BR Class 08 13201

BRBritish Rail or British Railways Class 08 13201
D3201 at Kidderminster (2015)
Built By	BRBritish Rail or British Railways Derby Works
Configuration	0-6-0
Power type	Diesel Electrical
Status	Operational
Loco Number	D3201
Other Numbers	13201, 08133
History
Built	1955
Designed By	BRBritish Rail or British Railways
Type	Class 08
1980	Withdrawn by BRBritish Rail or British Railways, to industry
2003	Preserved, arrived on SVRSevern Valley Railway
Technical
Length	29ft 3in
Weight	49t
Diesel Locomotives

13201 is an 0-6-0 Class 08 350hp diesel electric shunting locomotive. As the standard BRBritish Rail or British Railways general-purpose diesel shunter, the Class 08 or 'gronk' became the most numerous of any British locomotive class with 996 built between 1952 and 1962.

13201 in main line service

The locomotive was built at Derby Works and entered BRBritish Rail or British Railways service in December 1955 as number 13201, being initially allocated to Polmadie (Glasgow). In 1960 it was renumbered D3201 by BRBritish Rail or British Railways. During the 1960s D3201 saw moves to other Scottish sheds at Hamilton (West), Corkerhill and Ayr, before a move south to Lincoln in October 1968.

In October 1973 D3201 received its final number from BRBritish Rail or British Railways, becoming No 08133 under the TOPSTotal Operations Processing System, an American computer system adopted by BR from the late 1960s to number and manage rolling stock. numbering scheme. The locomotive remained at Lincoln until withdrawn from service in September 1980.

After withdrawal by BRBritish Rail or British Railways, 13201 saw industrial service with Sheerness Iron & Steel.

D3201 in preservation

In Spring 2003 SVRSevern Valley Railway News announced that the 08 Group had acquired 08133 from HNRC as a potential source of spares for their other locomotive D3022. The SVRSevern Valley Railway Board had agreed with the Group that either use as a source of spares or as a potential working locomotive was acceptable. The Group opted for restoration, the worst aspects of the loco being worn tyres and poor wiring. Some spare parts were in stock from when D3022 was acquired 20 years earlier, while other missing parts were sourced. By 2006 the locomotive was still waiting for new wheelsets to be fitted but much other work had been carried out, including vacuum gear components and associated pipework, filters and new wiring, repaired radiators and new return water circuit pipework. A section of new floor platework had been welded into position and a new wooden floor constructed, while the cab had new doorframes and doors.

In summer 2009 the locomotive, now re-numbered D3201, was still awaiting installation on reconditioned wheelsets using axle boxes that were being reconditioned at Bridgnorth. Electrical work was also continuing including replacement wiring and overhaul of components. It was finally re-wheeled in late spring 2010 and first moved under its own power in late 2011, before finally entering service in late 2012.

In 2018 the locomotive underwent planned maintenance including a main engine top overhaul, exhauster motors overhaul, resistor panel overhaul and general refurbishment of electrics.

D3201 was renumbered back to 13201 in 2019. The locomotive is normally based at Kidderminster and is currently in BRBritish Rail or British Railways green livery.

In 2022 Dapol produced an O gauge model in green livery as D3201.

• 

  13201 shunting at Kidderminster in April 2021

See also

• Diesel Locomotives
• Models of the Severn Valley Railway

References

Links

BR Class 08 on Wikipedia