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Accurascale ACC3196

BR Class 08/9 - BR Railfreight Coal Triple Grey - 08995

Manufacturer catalogue image - please note that pre-release images may be CAD renders or CGI images rather than photographs

Prototype Eras
Era 8 (1983 to 1994) British Rail Sectorisation
Era 9 (1995 to 2004) Initial Privatisation

Manufacturer description

English Electric’s 1934 diesel-electric shunter No. 7079 for the LMS proved highly successful and led to further orders across all the “Big Four” railways. Its lineage fed directly into British Railways’ push, after 1948 nationalisation, to create a standardised large shunting locomotive. Drawing heavily on the LMS 350 hp design but incorporating improvements and flexibility for different engines and electrical equipment, the resulting BR standard 0-6-0 diesel-electric shunter—later known as the Class 08—entered production in 1952 as No. 13000.

Between 1950 and 1962, 1,193 locomotives were built at several BR workshops, with multiple engine/electrical pairings and a higher-geared variant for the Southern Region that became the Class 09. The locomotives evolved through different liveries, safety markings and braking systems, and by the 1970s were allocated TOPS classifications: Class 08, 09 and 10. As yards declined in the 1980s–90s, the fleet shrank, though hundreds survived into privatisation.

Today, around 250 examples remain in service or preservation, with some still working for Freightliner and others being converted for modern green traction, proving the enduring flexibility of the original design.

Catalogue listing

Model details

Prototype information

^* Class names often change over the lifespan of a locomotive, so this is not necessarily the class name used by the operator in the period modelled.

The Accurascale Class 08/9 BR Railfreight Coal Triple Grey 08995 is a ready‑to‑run 4 mm (HO) scale model of a British Rail diesel shunter. It represents the low‑profile conversion of Class 08/9 locomotives that were modified at Landore Depot in 1986 to operate on the height‑restricted Burry Port & Gwendraeth Valley line in Wales, and later served under EWS at locations such as Doncaster and Westbury. The model carries the Accurascale part number ACC3196 and belongs to the “Accuragronk” range that also includes standard Class 08, Class 10 and other historically significant variants.

Key technical features include a high‑quality large‑diameter coreless motor with a helical gearbox for smooth, low‑speed operation, a PowerPack/Stay‑Alive capacitor for uninterrupted running, and an ESU LokSound 5 decoder with twin “sugar cube” speakers providing DCC sound, including a unique engine‑type option for the Class 10. Lighting is comprehensive, with directional fibre‑optic and LED fixtures covering marker lights, high‑intensity headlights, flashing beacons and separate cab lighting. The chassis and underframe are die‑cast metal, while the body and cab are made from ABS with metal and wire detailing appropriate to the era.

The model’s accuracy was supported by survey work across the United Kingdom, including access to Freightliner Group operations at Southampton Terminal and visits to preservation sites in County Durham, North Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Kent, East Sussex, Hampshire and Wiltshire. It is supplied with interior lighting and is marketed as part of Accurascale’s response to strong demand from the modelling community for this ubiquitous “Gronk” shunter.