WAR DEPARTMENT/MINISTRY OF DEFENCE LOCOMOTIVES
7074 - WD Class 8F 2-8-0 - built 07/43 by Vulcan Foundry Co. - 07/43 to LNER - 01/45 to WD No.77074 - 02/45 to Belgium, later France - 09/47 to SR, Feltham - 09/50 to BR No.90543 - 02/65 withdrawn from 56A Wakefield- seen here when new.
The War Department "Austerity" 2-8-0 is a type of heavy freight steam locomotive that was introduced in 1943 for war service. A total of 935 were built, making this one of the most-produced classes of British steam locomotive. The locomotive was a redesigned Stanier 8F, built for economy rather than longevity, 545 were built by the North British Loco Co. and the other 390 by the Vulcan Foundry. The whole class but for three served in Europe after D-Day and many returned to Britain postwar. 200 were sold to the LNER as Class O7 and a further 533 were sold to the BTC. These 733 became British Railways Class WD in 1948, numbered 90000 to 90732. In 1946, 12 were sold to the Kowloon - Canton Railway, 184 went to Holland as NS Class 4300 and 1 went to USATC. The WD retained 5 engines, scrapped 3 and the other two served on the Longmoor Military Railway.