2-8-0 WD Austerity Profile and Models

The War Department (WD) "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. They were nicknamed Ozzies by the railwaymen. The Austerity 2-8-0 was based on the LMS Class 8F, which until that point had been the government's standard design. Various modifications were made to the 8F design by R.A. Riddles in order to prioritise low cost over design life. After the end of the conflict, the War Department disposed of 930 locomotives, 200 were sold to the LNER, which classified them as "Class O7", many of which passed into BR service. 12 were exported to Hong Kong to work on the British colony's Kowloon-Canton Railway. Others remained in Europe, mostly in the Netherlands and one was exported to the United States. One has been preserved at the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway.

(Information provided via Wikipedia)

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Surviving Examples