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Accurascale ACC3206-DCC

BR Class 08 - Freightliner/G&W Orange - 08785 - DCC Sound

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

Prototype Era
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.

Accurascale Class 08 Freightliner/G&W Orange 08785 is a ready‑to‑run diesel shunter locomotive equipped with DCC sound and interior lighting. It is supplied as a standard Class 08 unit, carries the manufacturer part number ACC3206‑DCC and represents the early privatisation period of British rail.

The model is part of Accurascale’s “Accuragronk” range, introduced in response to strong demand from the modelling community. The range includes three historically significant variants: the common British Rail Class 08 shunter, the less‑known Class 10 with its Blackstone engine and GEC electrical gear, and the low‑profile Class 08/9 that was altered at Landore Depot in 1986 for the height‑restricted Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley line.

Technical specifications focus on realistic shunting performance. A large‑diameter coreless motor drives a helical gearbox to provide smooth, low‑speed operation. Each locomotive is fitted with a PowerPack/Stay‑Alive capacitor to maintain uninterrupted running over points and crossings. Sound is supplied by an ESU LokSound 5 decoder with permanently fitted twin “sugar cube” speakers, offering selectable engine sounds including the unique Class 10 audio.

Lighting is fully directional, using fibre‑optic and LED units. Options cover marker lights, high‑intensity headlights, flashing beacons and separate cab lighting configurations. The chassis and underframe are die‑cast metal for maximum weight and tractive effort, while the body and cab are ABS with metal and wire detailing appropriate to the era and variant.

Accuracy has been reinforced through extensive survey work across the UK, with particular assistance from the Freightliner Group at Southampton Terminal and visits to preservation sites from County Durham to Kent. This collaboration ensures that the operational and visual details of the shunter family are faithfully reproduced.