Life in Hell

[nick lamb]

LGP tracks are made for soft conditions, marsh, clay, whatever. Is it a usual practice to use LGP dozers on a landfill? I would have imagined the track plates would get bent pretty frequently? perhaps it depends on what type of rubbish is being handled at the site?

Secondly, are the standard Waste Disposal dozers that CAT produce fitted with standard or wide tracks?

Interesting blue compactors as well. Any idea what make those are?

Good question Gavin.The D7R is a waste spec machine with std grousers.I don't see why the lgp tracks are needed.I have seen D8/D9 tractors in the States and all were on standard tracks.



Corrected the quote /Site Admin
This is post number 50,000!

[nick lamb]

Nicky, that 'driver sandwich' did happen I believe last year. The wagon driver was hitching the dozer's chain when a 963 started pushing from behind the wagon sadly the driver died.

I did a weeks cover last year on a landfill site near Leeds. This was on one of Buckinghams 963's. I had never driven one before and found keeping it going slow took some getting used to. Each time you travelled the hydrostatic fan started which was bloody noisy. Two wagon loads of old coffins arrived to be 'tracked in'

I noticed the AJK D6R alongside you. I once did a weeks cover on a site along side one of their D5N's. I cant remember the drivers name but he was a 'huge bloke'. AJK seem to keep their machines in really good condition.

Andrew,the AJK machines are all in nice order.Their yard is up the road from mine.That D6T LGP that they have on the landfill is far too nice to be getting wrecked on the waste.The driver keeps it well with the tracks dug out and air filters cleaned often

[nick lamb]

Nicky.
Like you,I do a bit of casual operator work,usually on Drott or Loader.Recent work has been on WA600 at a gold mine & WA100 at a pipeline job.
Years ago,I did tip work for a few companies . The worst one was an industrial waste site...lotsa chemicals,food waste,human waste & dead chickens by the truckload.What a lovely mix of smells..!!
Best tip was a place that took the mispressed Mint notes....we got truckloads of cash in there.It was hard bulldozing a load of $50 notes into the ground.A security guard stood & watched until every last note was covered.
The tip also took in new Ford car parts...excess production stock.
I always had a good supply of body bolts & nuts,which I still use after 25 years.
I always prefer to be on smaller gear.You get a better variety of work.Nothing worse that sitting in a D7 all day,pushing the same clay around for 8-10 hours.

Jim

Hi Jim,this week I was on my own D8 for a couple of 10 hr shifts.We were dozing clay and dry,hard peat to form a large slope.I jumped on the D5 for the last hour to seal up as the D8 doesn't hold up too well on the batter as the chaines are due for replacement.I will probably bring the D8 in the yard over easter to do the job.

[v64paul]

I know a fine couple a fellas could give ye a hand when the big machine is up on blocks. One to swing de sledge, one who can make a fine brew and one can talk a big job. In fact he says the last job he was on was that big that the day shift fired the bucket out that far that it took the whole night shift to bring it back in again...

[nick lamb]

Hiya Paul,how are you?.D8 will be coming in at easter for retrack but it's too busy at the moment to stop.The bushes are cracking up now so not long before it starts jumping the segments.
went to look at a muckshift job last week up your neck of woods and would need a couple of hired in '8 and boxes to do it with mine pushing.Becher said he would provide the tractor and boxes if I get the job.(probably won, though as someone will do it for nowt!)

[Hammer man]

I`ve done a few jobs on landfills.The worst was working with the liners & gas fitters.Digging out compacted rotten waste to repair lining sections & replace the gas pipes,the smell was awfull.Although after a while you kind of get used to the smell.
The 2 landfills i worked at did not allow road lorrys onto the tip.One used ADT Bell B30D`s,4x4 & 6x6 tractors,with the dump body removed & fitted with a 5th wheel & hydraulics to take the artic tipping trailers onto the tip.
The other used Volvo A25D`s,6x6,with a wire rope atatchment to pull skip bodys onto the rear to transport the waste to the tip.