User:Tony May/Stanier Class 8F

To go into Stanier Class 8F:

The Stanier Class 8F is a design of 2-8-0 steam locomotive, originally built by the London Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) from 1935 (see LMS Stanier Class 8F), the design was subsequently adopted by the War Department as the standard British war locomotive (see WD Stanier Class 8F). The story is somewhat complex however, as transfers occurred between LMS and WD stock. The WD employed some engines abroad during the war, particularly in the Middle Eastern Theatre. After the war, although most ended up working in Great Britain (for them see LMS Stanier Class 8F), some also worked in Italy, Turkey (TCDD 45151 Class) and the Middle East countries of Egypt, Iran, Iraq and Israel.

Construction
A total of 852 locomotives were built, which can be summarised in the following table:

Preservation
Eleven 8Fs have been preserved (i.e. are owned by preservationists, reasonably complete with restoration planned). Six of these are ex-BR and preserved in Britain. A further ex-BR survivor has been scrapped by preservationists to provide parts for the GWR County Project (boiler) and the LMS Patriot Project (axleboxes). Three ex-TCDD locomotives have been repatriated to Britain from Turkey, giving a total of nine 8Fs in Britain. Additionally, there are believed to be a few remaining hulks slowly rusting in Turkey and one in Iraq. The long term future of these engines is unclear; their best hope for joining the preserved 8Fs is that they are also repatriated to Britain. Two more are also visible underwater on the wreck of the SS Thistlegorm.