South Yorkshire Times August 29, 1959

New Locomotives from Old

Conversion Factory opens at Kilnhurst

A Rotherham firm of locomotive engineers, Messrs. Thomas Hill (Rotherham) Ltd, began production at their new £20,000 factory in Hooton Rd, Kilner’s, late in July, on the conversion of existing locomotives to modern diesel hydraulic locomotives. Rolls-Royce power equipment will be used in the work.

Handily Situated

Director and secretary, Mr A Birks, said a feature of the new factory, is that the locomotives can be driven from the adjacent line directly into the work shop for repairs.

The head office of the firm is in Rotherham and the firm’s previous workshop at Whiston, is now being utilised as a central store and purchasing department. Staff employed there will remain at Whiston.

The staff of the Kilnhurst factory (except for a small nucleus who will be transferred from Rotherham) will be recruited locally. Employees at Kilnhurst at present total 30 but this number will increase as the factory progresses.

Thomas Hill Ltd are agents for the whole of the North of England for “Planet” locomotives which are manufactured by Messrs F.C. Hibberd’s of London and sole distributors in the British Isles of the “Sentinel” diesel hydraulic locomotives manufactured at Shrewsbury by subsidiary firm of the Rolls-Royce organisation.

Mr Birks said it was proposed to concentrate on general repairs and rebuilding of locomotives at their Kilnhurst factory. It was also hoped to build their own locomotives, small electrical trucks and mechanical handling equipment