BR Class 08 no.08663

• No. 08663
• Construction year: 1959
• Builder: British Railways – Horwich Works
• In Service

One of the ubiquitous BR Class 08 shunters, of which 996 were built between 1952 and 1962, 08663 was built at Horwich Works as D3830. The loco entered traffic as D3830 on the 5th June 1959 and was renumbered 08663 in March 1974.

After entering service at Danygraig in Swansea, it would spend almost thirty years in South Wales, also being based at Landore and Cardiff Canton depots, before being transferred to St Blazey in Cornwall in 1988. During its time at Swansea Landore, in September 1981 the loco was fitted with buckeye couplings to speed up shunting vehicles around. After a short stay at St Blazey, it moved to Laira in Plymouth, where it would be withdrawn from BR service in May 1990.

Just one month later, it would be reinstated by Great Western Trains for further use at the depot. It would later move to St Philips Marsh in Bristol before finally being put up for disposal in 2019 by Great Western Railway.

08663 was bought by the Avon Valley Railway for £1, and arrived at the railway in July 2019.