Britain's surface coal-mining industry continues to contribute to our power supplies. This year, Steven Vale has been looking at some of the enterprises flourishing in south Wales, Lanarkshire and Northumberland. He has uncovered hydraulic excavators and haul trucks of a significant size by European and even world standards. His results are to be seen in two companion DVDs, of which this is the first.
Britain's Massive Miners Part 1, Steven Vale, DVD approx 79 minutes plus extra, £15.95 (inc. VAT). IN STOCK at Old Pond Publishing
Komatsu and Hitachi star in the first of Steven Vale’s films about the hydraulic excavators to be found at work in Britain’s surface coal mines.
In Wales, Steven recorded a couple of 250-tonne PC 3000s, the Dash-6 currently being the biggest and newest Komatsu excavator in Britain. They dwarf the Cat 777F dump trucks they are loading with overburden. Not far away a Demag H185S also loads overburden.
The biggest Hitachi excavators currently at work in the UK are the EX 1900s which Steven also recorded in Wales. They come in at 190 tonnes.
Among the face shovels and backhoes at work in Northumberland are the O&K RH 120-Cs, still going strong after twenty years. Some of them feature industry-leading noise- and dust-suppression technology. These popular workhorses are joined by the very first Cat-powered 120-Es in Britain.
The main machines in this programme (see blogs of 17 & 28 June, 12 & 20 July for pictures)
O&K RH 120-C hydraulic excavator (face-shovels and backhoe)
Terex O&K RH 120-E hydraulic excavator
Cat D9T tracked dozer
Cat 785 dump truck
Demag H185S hydraulic excavator
Cat 824H wheeled dozer
Komatsu PC3000 Dash-1 hydraulic excavator
Komatsu PC3000 Dash-6 hydraulic excavators (face-shovel and backhoe)
Cat 777F dump trucks
Komatsu PC1250 Dash-8 hydraulic excavator
Cat 16M grader
Hitachi EX1900 Dash-5 hydraulic excavator
Hitachi EX1900 Dash-6 hydraulic excavator
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