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F. C. Hibberd & Co.

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Hibberd Planet diesel shunter at WLLR

F. C. Hibberd & Co Ltd was a British locomotive-building company founded in 1927 to build industrial petrol and diesel locomotives.

Kent Construction and Engineering Co of Ashford, Kent had been reconditioning and reselling former military locomotives sold off as surplus at the end of World War I, though its had also developed its own narrow gauge locomotive design. It closed its works in 1926 and two of the directors of Honeywill Brothers Limited - F.C. Hibberd and D.A. Dwyer (Honeywill had marketed the Kent Construction locomotives) bought out the Kent Construction Business and its stock of locomotives, and in 1927 formed F.C. Hibberd & Co Ltd.[1] In 1932 the company acquired the goodwill of James and Frederick Howard Limited and the company moved to Park Royal, London, and began manufacturing locomotives.[2]

Many of Hibberd's locomotives were small machines with final drive by roller chain but it also built some larger ones with side-rod drive. The latter bore a strong resemblance to Hudswell Clarke products.

Hibberd used the name Planet for their locomotives but this should not be confused with the much earlier Planet steam locomotive.

Other companies

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From 1956 Thomas Hill, sold Hibberd locomotives to non-Hibberd customers on an informal commission basis until 1960. The relationship ended because Hibberd were becoming worried that Thomas Hill would sell their own locomotives to customers in preference to the Hibberd product.

The company was acquired by Butterley Engineering in the early 1960s and in 1964 production was moved to Ripley, Derbyshire. The last locomotive built to a Hibberd design was delivered in 1968.[2]

History of the Planet name

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The origin of the "Planet" petrol locomotive can be traced back to the Kent Construction and Engineering Company of Ashford, Kent.[3] After World War I, Kent Construction purchased a large number of Government-surplus petrol locomotives which they reconditioned and offered for sale. These included both Motor Rail "Simplex" and American Baldwin Locomotive Works products. Kent Construction later produced a range of locomotives to their own designs. These were based on the Motor Rail "Simplex" but were given the name "Planet". They were sold through Honeywill Brothers of London.

Kent Construction closed in 1926 and "Planet" locomotives were then manufactured by Stableford and Company, wagon builders, of Coalville, Leicestershire until they went out of business in 1928. From this time "Planet" locomotives were built by Bedford Engineering Co Ltd, makers of rail and other cranes, of Ampthill Road, Bedford but they failed in 1932, as did the adjacent huge iron works of James and Frederick Howard whose products had included both narrow gauge and standard gauge locomotives since the mid-1920s. "Planet" locomotives were then built by Hibberd in Park Royal, London including models based closely on the designs obtained from Howard of Bedford.

F.C.Hibberd "Planet" light tractor

In 1935, Hibberd diversified with the production of a light wheeled tractor for use in or between factories, or on the road.[4] This was available initially with a 4-cylinder petrol engine and either pneumatic or solid tyres - layout was conventional with front steering and driven rear axle. The Hibberd light truck was introduced in 1937 with the Model B (of 2 ton capacity) and Model C (of 25-30 cwt capacity) - which were available with fixed or elevating load platforms and with 8 hp petrol or 10 hp horizontally opposed oil engines.[5] Steering and driving was by the closely spaced front wheels. The original tractor design continued in production during and after WW2 and was available with a variety of engines, including a Ford 4-cylinder industrial petrol engine or an oil engine. A flameproof version was available for working in potentially explosive areas. A number of these were bought by British European Airways in 1947 to tow aircraft.[6] The diesel engined version of these tractors (equipped with Fowler-Sanders 2DX engines) was to be adopted by Butlins Holiday Camps and Whipsnade Zoo to tow trains of up to 6 passenger trailers each carrying 12 people.[7] The Butlins trailers were made by Barnards Ltd of Norwich and had vacuum servo brakes operated from the tractor. In 1950 the Fowler engine in the diesel versions of the "Planet" tractor was replaced by the Turner V-twin diesel engine with 4 speed integral gearbox.[8]

A newspaper article about the Hibberd Works in 1951 stated that the Park Royal factory was responsible for design and assembly of the locomotives and tractors, with manufacture of the big components being "farmed out" all over the country. The finished products were assembled at Park Royal with parts from as many as 200 different suppliers. The tractors were still available with solid or pneumatic tyres, petrol (Ford) or diesel engines, and the flameproof version of the diesel tractor specially designed for use in explosives magazines (one of which is pictured being assembled destined for the Indian Army).[9]

The road tractors and the rail locomotives seem to have been numbered in the same sequence.

Preservation in the United Kingdom

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Railway Locomotives

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Sources for this list include the UK Heritage Railways database.[10] All locomotives are standard gauge except where shown in the notes:

Name or number Industrial owner Works no. Build date Wheels Power
(bhp)
Preserved at Notes
Portland Cement, Sittingbourne 1568 1927 4wPM Leighton Buzzard Light Railway In storage 2 ft (610 mm) gauge
No 21 Worthington Brewery, Burton upon Trent 1612 1929 4wPM Originally Dorman 4JO Chasewater Railway
1830 4wDM Westonzoyland Pumping Station Museum 2 ft (610 mm) gauge
Crowle Brickworks, Scunthorpe 1881 1934 4wPM Ford 8 hp Crowle Peatland Railway 2 ft (610 mm) gauge
City of Chichester Sewage Works 1980 1936 4wDM Amberley Museum Railway 2 ft (610 mm) gauge
Nippy Mines and Safety Research, Buxton, Derbyshire 2014 1936 4wDM 20 hp National Twin-Cylinder Irish Steam Preservation Society 3 ft (914 mm) gauge
Preston Irwell Valley Water Board (ordered by Gravelworks Ltd) 2025 1937 4wDM 12-16 hp Lister CE Twin-Cylinder Diesel Amerton Railway 2 ft (610 mm) gauge
Queen's Pier Tramway, Ramsey, Isle of Man 2027 1937 4wPM 4-cylinder Ford (car) petrol engine Jurby Transport Museum, Isle of Man 3 ft (914 mm) gauge
Beryl Bournemouth Gas and Water Co then later by Corralls Ltd, Hamworthy, Poole 2054 1938 4wPM 54 hp, 4-cylinder Dorman 4JORX, petrol-paraffin engine Swanage Railway
T1 Shell-Mex and BP 2102 1938 4wDM 75 hp Buckinghamshire Railway Centre
Berrylands GLC Berrylands Sewage Works 2201 1939 4wDM 16 hp Lister CE Twin-Cylinder Diesel Devon Railway Centre 2 ft (610 mm) gauge
Tom Bombadil Butterley & Blaby Brick Companies 2415 1941 4wDM Leighton Buzzard Light Railway 2 ft (610 mm) gauge
Corbiere Ministry of Defence depot, Liphook 2528 1941 4wDM National Twin-Cylinder Old Kiln Light Railway 2 ft (610 mm) gauge
Frank 2896 1944 4wDM 35 hp Nene Valley Railway
4007 Canning Town Glass Works 3147 1947 4wDM 52 hp Colne Valley Railway
Carpenter Guinness, Park Royal, London 3270 1948 0-4-0DM 144 hp Cholsey & Wallingford Railway
Walrus Guinness, Park Royal, London 3271 1949 0-4-0DM 144 hp Buckinghamshire Railway Centre
Dudley Barking Power, London 3294 1948 4wDM Waltham Abbey Royal Gunpowder Mills [11]
Ashover Ashover Light Railway 3307 1948 0-4-0DM Ffestiniog Railway 1 ft 11+12 in (597 mm) gauge
Ivan Metropolitan Water Board, Kempton Park Works 3317 1948 0-4-0DM 4-cylinder Petrol North Gloucestershire Railway 2 ft (610 mm) gauge
National Benzole Stanlow refinery 3438 1950 4wDM East Lancashire Railway
Ald Hague Dukinfield Sewage Works, Ashton-under-Lyne 3465 1950 4wPM Moseley Railway Trust 2 ft (610 mm) gauge
23 Irish Shell 3509 1951 4wDM 79 hp Railway Preservation Society of Ireland, Whitehead 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) gauge
Elizabeth Hartley Quarry, Kirkby Stephen 3598 1962 0-4-0DM N.B. - now carries replacement Leyland Bus engine Stainmore Railway Company at Kirkby Stephen East
Upnor Castle Chattenden & Upnor Railway 3687 1954 4wDM 180 hp Welsh Highland Railway 1 ft 11+12 in (597 mm) gauge
Rochester Castle Royal Navy, Chatham 3738 1955 4wDM Chatham Historic Dockyard [12]
Upnor Castle Royal Navy, Chatham 3742 1955 4wDM
Leeds Castle Royal Navy, Chatham 3745 1955 4wDM
Tarmac Tarmac, Hayes 3765 1955 4wDM 57 hp Buckinghamshire Railway Centre
Dover Castle Royal Navy, Chatham 3770 1955 4wDM
Cooling Castle Royal Navy, Chatham 3771 1955 4wDM
Deal Castle Royal Navy, Chatham 3772 1955 4wDM
Pluto Royal Navy, Rosyth 3777 1955/6 4wDM 105 hp Derwent Valley Light Railway, York [13]
3787 1956 4wDM Hampton Kempton Waterworks Railway 2 ft (610 mm) gauge[14]
Conway Castle Royal Naval Armaments Depot, Ernesettle, Plymouth 3831 1958 4wDM 180 hp Welsh Highland Railway, Caernarfon 1 ft 11+12 in (597 mm) gauge
Previously Kingsley British Industrial Sand Ltd, Redhill 3832 1957 4wDM 117 hp Bideford Railway Heritage Centre [15]
ARC Powell Duffryn 3890 1958 4wDH Garw Valley Railway
Planet/Pluto 3947 1960 4wDM 74.5 hp Dean Forest Railway
Hylton 3967 1961 4wDH Northamptonshire Ironstone Railway Trust
4006 1963 4wDH Garw Valley Railway
ULLR Sanders & Forster Ltd 4008 1963 4wDM 9 hp Lister FR1 Diesel Steeple Grange Light Railway 18 in (457 mm) gauge[16]

Planet Tractors/Trucks

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A number of these exist in private ownership. They are very sturdily built.

Original owner Works no. Build date Model Preserved at Notes
3097 4-cylinder petrol Private ownership
Thomas Holmes and Sons tannery, Sculcoates Lane, Hull 3230 1947 4-cylinder Ford petrol Hull Museum (not on display) Registration Number JKH144
Royal Navy dockyard Twin-cylinder Fowler diesel number 2D856 Private ownership Fitted with cab
Western Counties Hospital Group in Starcross 1948 Private ownership Was road registered
Butlins Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre Engine was at some stage replaced with a 2-cylinder Lister
British Railways 1950s V-twin Turner diesel Private ownership Registration number was HUV266 (British Rail number S761). Used at main stations to move baggage trolleys on the platforms.

Preservation in Ireland

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1936 built Planet engine Nippy preserved at Stradbally Co. Laois

Nippy, a former Mines and Safety Research engine from Buxton, Derbyshire, works number 2014 and built in 1936, is currently preserved at the Stradbally Woodland Express Railway. It is run on occasion for demonstration purposes. Several Guinness brewery Planets have been preserved also, surviving in the Guinness Storehouse museum, The Ulster Folk and Transport Museum in Cultra Co. Down, and three at the Cavan & Leitrim Railway in Dromod. The former Irish Shell No 23 is preserved at RPSI Whitehead.

Preservation in Italy

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Locomotive 3944, built in 1960 is now located as a static 'gate guardian' display at the premises of Vaia Car, Calvisano, in Italy.

Preservation in Australia

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Australia

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Planet #1 at the Bennett Brook Railway's Friends of Thomas the Tank Engine Day

In 1976, The Western Australian Light Railway Preservation Society acquired a 1939 model Planet Locomotive[17] from the Kalgoorlie Lake View and Star Gold mine for a total of $500AU, including spares. After considerable restoration work, the locomotive was moved to Whiteman Park in Perth in 1983 and moved under its own power for the first time in 1985. In recent years, the WA Light Railway Preservation Society bought a 1962 model planet locomotive.[18]

The 1939 Planet (now known as Planet #7) is now the mainstay of the Bennett Brook Railway's Diesel Fleet. The 1962 Planet (now known as Planet #8) is now also operational at Bennett Brook Railway. Both locomotives run on 2' gauge track. Over the years, multiple modifications have been made to both of Bennett Brook Railway's Planets, including: The installation of a Vacuum brake system, the addition of a Jones Coupler style coupler along with the already installed Link and Pin couplers and Raising the roof of the cab on Planet #7, and a new cab design and paint scheme to reflect its operating heritage on Planet #8.

There are also 3 preserved Planet locomotives in New South Wales. These were originally imported from the U.K. for construction of the warragamba dam in western Sydney all 3 are standard gauge units, One of them #52 is at the Lachlan Vally Railway in Cowra and is fully operational.[19] Another preserved Planet locomotive is #54 at the Richmond Vale railway line.[20] the third is located at Dorrigo Steam Railway and Museum.[21]

New Zealand

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Two Planet locomotives from the Grassmere Salt Works are preserved at the Ferrymead Two Foot Railway in New Zealand. Another is preserved at a pioneer village in Kaikohe. One is preserved at Pukemiro

References

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  1. ^ Webb, Brian (1973). The British Internal Combustion Locomotive 1894-1940. David & Charles. ISBN 0715361155.
  2. ^ a b "Buckinghamshire Railway Centre history of F. C. Hibberd & Co. Ltd".
  3. ^ "Planet" Locomotives
  4. ^ "A New Entrant to the Light tractor Field". Commercial Motor. 21 June 1935.
  5. ^ "Low Loader Industrial Truck Reintroduced". Commercial Motor. 30 April 1937. p. 385.
  6. ^ "18 Answers to Internal Transport Problems". Commercial Motor. 22 August 1947. p. 39.
  7. ^ "Tractor Trains for Holiday-Makers". Commercial Motor. 6 September 1946. p. 137.
  8. ^ "Turner Oil Engine in Planet Tractor". Commercial Motor. 10 February 1950. p. 49.
  9. ^ E.T. & B.D. (28 September 1951). "Diesel Locomotives for World". Acton Gazette and West London Post. p. 8.
  10. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 9 January 2009. Retrieved 6 October 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. ^ "Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey". Archived from the original on 17 April 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-08.
  12. ^ "CHDR: Diesel Locomotives". Archived from the original on 18 May 2010. Retrieved 22 November 2009.
  13. ^ "Pluto 0-4-0DM". Archived from the original on 6 January 2015. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  14. ^ James, Jonathan (May 2021). Narrow Gauge Railways London and South East England. Narrow Gauge Railway Society.
  15. ^ "Home". bidefordrailway.co.uk.
  16. ^ http://www.steeplegrange.co.uk/locos-hibberd.htm Archived 22 May 2021 at the Wayback Machine Hibberd 4008
  17. ^ "Planet #1". Archived from the original on 15 October 2009. Retrieved 13 June 2010.
  18. ^ "Planet #2". Archived from the original on 15 October 2009. Retrieved 13 June 2010.
  19. ^ "Our Fleet".
  20. ^ "Locomotives and Rolling Stock".
  21. ^ https://www.dsrm.org.au/images/DSRM_Exhibit_List_37.pdf [bare URL PDF]