Crossing above the West Cost main line here at Tamworth High Level 92008 was one of the initial ten of the class designated from new in 1954 for the Western Region, but, and in company with 92009, was diverted to the London Midland Region and never made it to Newport Ebbw Vale being allocated to Wellingborough instead.

Peter Kerslake says "Although planned for use on the Welsh coal and iron ore freights from their construction the first batch of new Standard '9F's' were not welcomed by the footplate crews or shed staff at Newport's Ebbw shed who found either apparent or contrived faults in the locomotives' braking and regulators, to the extent that the unfortunate Shedmaster was obliged to withdraw his new locomotives from service, following which those which had been there were transferred away to Bristol St. Philip's Marsh and Gloucester and the like".