scmick
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,507
|
|
Sept 15, 2019 20:28:34 GMT
|
|
There's some SIMCA content in this post but this was at the open days for the preserved 1200 ton Walking Dragline Excavator at Swillington near Leeds. Built in 1948 by Bucyrus Erie in Milwauke this monster was imported in the early 50's with 2 or 3 others to get opencast coal mining going as machines of this size just weren't available here. It worked in South Wales for some years, then at Cannock in Staffordshire finally arriving at the giant St Aidans coal site in Leeds, having to be dismantled and rebuilt each time. It worked there until '88 when the nearby river Aire burst into the 300ft deep workings and flooded everything. The majority of the Machinery was saved including this machine and the much bigger 2000 ton British built Rapier Dragline that had joined it in the mid '80s. surprising as these machines move so slowly. When the River and nearby canal were re routed into a straight channel and the workings were drained mining resumed in '98. The 1150B dragline now preserved wasn't put back to work and surprisingly not scrapped.. instead it was presented to Leeds council. I'm part of a group 'the Friends of the Dragline' who host open days through the year. Old vehicles are always welcome at these to add to the show and the events draw good crowds, with young & old enjoying sitting 3 storeys up in the driver's seat.
I took a different SIMCA from my collection each day and they were joined by tractors and a spectacular Plymouth Barracuda. Photos below...
|
| |
|
|
|
|
scmick
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,507
|
|
Sept 15, 2019 20:31:48 GMT
|
|
|
| |
|
|
scmick
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,507
|
|
Sept 15, 2019 20:39:54 GMT
|
The 'Walking' part of it is its way of movement.. Always backwards (away from the hole it's dug) and at 1200 tons to heavy for caterpillar tracks, it sits on a circular base with two large 'feet' which operate via a large cam affair across the machine and lift the rear end of the base, dragging it along a few feet at a fraction of an mph.   Bucket dug 40 to 50 tons at a time, here seen behind our cars.  |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Sept 15, 2019 22:09:50 GMT
|
|
Excellent, nice to see. What engine, and do you fire it up?
|
| |
|
|
scmick
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,507
|
|
Sept 15, 2019 22:51:52 GMT
|
The dragline is just a static thing now. It was electrically powered from a sub station (We still use the building for a display of photos and a member's working models of the two draglines on the open days),but there is now no power to the site which is now and RSPB reserve/country park. It never would have run again but the huge motors have also fallen victim to copper thieves some years ago despite it living in its own secure compound. When mining finished and the site was backfilled/landscaped 1n 2003/4, the bigger 2000 ton Rapier dragline was cut up for scrap along with 3 or 4 Ruston Bucyrus 195RB shovels all of which were also electrically powered. For more info on the technical details look up 'Oddball' 1150 B walking dragline on the web.  'Don't tread on me..!!' My old racing SIMCA 1000 next to 'foot' of the walking dragline. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Sept 16, 2019 7:55:43 GMT
|
|
I watched the Abandoned Engineering they did on this, fascinating something that big moved.
|
| |
|
|
scmick
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,507
|
|
Sept 16, 2019 9:02:35 GMT
|
Roy, the former driver of the dragline who they inter viewed on the Abandoned Engineering programme arrived on his Minneapolis Moline tractor...  |
| |
|
|
|
|
scmick
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,507
|
|
Sept 16, 2019 9:23:51 GMT
|
A bit more info on 'Odball', our 1150B Walking Dragline.  |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Sept 16, 2019 20:57:45 GMT
|
|
I'm amazed that that was electrically powered, its a nuisance cutting the grass without damaging the lead, thats another level.
I've always worked in Engineering, mainly the car building industry, and I sometimes feel like my work is really boring when I realise that some Engineers work on things like that, things that people are impressed with decades later.
Same thing with huge construction projects and big tunnels, I'd love to be able to point at things like that and tell my grandchildren that I was involved, its not the same pointing at mundane cars and saying that.
Enough moaning, great thread, nice vehicles and machinery in one.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sept 16, 2019 21:05:21 GMT
|
Your one is collosal, I'm trying to get my head round the size of Big Muskie. When the UK one was working, how many men were needed to operate it?  |
| |
|
|
stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,962
Club RR Member Number: 174
|
|
Sept 16, 2019 21:45:34 GMT
|
|
Didn't realise they did open days, I drive past fairly often just for a look at it. Immense thing, same as a lot of mining equipment.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
scmick
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,507
|
|
Sept 16, 2019 22:02:33 GMT
|
Second photo above taken from driver's cab. Next year we are hoping to get more old vehicles at the open days.  |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Sept 17, 2019 4:04:09 GMT
|
|
I believe Bucyrus still builds these kind of machines. They are now part of Caterpillar. I used to work for a compagny in Holland that supplied hydraulic cylinders for operating the arms.
Peter
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Sept 17, 2019 6:26:17 GMT
|
I watched the Abandoned Engineering they did on this, fascinating something that big moved. Yeh me too, great program |
| |
|
|
scmick
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,507
|
|
Sept 17, 2019 9:13:30 GMT
|
|
Yes they are still built. Some of our volunteers are trying to see if anyone at the top of Caterpillar is interested in promoting what is now part of their heritage. This one is believed to be the only surviving walking dragline of this size in Europe. Newly built ones go to the 'wide open spaces' of huge mines in USA, Australia, South Africa, India etc.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Sept 18, 2019 21:00:00 GMT
|
|
|
| |
|
|
scmick
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,507
|
|
Sept 18, 2019 22:47:21 GMT
|
|
I try to get to at least one of the Threlkeld open weekends each year and am a member of the 'Vintage Excavator trust'. There's one this Saturday/Sunday 21st/22nd September. Unfortunately I'll not be able to get to this one.
|
| |
|
|
rickygolf83
Scotland
Mk2 Golf 8v & 16v, VR6, Nova Antibes, Mk4 1.8t & mk4 Gt Tdi 130
Posts: 560 
|
|
Sept 19, 2019 16:37:44 GMT
|
I'm amazed that that was electrically powered, its a nuisance cutting the grass without damaging the lead, thats another level. I've always worked in Engineering, mainly the car building industry, and I sometimes feel like my work is really boring when I realise that some Engineers work on things like that, things that people are impressed with decades later. Same thing with huge construction projects and big tunnels, I'd love to be able to point at things like that and tell my grandchildren that I was involved, its not the same pointing at mundane cars and saying that. Enough moaning, great thread, nice vehicles and machinery in one. At least you have a "manly job" to tell them about! |
| |
|
|
|
|
