More muck shifting 1960's style

[robbie guy]

hello Bob, saw that you where at Millbrook test track, I was there 1968 fitting with Wag.heres a couple of photos.
Rob

[robbie guy]

does anybody know the whereabouts of this motley bunch of plant fitters taken winter, 1969 midland links motorway Catthorpe,with Blackwells

[nick lamb]

Brilliant pics lads Did someone set fire to a TS14 to keep warm?

[XS650]

Le Tourneau "Electric Digger" . Twin bowl scraper, diesel engine and generator on the front and middle unit and an electric motor in each wheel. As far as I know there were only two of them ever imported - I have pics of the other one working on the Brentwood by-pass and I will scan and post them later.

Fascinating pics ,how good were the Le Tourneaus at muck shifting ?
Wonder if they were ever driven on the public road, imagine the centre cab one would be an interesting drive.

[robbie guy]

some pictures from the 60s, TS14s Leyland 680 powered, at Woolwich Industrial constuction developments.cannot remember the guys names. New 657s arriving in Ireland for the construction of the Ballymena Bypass mid 1960s
Rob.

[bob]

hello Bob, saw that you where at Millbrook test track, I was there 1968 fitting with Wag.heres a couple of photos.
Rob

when I was there we had to use entrance near Liddlington church as the test track was operational at the time no cameras allowed most areas out of bounds only gm cars allowed past a certain area with instant dismissal for breaking rules.looks like your photos was taken from top of hill climb enclosed scan of back of pass showing all the test track with banked oval ,hill climb,Belgium pave,and mile straight we were working on.
Bob

[Gavin84w]

I will bet at least 1 person in the crowd that day was mesmerised with the big yellow iron and probably still works around it today, check how the 57,s dwarf the Cortina!!!! Could have just lifted up the apron and swallowed it!!

9 57,s for that project would have been a huge deal in it,s day, heck it would be considered the same today for anywhere outside of the US.

[plantman]

Great photos Robbie, great to see the 657s, Sam Campbell, sales rep for Liebherr Ireland told me about driving the 657s from the boat to the yard when he worked for McCormick,s.

[Black Prince]

Good photos of 657's on tramp, Chris Blackwell used to have a racehorse called Sixfiveseven it never won much when he owned it. I drove and tramped a 657B for McAlpine on the M69 in the midlands in '75 and in my mind they are the best scraper I ever drove. I started in '73 with Blackwell M5 Exeter and was on DW21, then TS14 and finished up on a 631B. Then off to macs and 627, new high bonnet 637 and finaly 657B. I also drove TS24 and 641B oh, and a stint on a 623B. I always thought Cat scapers were by far the best but the 24's were fast. I got scrapers out of my system ( you have to eventually) at last and graduated to blades and graders.

[Nick Drew]

Good photos of 657's on tramp, Chris Blackwell used to have a racehorse called Sixfiveseven it never won much when he owned it. I drove and tramped a 657B for McAlpine on the M69 in the midlands in '75 and in my mind they are the best scraper I ever drove. I started in '73 with Blackwell M5 Exeter and was on DW21, then TS14 and finished up on a 631B. Then off to macs and 627, new high bonnet 637 and finaly 657B. I also drove TS24 and 641B oh, and a stint on a 623B. I always thought Cat scapers were by far the best but the 24's were fast. I got scrapers out of my system ( you have to eventually) at last and graduated to blades and graders.

Hi Tony,

Do you have any photos to share from your time on the scrapers etc??

I would be very interested to see pics from the M5 Exeter job

Nick