Although built in the North West at Horwich Works on the outskirts of Bolton, D3594 spent her entire BR career in the West of England and South Wales, the vast majority based around Cardiff and Newport with a spell at Newton Abbot. She became 08479 during 1974 as part of the TOPS renumbering scheme.

08479 was withdrawn from traffic in November 1991 at Cardiff Canton, entering preservation in 1993 and relocating to the ELR. For much of its ELR life 08479 ran in the BR Blue it was withdrawn in and was for many years arguably the hardest working loco based at Bury.

Running in fictional BR Black livery and numbered 13594, the loco forms part of the Baron Street Works pilot team with MSC 4002 and sees occasional usage as required.