The Classic Machinery Network

Found this whilst browsing, I did link to the site in another section, but felt it may not get so well noticed there. Not just excavators, but a lot of literature on virtually every machine MF made I think up to the Fermec era, some have the dealer stamp of 'Rogers Engineers' who used to be the loca...

AFAIK MF Industrial became Fermec (management buyout), then Fermec was absorbed into Terex, (although Case may have been involved as some stage too....)

Good selection of MF literature here, worth a browse. http://www.masseyarchives.com/archive/MFBrochures/9_Plant/

Out of those I'd look at either the Hymac 580 or the Akerman. Anything Japanese of that vintage is probably past it's prime and parts prices (if even available!) are likely to be crippling!

Cheers Richard, I thought there may be a connection, 2 Watt's working in surfacing, same area. Sometimes see Des Watt's crew out and about when i'm around that way, they were doing a factory yard in Fengate recently.

Not seen one of them in a few years! Portal Construction from Wellingborough used to run a SKB800, replaced a JCB 3D. Richard, is John Watt a relation to Des Watt (D Watt Roadways)? A mate of mine and his Brother in Law worked for Des Watt a few years back.

Schaeff and Benfra were others who also made articulated machines, and if memory serves me correctly, Smalley made a protoype artic 180 machine in conjunction with British Gas in the 80's but it never went into full production.

C P & E did a report on the Broyt face shovel, IIRC the digging action 'was best described as like a man using a shovel', and the undercarriage was indeed powerless. Moving around at the face was achieved using the Bucket and hydraulics, for longer distances the machine hitched a ride in a dumpt...

Now wondering if i've got Rose Plant mixed up with (Phillip) Hall Plant. I remember a guy on a 3CX in mid 80's who i'm pretty sure drove for Hall Plant, always had a Golden Retriever type dog in the cab with him. Then (would think) the 90's and possible same guy (and dog) were on an Akerman, that to...

Are Bradshaw's still dabbling in plant Richard, or have they stopped now to concentrate on the electric vehicles? Rose Plant at Peterborough (Whittlesey?) had some Akerman machines, wondered if they took over anything from Bradshaw?

Neil, cant have been easy getting a lowloader up Shirley Road, even then. Be nigh on impossible now with all the parked cars I should think! Afraid the names Harold or Noel Drage dont ring any bells, I do know a Dave Nicholson who used to be ARC's fitter at Thrapston, and Mick and his late brother P...