Obituary - Dennis Franklin - Genius designer at Kitmaster & Playcraft

[kitmasterbloke]

It is with great sadness that I report the death last week of Dennis Franklin at the ripe old age of 90. Dennis was a lovely chap and we became friends whilst I was researching my first book, "Let's Stick Together" about the history of Rosebud Kitmaster models.

 

Dennis Franklin was Rosebud's Technical Manager from the mid-1950s to early 1960 and designed most of the first series of Kitmaster train models in consultation with renowned local modeller Frank Roche. They were both members of Northampton Society of Model Engineers. Dennis used a lot of the Roche drawings in his design work, which explains why Rosebud's "Duchess" pacific embodies all the faults of the Roche drawing, including the wrong tender type! Dennis was responsible for the full 1959 Kitmaster range which included The Rocket, 08 Shunter, Stirling Single, Schools Class Harrow and GWR Prairie tank. Some of his designs (L&Y Pug, Prairie and Schools) are still in production today, from his tools, at Dapol.

 

Dennis was eventually lured away for better pay at Mettoy in Northampton, where he went on to design the Playcraft Railways British outline models to a VERY tight budget and using a lot of available French Jouef components - the Class 21/29, North British shunter, BR Brake Van, 21 ton mineral wagon and their Mk1 coaches, including the working ore discharge wagon and TPO sets (which used a novel mechanism to avoid infringing Tri-ang and Dublo patents).

 

He was most proud of the Playcraft British semaphore signal set which he cleverly designed to allow two complete signals to be assembled, or by combining two kits, a complete gantry signal. This kit is now on display in the National Museum of Wales in their Mettoy section, as production was at Forest Fach near Swansea.

 

Whilst at Mettoy, he also designed the Corgi construction kits, such as the Bately Leofric garage and the AA/RAC Telephone box set and the full Silverstone Circuit buildings set. His later career in plastic injection moulding was in the Republic of Ireland, where he worked on purely industrial contracts. He retired back to his home town of Kettering and passed away there in a care home from natural causes. He is survived by his wife & two daughters.

 

Dennis Franklin - unsung legend of British model railway design.

Edited July 31, 2020 by kitmasterbloke
Added 21 /29 for NBL Bo-Bo

[Phil Bullock]

Like many of us my modelling career has benefitted from Derek’s input. The free Wagon kits that came with Weetabix must have been his... and a Playcraft Class 21 set was all my parents could afford for me. Still remember the distinctive smell!

 

Rest in peace Dennis ... and thank you.

[Not Jeremy]

That is a fascinating story that I was completely unaware of, thank you very much for sharing it with us.

 

My very first train set was Playcraft, I can picture it now. I used to admire all the different sets you could see in Woolworths....

 

I still have the well engineered double ended motor that was fitted into the class 21 that got added to my clockwork set a bit later. It runs beautifully and still has a lovely and distinctive smell - lubricating oil in its ball/roller bearings?

 

I hope to fit it into another model I am building, by which time it will be nearly sixty years old - I'd better get a move on!

 

Rest in peace indeed Dennis and thank you from me too, what a very talented man you were.

 

Simon

Edited July 31, 2020 by Not Jeremy
to add last line

[guarded]

Another of the unsung genius which made all our childhoods so enjoyable and memorable.Thank you.

[Re6/6]

Indeed a fascinating story.

 

In Englefield Green there was a TV repair shop which oddly had a small display of KM made up kits. Of course I couldn't resist saving up for a Kitmaster MK1 which was the first kit of any sort that I ever bought. 

 

We all owe Mr Franklin a lot.

[Jerryatric]

Oh what can I say? In the mid 1960's my wonderful (much loved) Mum and Dad got me a Playcraft train set. Dad dressed it up with an Airfix loco shed and some fuzzy felt grass. I adored my Playcraft set; it came with the Derzel and a Steam engine that I recall had a USA look about it. I was Bulleid and punched-up a lot at school because I had Playcraft and not a Hornby. 

What a wonderful life he must have lived. Rest Peacefully Mr D Franklin: you've earned it