F. C. Hibberd & Co.


F. C. Hibberd & Co Ltd was a British locomotive-building company founded in 1927 to build industrial petrol and diesel locomotives. In 1932 the company acquired the goodwill of James and Frederick Howard Ltd. and the company moved to Park Royal, London, and began manufacturing locomotives there.
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

From 1956 Thomas Hill Ltd, THR, sold Hibberd locomotives to non-Hibberd customers on an informal commission basis until 1960. The relationship ended because Hibberd were becoming worried that THR 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.

History of the Planet name

The origin of the "Planet" petrol locomotive can be traced back to the Kent Construction and Engineering Company of Ashford, Kent. 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, crane makers, of Bedford but they failed in 1932. "Planet" locomotives were then built by Hibberd.

Preservation in the United Kingdom

Sources for this list include the UK Heritage Railways database.
The following list is incomplete so please expand it if you can. All locomotives are standard gauge except where shown in the notes:
Name or numberIndustrial ownerWorks no.Build dateWheelsPower
Preserved atNotes
City of Chichester Sewage Works19801936Amberley Museum Railway gauge
Crowle Brickworks, Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire18811934Ford 8HPSteeple Grange Light Railway gauge
NippyMines and Safety Research, Buxton, Derbyshire2014193620HP National Twin-CylinderIrish Steam Preservation Society gauge
Preston Irwell Valley Water Board 2025193712-16 hp Lister CE Twin-Cylinder DieselAmerton Railway gauge
Ramsey Pier Tramway, Isle of Man202719374-cylinder Ford petrol engineJurby Transport Museum, Isle of Man gauge
BerylBournemouth Gas and Water Co then later by Corralls Ltd, Hamworthy, Poole2054193854 HP, 4-cylinder Dorman 4JORX, petrol-paraffin engineSwanage Railway, Dorset
BerrylandsGLC Berrylands Sewage Works2201193916 hp Lister CE Twin-Cylinder DieselDevon Railway Centre gauge
T1Shell-Mex and BP2102193875Buckinghamshire Railway Centre
Tom BombadilButterley & Blaby Brick Companies24151941Leighton Buzzard Light Railway gauge
CorbiereMinistry of Defence depot, Liphook25281941National Twin-CylinderOld Kiln Light Railway gauge
Frank2896194435Nene Valley Railway
4007Canning Town Glass Works3147194752Colne Valley Railway
CarpenterGuinness, Park Royal, London32701948144Cholsey and Wallingford Railway
AshoverAshover Light Railway33071948Ffestiniog Railway gauge
Ivan331719484 cylinder PetrolNorth Gloucestershire Railway gauge
WalrusGuinness, Park Royal, London32711949144Buckinghamshire Railway Centre
DudleyBarking Power, London32941948Waltham Abbey Royal Gunpowder Mills
National Benzole Stanlow refinery34381950East Lancashire Railway
23Irish Shell3509195179Railway Preservation Society of Ireland, Whitehead gauge
ElizabethHartley Quarry, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria35981962N.B. - now carries replacement Leyland Bus engineStainmore Railway Company at Kirkby Stephen East
Upnor CastleChattenden and Upnor Railway36871954180WHR gauge
Rochester CastleRoyal Navy, Chatham37381955Chatham Historic Dockyard
Upnor CastleRoyal Navy, Chatham37421955
Leeds CastleRoyal Navy, Chatham37451955
Dover CastleRoyal Navy, Chatham37701955
Cooling CastleRoyal Navy, Chatham37711955
Deal CastleRoyal Navy, Chatham37721955
TarmacTarmac, Hayes, Middlesex3765195557Buckinghamshire Railway Centre
PlutoRoyal Navy, Rosyth37771955/6105Derwent Valley Light Railway, York
Conway CastleRNAD, Ernesettle, Plymouth38311958180WHR gauge
Previously KingsleyBritish Industrial Sand Ltd, Redhill38321957117Bideford Railway Heritage Centre
ARC Powell Duffryn38901958Garw Valley Railway
Planet/Pluto3947196074.5Dean Forest Railway
Hylton39671961Northamptonshire Ironstone Railway Trust
40061963Garw Valley Railway
ULLRSanders & Forster Ltd400819639 hp Lister FR1 DieselSteeple Grange Light Railway gauge

Preservation in Ireland

"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 and Leitrim Railway in Dromod. The former Irish Shell No 23 is preserved at RPSI Whitehead.

Preservation in Italy

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

Australia

In 1976, The Western Australian Light Railway Preservation Society acquired a 1939 model Planet Locomotive 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.
The 1939 Planet is now the mainstay of the Bennett Brook Railway's Diesel Fleet. The 1962 Planet is now also operational at BBR. 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.
Another preserved Planet locomotive is #54 at the Richmond Vale railway line, New South Wales.

New Zealand

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