Blindwells Opencast Tranent

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ian2144
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Blindwells Opencast Tranent

Post #1 by ian2144 » Tue Dec 07, 2010 7:17 pm

I wonder if any one from here worked at Blindwells Opencast (Fairclough - AMEC)

I was there from 1987 to 1995


Cheers

Ian...........

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Tracshovel
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Re: Blindwells Opencast Tranent

Post #2 by Tracshovel » Tue Dec 07, 2010 9:57 pm

Welcome to the forum Ian.

Blindwells was a very interesting site with a lot of big plant working there. Any pictures you have would be appreciated. Innes from Liebherr may chime in here too. :wave:


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ian2144
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Re: Blindwells Opencast Tranent

Post #3 by ian2144 » Wed Dec 08, 2010 12:52 pm

I do have some pictures, but old style prints, so need to get them scanned. will post them at some point.

Ian........


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Re: Blindwells Opencast Tranent

Post #4 by ian2144 » Wed Dec 08, 2010 1:23 pm

Tracshovel wrote:Welcome to the forum Ian.

Blindwells was a very interesting site with a lot of big plant working there. Any pictures you have would be appreciated. Innes from Liebherr may chime in here too. :wave:


I had an enjoyable time at Blindwells.

I first went there in 1987 on hire from Wm Dow Plant Hire (Banknock) on a Mitsubishi 180 Excavator, cleaning coal. In 1988 I joined Fairclough, and continued the coal cleaning on a O&K RH9 the old style one with the back to front controls.

Then moved up the ranks, Akerman 16 then on to a 25, Liebherr 974, Komatsu 650, and last but not least a Demag 121, I'm sure there was other stuff I was on - memory fadeing a bit in my old age.
Also went on the dump Trucks when ever we had down time on the excavators, Terex 33-09's, Cat 773's and 777's

I finnished up their in 1995 as the other half was moveing to Manchester wthh her job. I worked with Wardle Plant when I was down there. but that's another storry.

Ian...........


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Re: Blindwells Opencast Tranent

Post #5 by innes » Wed Dec 08, 2010 11:45 pm

ian2144 wrote:
Tracshovel wrote:Welcome to the forum Ian.

Blindwells was a very interesting site with a lot of big plant working there. Any pictures you have would be appreciated. Innes from Liebherr may chime in here too. :wave:


I had an enjoyable time at Blindwells.

I first went there in 1987 on hire from Wm Dow Plant Hire (Banknock) on a Mitsubishi 180 Excavator, cleaning coal. In 1988 I joined Fairclough, and continued the coal cleaning on a O&K RH9 the old style one with the back to front controls.

Then moved up the ranks, Akerman 16 then on to a 25, Liebherr 974, Komatsu 650, and last but not least a Demag 121, I'm sure there was other stuff I was on - memory fadeing a bit in my old age.
Also went on the dump Trucks when ever we had down time on the excavators, Terex 33-09's, Cat 773's and 777's

I finnished up their in 1995 as the other half was moveing to Manchester wthh her job. I worked with Wardle Plant when I was down there. but that's another storry.

Ian...........

Hi Ian,
As Tracshovel indicated I spend some time at Blindwells when I worked for Liebherr, I was involved in building both the R994s and did most of the warranty work on them and later as service manager was involved when they moved to House of Water occs.I dont remember Faircloughs/Amec having a R974 but remember Shorts having one on hire there. At present I am working again with some ex Fairclough/Amec guys on a Scottish Coal site. Colin Forbes and Brian Peat, maybe you remember them.
Regards Innes


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ian2144
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Re: Blindwells Opencast Tranent

Post #6 by ian2144 » Thu Dec 09, 2010 5:11 pm

I do remember Colin and Brian the other plant fitter that was there at that time was Gordon or Gogs as he was referred to and George King was the plant manager............. Both the 994's were operated by Donald Robertson and Rab Ritchie if my memory serves.

The 974 was Shorts and the Komatsu 650 was Wardle Plants.


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Re: Blindwells Opencast Tranent

Post #7 by nick lamb » Sun Dec 19, 2010 2:46 pm

I nearly went on to Blindwells in spring 1992 for Martin Ward Plant to do some tractor and box work.I had just finished at Dunblane but he moved me down to Carstairs instead for Tarmac.I have also hired tractors to Wardle's in the Manchester area.Was a lad called Paul Lidford on Wardles PC650 at the time?


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ian2144
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Re: Blindwells Opencast Tranent

Post #8 by ian2144 » Sun Dec 19, 2010 5:14 pm

I worked for Wardle Plant aswell and do remember the Lidford brothers, Paul & Steve.

Steve was Wardle's plant Forman. The 650 that Paul was on is the same one that was at Blindwells.

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Re: Blindwells Opencast Tranent

Post #9 by muckshifter » Wed Dec 22, 2010 1:31 pm

Remember it well it had a fairly large fleet of motorscrapers from various plant hire firms, merrimans being one such company, being born and raised in tranent i remember the scrapers going down the high street lifting all the kerb stones at the top of church street, in those days they were all roaded. they recently applied for an extension to open up the site towards longniddry.. was a huge job at the time.


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Re: Blindwells Opencast Tranent

Post #10 by vim » Fri Apr 20, 2012 3:53 pm

Hi Ian, I remember you well.I was a section foreman at Blindwells along with big Eddie ,had good times there and they were all a good bunch of lads that worked there. Happy days. George


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