Esteemed group,
I have been looking through the photos on Mick Thornton's web albums of past exhibitions and have come across a diesel loco that fascinates me. I discovered it in the Ice Cream, Jelly and Trains in Sussex, 16 August 2014 album. It is a bright green diesel just left of center in photo 028 that is partially obscured by the carriage in front of it. I am interested in what kit this is, or if it is scratchbuilt. My thanks in advance to anyone who can provide information.
Jeff S.
Is this the photo?
Yes, Andrew, that is the one.
Jeff S.
I think it is one of Mick's creations, probably the one named Deborah. I have seen it before, but I have been unable to unearth the photo.
I see that the caption for a previous photo of these same models does state they are from Mick's own collection. An interesting and varied assortment indeed.
Multiple blushes! I hope this doesn't disappoint Jeff as the loco you queried is nothing more than a Bachmann "MDT" (whatever that means) Plymouth diesel loco with a quite primitive "bashed" body on top. It is somewhere between 15 and 20 years old but otherwise is one of my most reliable "test track" locos as it seems to be quite unconcerned with dirty track or wheels and just keeps on going (touch wood!)
Here's a photo that I found that was actually taken in 2002 according to the index tag on the image file - more embarrassment, I really must try to get a grip and get some more up to date photos of my stuff taken before most of them disintegrate with age and before too many more things fall off them!
For anyone who may be interested. as stated, the loco started off as the chassis of a basic Bachmann "Brick" Footplate slightly widened to give overall width of 24mm. The motor cover (hood) was left on but the top of it cut off horizontally and the top half of another Bachmann hood was glued on top to make the hood approx 18mm tall from footplate to the top of the centre of the hood. A hacked about bit of radiator from an old Airfix/Dapol Drewry diesel kit glued to the front with microstrip framing, air filters were buffers from a Pug kit (does this also make it a pugbash?) and the cab was scratchbuilt from plasticard - very primitively. Bits and pieces were added to make it resemble something that might have been created on a Friday afternoon at Hibberd's and although it is nothing like it at all really, many people have commented that it looks a bit like a relative of Upnor Castle. The loco is named "Dean" after my son-in llaw, who actually works on the railways. The other diesel in the collection photo next to Dean is Deborah - my daughter who is married to Dean. This is a scratchbuilt Fowler type loco on top of a Grafar GP chassis that to my eyes is a much nicer model, but never gets anything like the same interest as the Hibberd!
Mick
(https://forum.009society.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi224.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd239%2FMick6126%2FBachman%2520and%2520Lima%2520Diesels%2FDsc00054.jpg&hash=c0752551f824bf85dafabc919da761ab3d3812c8) (http://s224.photobucket.com/user/Mick6126/media/Bachman%20and%20Lima%20Diesels/Dsc00054.jpg.html)
Mick, I don't think you should be so hard on yourself. Someone who knows a lot more about Hibberds (the company) than I do told me that they were a much less formal and standardised set-up than either Rustons or Motor Rail. I understand that their output was small in comparison as well and that they didn't have much in the way of standard designs. Locos were built as and when they were ordered using whatever parts they had in stock and any other parts that could be bought quickly and cheaply. So your loco is not that implausible. I think it is probably the cab on your loco that gives it the Hibberd look, very similar to the original Ashover Planet cab.
Quote from: MickT on May 12, 2016, 14:47
Multiple blushes! I hope this doesn't disappoint Jeff as the loco you queried is nothing more than a Bachmann "MDT" (whatever that means) Plymouth diesel loco with a quite primitive "bashed" body on top. It is somewhere between 15 and 20 years old but otherwise is one of my most reliable "test track" locos as it seems to be quite unconcerned with dirty track or wheels and just keeps on going (touch wood!)
Here's a photo that I found that was actually taken in 2002 according to the index tag on the image file - more embarrassment, I really must try to get a grip and get some more up to date photos of my stuff taken before most of them disintegrate with age and before too many more things fall off them!
For anyone who may be interested. as stated, the loco started off as the chassis of a basic Bachmann "Brick" Footplate slightly widened to give overall width of 24mm. The motor cover (hood) was left on but the top of it cut off horizontally and the top half of another Bachmann hood was glued on top to make the hood approx 18mm tall from footplate to the top of the centre of the hood. A hacked about bit of radiator from an old Airfix/Dapol Drewry diesel kit glued to the front with microstrip framing, air filters were buffers from a Pug kit (does this also make it a pugbash?) and the cab was scratchbuilt from plasticard - very primitively. Bits and pieces were added to make it resemble something that might have been created on a Friday afternoon at Hibberd's and although it is nothing like it at all really, many people have commented that it looks a bit like a relative of Upnor Castle. The loco is named "Dean" after my son-in llaw, who actually works on the railways. The other diesel in the collection photo next to Dean is Deborah - my daughter who is married to Dean. This is a scratchbuilt Fowler type loco on top of a Grafar GP chassis that to my eyes is a much nicer model, but never gets anything like the same interest as the Hibberd!
Mick
(https://forum.009society.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi224.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd239%2FMick6126%2FBachman%2520and%2520Lima%2520Diesels%2FDsc00054.jpg&hash=c0752551f824bf85dafabc919da761ab3d3812c8) (http://s224.photobucket.com/user/Mick6126/media/Bachman%20and%20Lima%20Diesels/Dsc00054.jpg.html)
Mick,
Thanks for the explanation. It's a very creative use of various parts to make a credible locomotive. I was particularly interested in the source for the radiator.
Was it repainted at one time? In your 2002 photo, it appears to be a "leaf" green color. In the photo from your web album, it appears to be a darker, yet brighter green.
In regards to the MDT designation. M stands for four wheels. Yes, the model actually has six wheels, so it should be designated as a WDT. The D stands for diesel, while the T stands for torque drive, which Plymouth locos were famous (or notorious) for.
By any chance, do you have a photo of the rear of the loco cab?
Jeff S.
Hi Jeff,
Sorry for the delay in replying, it's been a busy evening.
I didn't have a photo of the rear of the loco, so I've just taken a quick one, I hope this shows you sufficient to meet your needs?
Colour - when I first made the model, I painted it in Humbrol Satin Green 131, which is the colour you see in the photo I posted of the loco. The collection photo taken at the Ice Cream and Jelly Meet in Sussex 2014 is not too far out regarding accuracy. The loco was repainted (slapped on over the original actually) a few years ago in LNER green, If I remember Doncaster Green - there were two shades of LNER Green, Doncaster and Darlington which were the works of the old Great Northern and North Eastern railways respectively before the 1923 Grouping to form London and North Eastern Railway and their versions of "apple green" were slightly different. A firm called Railmatch make both shades
The photo I have just taken was a quick snap with the camera on auto everything under a tungsten room light and it has come out a little "washed out" the true colour is more intense than the photo shows and the collection photo is a better representation of the current shade of green. This little loco has always been one of the "background" ones in my fleet and never really featured in anything, so it is really enjoying being given a starring role for a change!!
Regards and thanks for the interest
Mick
(https://forum.009society.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi224.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd239%2FMick6126%2FDscf0845cs_zpscgt9rcrl.jpg&hash=45dd867a54c2c2dda872641597fc31286d655b9c) (http://s224.photobucket.com/user/Mick6126/media/Dscf0845cs_zpscgt9rcrl.jpg.html)
Quote from: MickT on May 12, 2016, 23:25
Hi Jeff,
Sorry for the delay in replying, it's been a busy evening.
I didn't have a photo of the rear of the loco, so I've just taken a quick one, I hope this shows you sufficient to meet your needs?
Colour - when I first made the model, I painted it in Humbrol Satin Green 131, which is the colour you see in the photo I posted of the loco. The collection photo taken at the Ice Cream and Jelly Meet in Sussex 2014 is not too far out regarding accuracy. The loco was repainted (slapped on over the original actually) a few years ago in LNER green, If I remember Doncaster Green - there were two shades of LNER Green, Doncaster and Darlington which were the works of the old Great Northern and North Eastern railways respectively before the 1923 Grouping to form London and North Eastern Railway and their versions of "apple green" were slightly different. A firm called Railmatch make both shades
The photo I have just taken was a quick snap with the camera on auto everything under a tungsten room light and it has come out a little "washed out" the true colour is more intense than the photo shows and the collection photo is a better representation of the current shade of green. This little loco has always been one of the "background" ones in my fleet and never really featured in anything, so it is really enjoying being given a starring role for a change!!
Regards and thanks for the interest
Mick
(https://forum.009society.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi224.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fdd239%2FMick6126%2FDscf0845cs_zpscgt9rcrl.jpg&hash=45dd867a54c2c2dda872641597fc31286d655b9c) (http://s224.photobucket.com/user/Mick6126/media/Dscf0845cs_zpscgt9rcrl.jpg.html)
Thanks for the additional photo, Mick. Your loco has given me some ideas for a future build.
Jeff S.
Glad to be of assistance Jeff. I look forward to seeing what hatches from your workshop!
Mick
Quote from: MickT on May 13, 2016, 19:52
Glad to be of assistance Jeff. I look forward to seeing what hatches from your workshop!
Mick
Mick,
I will keep you posted, though it may be a while. Too many irons in the fire, right now.
Jeff S.
I have created a new topic regarding my diesel bash. You can find it at http://www.009society.com/forum/index.php?topic=2713.0 .
Jeff S.