Rediscovering an old friend…

Before Steve and I transitioned Planet Industrials to a RTR manufacturer we had started with a focus on kits - specifically taking my proven approach in 009, pioneered by Steve, and applying it to OO industrial prototypes…

The Hibberd Planet was our first release and well received, we sold through 3 batches before finally calling it a day. Cab conversions followed but with a step towards resin, more detail was included in the 3D artwork and we forgot our roots…

The initial concept, developed when Shapeways ‘Frosted Ultra Detail’ was cutting edge, recognised the strength of 3D wasn’t lots of detail as that tended to get lost in fizzy surfaces (or worse, cause them), rather a rigid structural core to hand details on. You could be relatively sure it would fit without trouble, so we had a variety of flat and folded etches, even white metal parts to glue to the skeletal core. 

After Victory was born and the cab co version of Hattons Barclays and Hornby Pecketts died away I did create the Bagnall DL2 - originally as a customer model, but then did a small batch in my own name. Here then, I’m back at the laptop, using my old but familiar software and some drawings, ruler and micrometer to bring a new prototype to life using these methods. This is one of the ‘Dorman Long’ Sentinel…

These machines were the last gasp of vertical boilered steam powered shunting locomotives produced by Sentinel who were subsequently bought by Rolls Royce and the famous and familiar diesel fleet were created. The chassis of this last prototype went on to form the basis of the first Rolls Royce 0-6-0DH models! 

A 200hp prototype had been built in Shrewsbury in 1954 and tested on the Shropshire and Montgomeryshire. Two industrial concerns bought 8 (Dorman Long) and 3 (Guest, Keen and Nettlefords). Powerful oil fired, simple to operate, all subsequently ended up at Dorman Long. The prototype and later 3 had taller cabs but Dorman Long’s works had tight clearances and their 8 sported reduced height cabs. Whilst generally considered successful they came to late and the adoption of the internal combustion engine for shunting locomotives had already become inevitable.

My kit uses the Hornby 0-6-0 diesel Sentinel chassis and will feature an etched footplate with 3D printed body core and etched overlays. 3D printed details and handrail knobs will be included, possibly buffers too… Dorman Long has sprung dumb buffers but for ‘generic use’ I will fit my prototype with industrial style normal buffers.

Through this exercise I’ve rediscovered something. I had forgotten I enjoyed this! Creating something from nothing, then turning it into a product and seeing others build and enjoy the activity and result. It all started with the first Narrow Planet steam locomotive kit all those years ago, the O&K using the Minitrains Krauss chassis - but today, here we are, same approach, polished and refined yes, but using 3D as a core to make a ‘modern’ white metal kit rather than a plonk and paint - not that there is anything wrong with that approach, rather, I just enjoy making things and others seem to as well!

So, as you can tell from the CAD there is some way to go - lots of refinement in detail and the underframe parts are still un-detailed. Once I’ve worked all this up I’ll order a prototype, and only then will I be ready to take expressions of interest… so by all means encourage and support, but I’m not taking orders yet!

Until next time, more soon…

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