abstract
| - The Vintage Excavator Trust was formed in 1998 as a result of a meeting organised at Threlkeld Quarry in Cumbria by Ian Hartland and Philip Peacock and attended by a small group of excavator preservation enthusiasts. The aims of the organisation, as stated in a document produced at the initial meeting, are "to acquire, preserve, restore and keep in working order, a comprehensive collection of rope-operated excavators, associated plant, machinery and equipment, literature and models and to display, demonstrate and explain to the general public, schools, industrial history societies etc their history, evolution, construction and working principles" A wide range of excavators and other plant have been donated to the Trust for preservation. These include NCK 605 and Ruston-Bucyrus 38-RB face shovels, a 22-RB dragshovel, a Jones 565 crane, Smiths and Priestman draglines, two Aveling Barford SN35 dump trucks and a variety of smaller items of plant. Most of these machines are displayed at Threlkeld Mining and Quarrying Museum in Cumbria, with a few stored at other locations including Andrew Beaulah’s Farm in Yorkshire, where working days are held with demonstrations of earthmoving machinery . Recent Acquisition include a 110-RB Shovel, that is expected to be working in 2008, following the successful transportation to Cumbria in 2007, with the assistance of Heanor Haulage and other firms, and reassembly over a period of several months by volunteers. A large Generator has be loaned by a quarry with a similar machine keep in reserve, to enable it to be powered up for demonstrations. A variety of machines are being restored on site, as time allows by a Enthusiastic group of volunteers. A lot of machines are kept there by owners without suitable large gardens to keep them in at home, as they can use them as well. The site includes a Working narrow gauge Railway, Workshops Several areas were machines can be worked in a Realistic setting. Last open day saw about 60 machines on site, with about 20 working. The site provides a great location for members and the public to see machines in a proper working location and actually under power, not just as static exhibits. As most people would no longer be able to witness these types of machine in action normally with H&S excluding people from working Quarries and building sites.
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