. since their introduction, though, 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 consequently, a large proportion of the class has been withdrawn from mainline use and stored, scrapped, exported or sold to industrial or heritage railways. as of 2011, around 100 locomotives remain working on industrial sidings and on the main british
British_Rail_diesel_locomotives C_locomotives English_Electric_locomotives Railway_locomotives_introduced_in_1953 Standard_gauge_railway_locomotives