The Kent and East Sussex Railway has announced that they have expanded their diesel fleet with the addition of Class 08 No. 08359.
The shunter is owned by The Diesel Electric Shunter Company and will stay at the KESR for an initial two-year period.
08359 will be primarily used to haul engineering trains for the P-Way department and will be used as the Motive Power Department shunter as well as carrying out carriage shutting at Tenterden.
08359 was built at the BR workshops in Crewe and is the oldest surviving diesel-electric locomotive that was built at the Cheshire Works.
What do you think of this? Let us know in the comments below.
Responses
Fantastic to see the only one of the first 20 built at Crewe.
But spare a thought for D3420, an even earlier build from 1957. Also preserved, it even made it back to Crewe working for L & NWR. Somehow it moved to Butterley and on to Ron Hull Jr who reduced the only 1957 Crewe built diesel to scrap.
Think these trains had delays brake for smooth stop so u brake a long time before stop point so no body go flying to front of train you won’t that in buffet carriage lol
Class 99 made Spain class 47 wos my fav made in blighty think sum are working main line or wos
Max speed 15 mph but a lot better than a Jintty or saddle tank!
I recall similar shunters operating on a spur line to the large ICI factory in Winnington Cheshire in the 1950s. They were named after scientists i recall, Davy and Joule were two
I think one may be a static exhibit at Albert Dock Liverpool.
Is this the last?
Top class loco built North of the gap but now it’s below it !! , for the loco still exist it’s good.
In the mid 1970s this class of shunter became my favourite to photograph (amongst othersl. The Deltic class is another of my favourites too. I have several images these deisal-electric shunters, they are so photogenic (well to me anyway), I loved their shape and colour scheme. Good to see images of a surviving one.
Many thanks.
Regards Rob.
Pity the works was closed down we made great locos and still could but now it’s a housing estate ex employer.