LMS Stanier 8F Class: 48305

The London Midland and Scottish Railway's class 8F is a class of steam locomotive designed for hauling heavy freight. 852 were built between 1935 and 1946 (not all to LMS order), as a freight version of William Stanier's successful Black Five, and the class saw extensive service overseas during and after the Second World War.

LMS freight traction suffered from the adoption of the Midland Railway's small engine policy which had left it with trainsdouble-headed by underpowered 0-6-0s supplemented by disappointing Garratts and Fowler 7F 0-8-0s. The 8F design incorporated thetwo-cylinder arrangement of the Black Fives.They were initially classified 7F, but this was later changed to the more familiar 8F.