POWER OF THE 8Fs

In 1932, when William Stanier became Chief Mechanical Engineer of the LMSR, the railway’s need for a heavy freight locomotive was becoming critical. The result was the 2-8-0s that eventually became the ‘8F’ class. First introduced in 1935, some 125 were constructed by the outbreak of war, but it was the adoption of the class by the War Department that led to the huge number constructed during those years, with a total of 852 being completed by the time that production ceased in October 1946. Postwar, a large number of those constructed for military use were passed back to the domestic railways, with the last being demobilised as late as 1957. Others remained overseas in places like Iran and Iraq. At the class’ peak in 1957, some 666 were in BR service. Examples of the type remained on duty until the very end of main line steam in August 1968. Subsequently, a number have been preserved.

The ‘8Fs’ represented one of the most successful and influential of Sir William Stanier’s designs for the LMS. Power of the 8Fs is an evocative tribute to this much-loved class of locomotive, which will be of interest to historians and railway modellers alike. 

Author: Jeff Ryan, David McInctosh & George Moon
Format: HB 112 pages
Publisher: OPC
Pub date: March 2006
ISBN 10: 0860935949
ISBN 13: 9780860935940

List Price: £19.99