Bayston Hill Quarry/Walters

[Hammer man]

Hi gah1950,yes,still in Bayston Hill.Whys that,are you coming/working this way??I think i will be here crushing most of this year.
Hopefully not with the JCB as it is doing my head in now It is by far the worst machine i have ever driven .The fueling issuses returned first thing mon morning,so i changed the last filter in the electric lift pump.It ran fine for an hour,then back to loosing power again.So another fitter came out.He removed a fuel valve fitted to the main fuel pump to find it sticking.There is a plunger in the valve,which opens or shuts(not sure which way)when there is no demand on the hydraulics,sending fuel back to the tank.But as it was sticking,it was sending fuel back all the time,hence the loss in power.Cleaned it all up & all was well.Untill thursday .So i went to the local jcb dealer in Shrewsbury to pick up a new valve.Fitted it,& all was well for a few hours.Then the same problems again.Fitter came out friday morning,fitted a flow/pressure gauge to the electric lift pump,but its not flowing/pumping enough.The local dealer wont have a new pump till tues,so spent all day friday trying to dig with a guttless & dangerous machine.I burried the bucket 3 times bringing down the rock face/blastpile as i could`nt lift the bucket clear in time The door catch also broke this week,trapping me inside the cab.I`m getting to know the local dealer very well now .Gunn JCB,a nice bunch of blokes
And here is a pic of the hole in the bell housing when the engine to hyd pump coupling went,around 4" in size,at the end of my finger.

23042010371.jpg

[gah1950]

hello hammerman.
yes i am coming to bayston hill probably on weds evening time to pick up one of our 385 s .i am taking a 775f to immingham docks on tuesday for export.Since the new layout around the weighbrige we are not allowed to load the big tackle there any longer.It is getting a real pain loading in there now.Going back to the JS we had a 300 when the SSC was being built and it was working alongside a cat235c and the JS would run rings around it not only digging power but speed as well but it seems like all things in this industry they change a good product into a not so good product.we currently have two js460 s not heard nothing bad about them yet.My mate on the other low loader has a son who is on for kelston but i think he covers bristol and south west mainly.Keep your camera ready bit of a tight squeeze coming over the humped railway bridge out of the quarry.
regards graham.

[argie]

Hi Graham,
I might pop over on Wednesday with the camera if the weather is OK. Going to give Huw a call this week about a visit.
All the best
Paul

[gah1950]

hello paul.
if you can pm me with a contact number i can give you a definate time that i will be at BH i wont be leaving there until after 9 am thurs to avoid the peak traffic.
regards graham.

[Hammer man]

I shall look out for you.You`ll be picking up the 385 thats been parked near the road then i reckon.We work 7am till 6-7ish pm.If i see you i`ll pull over for a chat & get some pics

[gah1950]

hello neil.
ok might see you.
regards graham.

[Hammer man]

Well,its been a bad few weeks with Just Constantly Broken JS330:arrrrgh: Still having fueling issuses,contantly leaking fuel.Looks like it needs a new common rail,£900 odd quid from JCB,£500 odd quid from Hitachi.Go figure that one out
Various hoses blowing.And since last friday,the dipper stick is slow & jerky pulling in with no power behind it,& screaming from the valve block/hoses at the same time.Holt JCB came out last sat to try to cure it with no luck.Then back again this Weds with a replacement dipper ram.Changed the ram,problem still there.Removed dipper ram check valve,problem still there,removed both MRV & AR Valves in valve block,problem still there.Then Thurs came back with £8k`s worth of new hydraulic pump,spent most of day doing that,fault STILL there Although with the old hyd pump,on engine idle when the dipper fault occured,the engine would stall,now it does`nt,so the old pump did sound like a problem,but as i dont dig with it on idle,thats of no use to me Then back to work friday with a slow digging machine,only for a o ring to blow on the valve block,loosing 40 ltrs of new hyd oil.When i went to remove the pipe clamps on the valve block,they were only hand tight Someone made a mistake there on re-assembly So all in all,with the down time,loss of crusing production,our wages,our fitters wages,fitters fuel,ram,hyd pump,it has cost around £15k this week,& the digger still wont dig.
Relalations now sound strained between JCB & our firm,& i`m on the verge of jacking it in,and/or loosing my will to go on & burning this digger out

[Joes1989]

Just track it off a high cliff! haha but with out you in it obviously! Wouold be doing your firm a favour! haha,

Joe

[Hammer man]

Arrived this morning to find all the door glass & left hand side glass smashed in.Nothing taken from the cab,but a shame they did`nt burn it.
Can also add 4 bottom rollers breaking up,& the bucket worn through again(after 2 mths since a re-skin).I think the base will fall out this week,then it will be off the road as there is no spare bucket for it Oil cooler radiator is now cracked & leaking hydaulic oil,anti freeze/water leaking from head gasket on one side of the block,oil leaking from head gasket from the other end of block.
No word on fixing the dipper fault yet,so just trying to plod on with it at the mo.
I think think it must be a "friday"machine

[argie]

Sounds like you're having some fun Neil
What does Alan think of the problems you are having?

All the best
Paul