The Class 58 Locomotive Group (C58LG) continues to lead the charge in safeguarding the legacy of these unique locomotives.

Our work combines care of the Group’s two spare cabs with archives, publications, research and events, maintaining a connection to an era of bold design and innovation in Britain’s railway story.

We invite you to explore our website and discover more about the Class 58’s history, the technical and operational milestones we’ve achieved, and our plans for the future. You’ll also find details on how to support our work, whether through volunteering, making a donation, or simply sharing the story of the Class 58s.

Becoming a member is one of the best ways to get involved. For just £12 a year, members receive our in-house magazine, Red Diamond (named after the Class 58’s multiple-working code), which is packed with updates, articles and insights. Members can also take part in Group meetings, events, archive work and organised working parties on the spare cabs. Membership does not offer work on independently owned locomotives.

The Class 58 Locomotive Group offers a growing range of merchandise for enthusiasts who want to celebrate and support one of Britain’s most distinctive freight locomotive classes.

Our online shop & sales stand features a selection of clothing, publications, collectables, and gifts inspired by the British Rail Class 58. Whether you are looking for a quality polo shirt, historical publications, or a unique railway-themed gift, the range has something for every supporter of the Class 58s.

Back issues of Red Diamond, the Group’s magazine named after the Class 58 multiple-working code are available online. Packed with photographs, historical research, technical insight, and preservation updates, it provides a detailed look at the story of the Class 58 locomotives

Every purchase directly supports the work of the Class 58 Locomotive Group, helping us to preserve the history and legacy of these iconic locomotives for future generations.

Explore the range on the website, or visit us at an event or gala and discover the latest additions to our Class 58 merchandise collection.

After completing the Class 58 project, British Rail Engineering Limited (BREL) at Doncaster constructed two additional spare cabs for the Class 58 locomotives.

The cabs were essential in maintaining the operational readiness of the Class 58 fleet. Freight locomotives are subjected to harsh conditions, and damage or wear due to their working conditions or accident damage to the cabs could result in significant downtime. With spare cabs readily available, operators could quickly replace damaged units, ensuring that freight operations remained uninterrupted. This capability was substantial in the late 1980s and into the 1990s when the demand for reliable freight transportation was high.

Luckily, none of the fleet of 50 locomotives suffered significant damage, meaning that both cabs were left unused at the BREL site in Doncaster for over 20 years, and the story continues as we progress with the restoration of both cabs.

One of the spare cabs is currrently externally restored and is on display at Swanwick Juction, Midland Railway - Butterley. Work will continue on the cab, to internally restore the cab to a full static display.

Over the years the Class 58 Locomotive Group has assembled a significant archive of historical and technical material relating to Class 58 locomotives. This collection helps preserve the engineering history and operational story of the class and provides an important reference for enthusiasts, researchers, and preservationists alike

Alongside technical material, the Group also holds historical records, photographs, publications, and other documentation that help tell the wider story of the class — from their construction at Doncaster Works to their roles on heavy freight duties across the network.

Preserving these documents is an important part of safeguarding the legacy of the Class 58. The archive helps ensure that knowledge about the locomotives’ design, engineering, and operation is not lost and remains available to support future research, restoration work, and historical study.

These records offer valuable insight into the design, construction, and operation of the Class 58 fleet from their introduction in the 1980s through to their later years in service both in the UK and overseas.

The Class 58 Locomotive Group continues to research, archive and share the history of the class. Original design plans, maintenance manuals, photographs and personal memories help build an accurate record of the locomotives and their working lives.

Displays, heritage events and the Group’s spare cabs provide ways to introduce the Class 58 story to new audiences.

With the enthusiasm of our members and supporters, we can continue caring for the Group’s collection and ensure that the Class 58 story remains a visible part of Britain’s railway heritage.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please contact us. Join the Class 58 Locomotive Group to get involved with cab conservation, archives, publications, events and other Group activities.

58012 is one of the small number of surviving Class 58 locomotives still based in the UK and remains an important part of the wider preservation story. Today, it is located at the Battlefield Line, where it is best known for its practical value as a donor locomotive.

While it may not currently be the focus of an active return-to-traffic project, its role is still a significant one, helping to provide components that could support the upkeep and restoration of other surviving members of the class. In preservation, not every locomotive takes centre stage, and 58012 is a good example of how some vehicles make their contribution behind the scenes.

Its survival remains valuable, both as a physical link to the Class 58 fleet and as a practical asset in helping to safeguard the future of the class as a whole.

58016 has an important place in the Class 58 story. It was purchased for preservation in 2010 by a consortium in which the Class 58 Locomotive Group held a one-fifth share, with the Group acting as custodian.

After service in Britain and later in France, it returned to the UK and became the subject of a long-term restoration effort. It moved to Leicester in 2015.

The consortium agreed the sale of 58016 to Edward Stevenson in 2023. He purchased it with the intention of returning it to commercial work. The locomotive’s future plans are now a matter for its owner, rather than a Group restoration project.

58023 has already secured its place in preservation history by becoming the first Class 58 to return to operation on a heritage railway.

After spending many years out of use, its successful restoration marked a major milestone for the class and proved that these distinctive locomotives could once again be seen and heard in action. Since returning to traffic, 58023 has appeared at major heritage events and has helped bring the story of the Class 58 to a much wider audience. As an operational example, it has become one of the most recognisable and high-profile survivors, demonstrating the appeal and capability of the class in preservation.

Its success stands as an encouraging example of what can be achieved through long-term dedication, technical skill and a clear commitment to bringing an important diesel locomotive back to life.

58044 is one of the most unusual surviving Class 58s, with a story that reflects the class’s later working life beyond Britain. After its original service in the UK, it went on to operate abroad, giving it a particularly distinctive place in the history of the fleet.

Today, it survives in France in difficult circumstances, and its long-term future remains uncertain. Even so, 58044 continues to attract considerable interest because it represents an important part of the overseas chapter of the Class 58 story. Its survival is a reminder of how far these locomotives travelled in later years and how complex preservation can become once railway vehicles are dispersed far from home.

Although challenging, its situation adds another important dimension to the wider story of the surviving Class 58s and underlines the international legacy of the class.

58048 is probably the most significant surviving member of the Class 58 fleet and holds a particularly important place in the UK preservation story.

Now based at the Battlefield Line, it survives as a substantial restoration prospect with considerable historical importance. As one of the final surviving examples built at Doncaster Works, and among the last diesel locomotives constructed by British Rail, it represents an especially notable piece of British railway history.

Although further work is required before its full future can be realised, 58048 remains a locomotive with real long-term potential and strong preservation value. Its survival gives today’s preservation movement the opportunity not only to protect an important member of the class, but also to interpret and share the story of one of British Rail’s most distinctive freight locomotive designs with future generations.