Built in 1961
Wheel Arrangement: Bo-Bo (Two bogies with two axles both independently driven)
Weight: 72 Tons
Max Speed: 75 MPH
Fuel Tank Capacity: 400 Gallons
Length: 46 ft 9 ins
Engine size: 120 Litres
Blue Star multiple fitted
Dual Braked
One of 228 built
Built with a English Electric 8SVT (8 Cylinder Vee engine)
Turbo Charged
1000 HP
Max Tractive Effort 42,000 lbs
TOPS Classification Class 20
This class of engine was classified as freight engines and therefore the original specification required no boiler to be fitted.
Locomotive History
D8098 was built by English Electric/Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns Ltd, Darlington in 1961, works no. 3003/8255. It was built in the pattern of the locomotives allocated to Scotland, with larger cab side windows and a cab recess for the automatic token catching equipment.
First allocated to 65A, Eastfield, Glasgow.
D8098 received its Tops no. 20 098 in May 1974
Stored Unserviceable in Dec 1982 but a reprieve sent it to Crewe for a last overhaul, emerging in August 1983. During this overhaul its cab recess for the token equipment was removed.
D8098’s last Depot was Thornaby (TE) and finally withdrawn in June 1991 with a seized turbo charger.
The Type One Locomotive Company purchased the locomotive for £5250 plus vat, and after a visit to MC Metals in Glasgow for removal of asbestos, it arrive on the GCR on 22nd May 1992. After replacement of both turbo chargers it returned to traffic 21st Nov 1992.
It was repainted into BR Green with full yellow ends over the winter of 1993 and appeared for the first time in this livery for the May Gala in 1994.
The locomotive has been a workhorse for the GCR working Passenger trains, Permanent Way (PW) work and shunting, it was the first locomotive to travel from Rothley to Loughborough on the newly laid second track. It assisted the testing of the first batch of DRS Class 20’s on the GCR in 1995.
It has assisted in many films, the first was ‘She’s out’. It has appeared both in front of the camera and as a platform for the camera to shoot another train.
When she first arrived she was facing North, later to be turned using an Allelys lorry, so that a bogie swap could be undertaken. She has been turned back to face north being one of the first locomotives turned on the new Quorn Turntable. With this facility turning the locomotive is a lot cheaper and easier.
The Power unit was lifted so that a full overhaul could be completed which should see the locomotive continue in service for a considerable length of time.
In July 2011 D8098 was withdrawn for body work repairs and a full repaint into BR Green.
