alphacharlie Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 Hi All. I am currently restoring this Aircraft Tug, can anyone give me any information on it. It has no makers markings at all but i believe it may have been made by a company called Clark. It has a Fowler 2 Cylinder Diesel engine which i believe is a Fowler 2DM, does anyone have a service guide? Thanks in advance Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 N.O.S. Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 (edited) Hi Adam, what a dinky little critter! I'm not sure it it would be a Clark as they were a U.S. Company and I cannot think they would have used a British Fowler engine - also they had various small machine designs around this era which whilst looking look vaguely similar are not identical in detail to your tug. The set-back front axle is a classic British design feature of the era, but for the life of me I cannot think at the moment of the names of the few companies making these little tugs at that time. The engine is quite a rarity! Edited October 25, 2014 by N.O.S. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 alphacharlie Posted October 25, 2014 Author Share Posted October 25, 2014 Many Thanks for the swift reply. I have searched high and low for information on this but haven't managed to come up with anything yet. I did manage to find a pictures of one in action at a local costal battery. The engine does run but needs a little work to get it up to scratch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 N.O.S. Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 Great picture. There is a plate on the rear lower side but I cannot make out the lettering. Mercury was a British company but this doesn't look like one. I wonder if Clark had set up a British operation at this time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 alphacharlie Posted October 25, 2014 Author Share Posted October 25, 2014 Here is another pic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Baz48 Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 Not sure it’s an aircraft tug/tractor, to small, baggage trolleys maybe or an industrial type taken into military service. The ones shown are used around what appears to be ammunition storage areas, which would be in line with a diesel motor. Those in the B/W photos have rounded edges to the radiator cowling as opposed to the one in the colour is sharp edged. Possibly one type is a later addition to the other but look related. A fun vehicle, nice to see make a good exhibit especially with a small trailer of the type in the photos hung on behind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 rubbatiti Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 Possibly one of these? The Planet Tractor made by F C Hibberd and Co. This advert is from 1944. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 N.O.S. Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 No 'possibly' about it! :thumbsup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 alphacharlie Posted October 25, 2014 Author Share Posted October 25, 2014 Thankyou so much that looks like the one. Does anyone have any information on the Fowler 2DM Engine? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 pc1959 Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 A bit off topic but in the late 60's early 70's Richmond Ice Rink had a Planet tractor that was used to pull a scraper to flatten the ice on their smaller rink. I was much more interested in watching the bloke who drove it drifting it round the corners than practising my ice skating.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 David Herbert Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 It is amazing what still turns up, and in quite good condition too. F C Hibberd & Co also made small narrow gauge locomotives and I see that the headlights on the ones in the 'in service' photos are the same as the headlights used on narrow gauge locos that worked in coal mines and amunition depots from the late 30s onwards. This would suggest that those tugs had been specially ordered with explosion proofed electrics and if so would have had an exhaust 'conditioner' to trap any sparks coming out of the exhaust. On mines locos this was developed further to absorb carbon monoxide from the exhaust. I suspect that the longer rear chassis was to accomodate such an exhaust trap, note the cutaway in the footplate where the exhaust pipe could have come up to feed into the conditioner. The pipeing was usually done with ordinary iron water pipe, screwed into maleable iron elbows, the conditioner was usually a fairly simple box welded up from quite heavy (3/16" or 1/4" plate) with baffles in it and half full of water with a suitable chemical added to remove the carbon monoxide if needed. The exhaust gas was bubbled through this so the inside got very manky over a period of time. The battery box would also have been explosion proofed (gas tight) as would every switch and conduit. If you feel the urge to put it back to its original explosion proof state I can help with information on most of the electrical bits as I have a loco with this kit on it. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 radiomike7 Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 Couple on ebay recently: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-tractor-1950-039-s-Hibberd-Southern-Railway-BR-RAF-V-bomber-Turner-Diesel-/271584392003?nma=true&si=8eeEhQc%252BMIcc7wr0wdxChcxLAak%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-tractor-1950s-Hibberd-Southern-Railway-BR-RAF-V-bomber-not-Turner-/271567556537 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 alphacharlie Posted October 26, 2014 Author Share Posted October 26, 2014 Hi David. Any information you can provide would be great, I'm still hunting for any pictures of one in service. It is amazing what still turns up, and in quite good condition too. F C Hibberd & Co also made small narrow gauge locomotives and I see that the headlights on the ones in the 'in service' photos are the same as the headlights used on narrow gauge locos that worked in coal mines and amunition depots from the late 30s onwards. This would suggest that those tugs had been specially ordered with explosion proofed electrics and if so would have had an exhaust 'conditioner' to trap any sparks coming out of the exhaust. On mines locos this was developed further to absorb carbon monoxide from the exhaust. I suspect that the longer rear chassis was to accomodate such an exhaust trap, note the cutaway in the footplate where the exhaust pipe could have come up to feed into the conditioner. The pipeing was usually done with ordinary iron water pipe, screwed into maleable iron elbows, the conditioner was usually a fairly simple box welded up from quite heavy (3/16" or 1/4" plate) with baffles in it and half full of water with a suitable chemical added to remove the carbon monoxide if needed. The exhaust gas was bubbled through this so the inside got very manky over a period of time. The battery box would also have been explosion proofed (gas tight) as would every switch and conduit. If you feel the urge to put it back to its original explosion proof state I can help with information on most of the electrical bits as I have a loco with this kit on it. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 RattlesnakeBob Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 It's a grand little truck for sure & I'll look forward to seeing her all spruced up ! ........ ..with a trailer behind her and a load of 'fake' bombs she'd be a very unique truck to take around the shows ....Is it very heavy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 alphacharlie Posted October 27, 2014 Author Share Posted October 27, 2014 It's very very heavy as it's built like a tank. I'm still looking for any information on the Fowler diesel engine if anyone has any servicing guides they would be a great help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Adr1an Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 Hi is this of interest? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/c1932-FOWLER-HAULAGE-TRACTOR-amp-TRAILER-EX-MILITARY-ROYAL-NAVY-VINTAGE-VEHICLE-/331338918690?nma=true&si=4ax34bZYemTcDe1fkkija3OMAdQ%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557 Regards, Adrian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 alphacharlie Posted December 2, 2014 Author Share Posted December 2, 2014 Does anyone know of a mechanic in the Kent area that we could possibly get to take a look at the engine? I am still unable to get it up and running. Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Tony B Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Which bit of Kent? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 alphacharlie Posted December 3, 2014 Author Share Posted December 3, 2014 Hi Tony. We are based at Manston Airport. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Tony B Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 Unfortunatley don't know anyone that far down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 nx611_1945 Posted May 7, 2021 Share Posted May 7, 2021 We've just discovered we have one of these but its been retro fitted with a Lister 2 cyl diesel. Did you manage to find any info etc out about it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Hampsey Posted June 17, 2021 Share Posted June 17, 2021 I drove a Planet for 5 months through the Summer of '78 at Butlins in Skegness, Lincolnshire. A Blue one, just like yours. We used it to transport frozen foods from the freezer warehouse at the far end of camp up to the York & Lincoln dining Halls. Best job I ever had, so just came online looking for a photograph. Did you ever sort out the engine? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 garys39 Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 Here's a few Butlins Filey photos, any chance these might have tugs at one time ?😃 And an article about the chap who made theFiley Puffing Billy. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-20143538 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 garys39 Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 Another Butlins Filey shot of their road train, with the grill missing ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 nx611_1945 Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 On 6/17/2021 at 5:17 PM, Hampsey said: I drove a Planet for 5 months through the Summer of '78 at Butlins in Skegness, Lincolnshire. A Blue one, just like yours. We used it to transport frozen foods from the freezer warehouse at the far end of camp up to the York & Lincoln dining Halls. Best job I ever had, so just came online looking for a photograph. Did you ever sort out the engine? I believe that could well be the one we have! We weer always told it had come from Butlins and it came to us in the early 1990's. Unfortunately the clutch has just about had it on ours so it will likely be going up for sale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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alphacharlie
Hi All.
I am currently restoring this Aircraft Tug, can anyone give me any information on it.
It has no makers markings at all but i believe it may have been made by a company called Clark.
It has a Fowler 2 Cylinder Diesel engine which i believe is a Fowler 2DM, does anyone have a service guide?
Thanks in advance
Adam
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