Ruston & Hornsby began producing these small diesel mechanical shunters in 1942, 254 were eventually built during the 1940s and 1950s [1]. They were mostly sold to industrial users and had sufficient power to shunt short rakes of wagons in smaller industrial and factory networks.
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299099/1950 at Tyseley
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| Information |
| Number built: |
254 |
| Built: |
1942-1950s |
| Builder: |
Ruston & Hornsby |
| Motor: |
Ruston 4VPHL diesel |
| Power: |
88 hp (66 kW) |
| Wheel arrangement: |
4wDM |
The 88DS was a versatile design, it came with a number of options for gauge and two weights (seventeen and twenty tons). The locomotives usually used compressed air for starting (the air generated using a small Ruston petrol or diesel motor) though electric starting was fitted on some locomotives which needed to operate in flameproof environments.
Although most 88DS locomotives built were for industrial users, seven were also bought by British Railways' North Eastern Region for it's departmental fleet [2]. These were withdrawn in 1970 [3].
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412431/1957 at Peak Rail
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Another view of 299099, the small box on the side is the compressed air generator
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Rear view of 299099
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Another view of 412431
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[1] Ray King, British Industrial Diesel Locomotives (Traction & Rolling Stock Advertiser, 2006) p. 33[2] Paul Smith & Shirley Smith, British Rail Departmental Locomotive 1948-1968 (Ian Allan, 2014) p. 25
[3] Brian Haresnape, Diesel Shunters (Ian Allan, 1984) p. 78
