Earth Moving Machines

HTN 122 - Eimco Loader

Sandstone Heritage Trust - News

13th August 2006

The Sandstone Heritage Trust collection of old machines is fascinating because so many of them have never seen the light of day when it comes to international publicity. Our (+/- 1955) Model 105 Eimco is no exception. This unique design of an American made "Rocker" shovel designed specifically for use in tunneling, canal work and where turning is restricted or limited is in full running order and has been in the collection for nearly 10-years. It is one of the many machines that may never be restored because its condition is sound and it is in its true working clothes. Various heights of rockers (the half wheels either side of the cab attached to the bucket) were available to accomodate various truck and tunnel ceiling heights. It is equipped with a 90 HP 3 - 71 GM 2 stroke diesel engine and the 2 cu m bucket makes for very fast loading even by today's standards i.e. 3 loads to 2 of a similar sized current conventional front end loader which has to make at least two turns per cycle.

One of the reasons why the Sandstone Heritage Trust staff are somewhat weary of the machine is that they had a reputation for being dangerous. As our pictures show the machine has a fierce mechanical motion which enables the machine to drive straight into a rock face, fill the bucket, and then virtually catapult the material over the top into a truck standing at the back. The only entrance to the cab is via the roof, and so should the bucket (which is returned by impuls spring and gravity) become jammed in a vertical position the operator has the dilemma of getting out while hoping that nothing changes and he does not get sliced in two! Sadly this had been known to happen on a number of occasions.

Anyway, looking on the bright side this machine will be treated with great circumspection and we hope to have it working in a quarry on Sandstone Estates quite soon.
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HTN 124 - 51 year old CAT 12 working hard upgrading the roads at Sandstone Estates

Sandstone Heritage Trust - News

18th August 2006

We werent kidding when we sold our 5 year old 120H Road Grader with the intention of bringing an elderly machine out of retirement.

Here is our 51 year old CAT 12 working hard upgrading the roads at Sandstone Estates.

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HTN 136 - Improved asset management - in with the old and the new

Sandstone Heritage Trust - News

15th September 2006

Sandstone Estates has commenced a programme whereby it is beginning to sell modern equipment but only if we have an item in our heritage collection which is of similar specification. This programme has been extremely successful. Nearly R10 million worth of capital equipment has been disposed of and has been replaced in all cases by vintage items which cost in total probably less than R200,000.

Obviously maintenance was necessary on the old items but they are working hard. Since we are not contractors we are not working to deadlines, and so if we have a road to grade or a dam to build we
are not under any particular deadline. Certainly the big improvement in the cash flow resulting from the implementation in this policy has been a positive move for the business and indicates a very improved level of asset management. Our photograph shows our CAT 120H leaving Sandstone Estates.

All its work functions have been replaced by our CAT 12 Grader seen working below.

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HTN 145 - Sandstone Estates disposes off its D6R Dozer.

Sandstone Heritage Trust - News

10th October 2006

A late model D6R Dozer that has worked at Sandstone Estates, particularly on the railway construction, has been disposed off in favour of its classic 1950's D8 Dozer which is capable of doing similar work. This policy of selling off late model expensive items and replacing them with low value items of similar technical specification improves our cash flow but more importantly enhances our reputation as a classic heritage centre.

Below: The D6R being loaded onto the flatbed.

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HTN 177 - Familiar machine?

Sandstone Heritage Trust - News

24th January 2007

Something interesting from Kerry Young in New Zealand is a picture of a Allen Trencher spotted at the Plains Railway Ashburton, South of Christchurch, New Zealand. This unit is identical to the one which has been restored by the Sandstone Heritage Trust and which will be operating during the Kelsey tour over the weekend of 18th February.

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10 Ruston Bucyrus Excavator donated to the Sandstone Heritage Trust

Heritage - News

7th October (updated 26th October / 2nd November - see below)

A family in the Northern Cape have donated this interesting and valuable 10RB to the Sandstone Heritage Trust. We already have one but this 10RB is older than the one in stock. In addition the other 10RB is a face shovel whereas this is a back hoe. If we could locate a dragline, a skimmer and a crane boom we would end up with all the attachments. The back hoe is particularly effective for trenching and digs well even in heavy material.

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1950's D8H

Our D8H from the 1950's is still working and still bush clearing after all these months. The job is nearly completed which will add an extra 200 hectares of arable land to Sandstone Estates.

We have no conscience about this because we are removing Blue Gum trees which are invasive, non-indigenous and which have a huge appetite for water.

We have put a new operator onto the machine, namely Thabiso, who is extremely experienced. He is our most versatile operator. He can operate anything and he has a wonderful touch with these machines.

1950's D8H

Our trusty old 1950's D8H which was brought into service to replace an almost brand new D6H which we felt was not powerful enough for the job has recommences bush clearing invasive species at Sandstone Estates (Pty) Ltd.

It is amazing what can be achieved with a machine that is over 50-years old.

Is this heritage or is it contracting?

Ancient Foden Dump Truck does sterling work

It is the time of the year when rainfall and storms can cause damage to our roads. At Sandstone Estates we have a policy of minimal road maintenance because we believe that our roads are the primary cause of soil erosion. A perfect road at Sandstone Estates is completely grassed over (click here to view that article) which means that there is no maintenance needed and there is no problem with wash aways. However, in certain locations we are having to reprofile the roads before we grass them.

 

In this regard we sourced this wonderful old Dump truck from a retired Civil Engineering contractor, Zach van Staden, near Bloemfontein. We have asked Zach for background information and details of its exact age.

In line with our policy of enhancing the concept of living preservation we sold our Bell 20-ton Dump truck and replaced it with the Foden.

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