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Who We Are

MPS Vintage Diesels is a small family run enthusiast's business based at two locations located near Poole & Blandford in Dorset specialising in the parts supply and restoration of vintage diesel engines for marine, rail, industrial, truck and bus. Specialising in Lister JP, JS & JK. Gardner LX/LXB, LW, L2 and Kromhout LW, LS models. We also regularly have stock of other engine models by Dorman, Gardner, Kromhout, Lister, Petter, Ruston.

Here at MPS Vintage Diesels we have over 50 years experience working in the marine and industrial service sectors. All work is carried out by fully qualified engineers. We also take real pride in what we do as we are also true enthusiasts for these old engines in any application.

History

In late 2000 due to a growing demand for the reconditioning/restoration of many british built diesel engines (including Lister, Gardner, Kelvin, Dorman, Perkins) still in use in the local commercial and fishing fleets Martyn set up what was to become Marine Power Services (Later MPS Vintage Diesels).

During the following 2 years this further expanded to include the restoration of vintage engines for Inland waterway, historical vehicle, rail traction and industrial applications, and with Martyn's father Geoff joining during late 2003 this marked the merger of Martyn & Geoff's hobby passion for classic boats, trucks, locomotives and the restoration of engines for the inland waterways as a staple of MPS's work. Allowing both to do what they love and provide customers with engines rebuilt by people with as much passion as them for these wonderful vintage engines.
About Martyn

Martyn

IEng MImechE
BSc (Hons) Design Engineering

What I do at MPS

Engine Rebuilds / Parts Sourcing / Welding / Fabrication / Milling & Turning / CAD Design 2D + 3D / Foundry Pattern Design / Photography / Website Design & Upkeep

Interests

Mountain Biking / Classic & Performance Cars / Boats / Real Ales & Ciders / Foreign Travel


From a very early age Martyn spent most weekends and whenever he wasn't at school at Geoff's side, covered in oil or soot aiding in the restoration of many steam and diesel locomotive on various preservation railways in the South West (Geoff's hobby). So you could say his apprenticeship started at about aged 5. This inevitably led in later life to many restoration projects and then on leaving school into a Marine Engineering/Machinist apprenticship at the last real shipyard in Poole (J Bolson & Sons). Here Martyn gained vast experience in many models of marine diesels engines (Gardner, Lister, Perkins, Paxman, Cummins, Detroit, CAT to name a few) and their associated systems and installations.

After the closure of the shipyard in mid 1998 he moved to one off the UK's premier superyacht manufacturers where he gained further knowledge of modern high speed diesel engines while carrying out engine room fitouts on these vessels. In 2001 needing more of a challange Martyn went to work for the UK's foremost maritime rescue service initially as a maintenance engineer and then in 2004, combined with a return to university, he moved internally to design engineering. This is where he still works today designing and developing the next generations of lifeboats.


About Geoff

Geoff

BSc (Hons) Mechanical Project Engineering

What I do at MPS

Engine Rebuilds / Parts Sourcing / Welding / Fabrication / Driver

Interests

Trains / boats / Planes / Classic British Trucks / Land Rovers / Foreign Travel / Real Ales


Geoff started his working career as an apprentice boilermaker/plant fitter with a large local group of companies in the 1960’s. The group owned three road haulage companies all running Gardner engined trucks, a watercress bed, a large building contractors and a piling company. Some of the plant was still steam powered and the vintage engine types we restore today were still in everyday use! A great place to train! A move into contractors plant followed in the 70s before nearly twenty years in the oil industry with BP. Still lots of diesels, just in worse places!. For the last twenty years the day job has been as a Mechanical Project Engineer within the nuclear de-commissioning industry where a main role has been the conversion of micro JCB's into robotic machines capable of submerged working within fuel storage ponds.

A lifelong interest in railways and canals has led to owning a fleet of locomotives over the years and the restoration of Listers for canal use. The master plan was to cut down the day job en route to early retirement. Fat chance of that with an ever increasing workload of vintage marine engines to deal with ! It seems that MPS Vintage Diesels will provide still more Listers and Gardners to restore for years to come!