Photo:
Colin Ashman - Hilsea after recent repaint into original livery

Hilsea was built by Ruston & Hornsby of Lincoln in 1961, as works number 463153, to lot number 31 of class 88DS. It is a standard 20-ton locomotive, fitted with a Ruston 4VPH engine which is started by compressed air from a small donkey engine. This was one of the last locomotives built by this company.

It spent its life with British Gas (Southern), Hilsea gas works, near Portsmouth, where it carried fleet No. 1139. It was used at Hilsea for shunting rail tanks of naphtha brought in from Esso Fawley, 500 tons at a time in 20 rail tank loads. Hilsea was used to separate the rail tanks for unloading into special tanks.

British Gas (Southern) placed the loco on long term loan with the Society, after its withdrawal from Hilsea gas works. It arrived at Quainton in September 1986 in full working order. It was overhauled and repainted by British Gas (Southern) employees, sporting British Gas blue and white livery. It was then handed over to Quainton in a special ceremony on 1st May 1989. British Gas (Southern) subsequently donated the loco to QRS in December 1994.

Despite being operational for a number of years, it now requires some maintenance before returning to operational condition.

References:
A Southern Gas Duo are Preserved - Quainton News No. 61 Autumn / Winter 1986 / 87

Photo:
Robert Frise - Hilsea in the Down Yard platform