Caterpillar DW21

[kopite]

I worked for many earthmoving contractors in the UK but mostly for Sir Alfred McAlpine (Macs as they were known). They always had a checker on the cut counting loads and we were paid a bonus based on load counts. I could get close to the high earners until I learned that every couple of loads they would drop one on the haul road and get back to the cut. On long hauls one load dropped on the haulroad every hour makes a big difference at the end of the day. I was soon up there with the high earners. Often wonder why they didnt put a checker on the fill.

[dpan]

Interesting about a load counter in cut area. Can see where that would cause short dumping as we called it. Doesn't take the schemers long to figure something like that out. We used to joke about being paid by the load and it may well have happened in other areas of the country but in region I worked never experienced it. Large jobs had foreman over the "pull" spread, sixwheeler, doublebarrel spreads for example. They would sit in truck and watch if you couldn't keep up for example he might stop you and question you. There were spotters on fills and in cut areas on big jobs, spotter didn't hesitate to tell foreman if scrapers were short dumping on him as he was responsible for keeping lifts proper of compaction. In cut areas wanted to keep grade so water drained to sumps. So if an operator continually did his own thing you were guaranteed to have a chat from foreman. Could usually tell in in short while if a guy didn't show up for work why. There were those that could "drive" a scraper or a dozer, then there were lots that could do "finish" work with machines. There have been some pictures on this site of jobs in the UK, last few years that appear to be done by some skilled operators, thinking of Billings jobs as example. Am sure there are more. Enjoy seeing what craftsman can do.

[GDE]

Hi, from Belgium
I'm 65 yo and use to work as a mechanic then workshop manager in Belgium heartmoving equipment.
mostly D8H d9G scrapers DW21, 631a, 631b, 657b
Talking with a friend of mine, 70 yo, he say have worked in Belgium (years 1962/66 ) fot a UK company named Wikes ?

And work on a Caterpillar DW21 electra-box ?? The electra box fitted with a rotating switch to perform the gear shift!
No clutch pedal but mechanical GB.
He said that theses DW21 (electra box) where only available in UK, and never seen other.

Did somebody know about DW21 electra box??
I ask him to confirm that he's not confuse with any turn a pull Letourneau or other equipment.
He confirm Caterpillar DW21.

Tanks for answers, ( excuse my english, my mother language is french.)

[tctractors]

On the load counting task from my bulk muck days, the muck shift forman (slasher) was a man with 2 heads, he knew every trick and more so to bluff past him was a non starter, I used to marvel at his antics with drivers not keeping the boot in, he would give the driver just 1 bollicking if they mouthed back they were done, if he spotted a scraper off track or wallowing about he would send me up to fix what ever??? then join me as I pulled them over , to see how long it would take to fix the brakes or steering wheel, so the message was well pushed home to the pilot, he used to be at the Cut area before the 1st load and sit there for about 1 1/2 hours sucking on Park Drive Fags checking his watch and penning notes into a day log book, this included weather, soil condition, equipment running, plus average load count and distance to fill, also any other day events and notes of meetings with agents etc, then he would get into his L/Rover and travel to his next position to see and be seen by all,the afternoons were the fill area times with him still penning in the book, but the last hour was always up at the cut end of the site making sure the loads were still on high ball untill he gave the signal to the drivers of the last load for them.

[adamec140]

Love reading these stories Tony, keep em coming....

[Holger]

Hi, from Belgium

Welcome to CMN!

[dpan]

Pretty much same everywhere would think, big jobs had more layers of supervision, like you TC recall seeing many superintendents sitting watching, maybe wouldn't be long before foreman made adjustment with what they were responsible for. If you couldn't move because of problem wasn't very long before mechanic was on machine checking, if more were needed they were there shortly. If machine would move get it to bone yard for mechanics to work on. Any job boss was happy when mechanics were doing nothing. Don't stop at water can when another there, switching machines to break boredom was sure way to be chewed on by foreman. As I think back about those days am reminded of March 1958, worked everyday that month but Easter Sunday, thought man rolling in clover all the money was making with all those overtime hours. Needed it as was married later that summer. Hehe.

[bigkit]

Pretty much same everywhere would think, big jobs had more layers of supervision, like you TC recall seeing many superintendents sitting watching, maybe wouldn't be long before foreman made adjustment with what they were responsible for. If you couldn't move because of problem wasn't very long before mechanic was on machine checking, if more were needed they were there shortly. If machine would move get it to bone yard for mechanics to work on. Any job boss was happy when mechanics were doing nothing. Don't stop at water can when another there, switching machines to break boredom was sure way to be chewed on by foreman. As I think back about those days am reminded of March 1958, worked everyday that month but Easter Sunday, thought man rolling in clover all the money was making with all those overtime hours. Needed it as was married later that summer. Hehe.

And in a matter of hours the dosh was GONE!

[dpan]

Hey bigkit ain't it the truth, and still going 55 years later. Hehe. At the time thought $3.70 straight time per hour was big money, time and a half over 8 during week, time and a half Sat and BIG money on Sunday double time. But haven't we all heard when they worked for a few pence per hour or.25 per hour and were glad to have a job. In the future when todays youngsters have matured they will be telling the same story don't you imagine.

[bigkit]

LOL, inflation gets to us all. Just look back at what we paid for our first houses! When you look back they were for nothing by todays standards. We all get trapped in our 20's and 30's because thats when we value everything because as a rule thats when its hardest, trying to buy houses, bring up children, build a business........ by the time your 45 to 50ish your kids need a house a car you stick your head up to see whats about and then you think "f**k where did the last 15 years go!" "You want a house son........HOW MUCH...... what for that!"