Vintage Excavator Trust

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Machinery line up a Threlkeld Quarry, looking across the valley

The Vintage Excavator Trust Preserving Britain's Engineering Heritage Is based in Threlkeld, Nr Keswick, Cumbria, England at the Mining Museum in a disused quarry.

[edit] The Trust

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"

Priestman on Dyson low loader with scammell tractor unit parked up in lower Carpark

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 narrow gauge loco at Threlkeld

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.

[edit] EVENTS

Stone Crusher by the weigh bridge

• MAY, 17th & 18th May (Sat & Sun)
  

VINTAGE EXCAVATOR TRUST WORKING WEEKEND
Threlkeld Quarry,Cumbria.
( A66 Nr Keswick. From 10am.)

• July 19th & 20th (Sat & Sun)
  

VINTAGE EXCAVATOR TRUST WORKING WEEKEND.
Threlkeld Quarry, Cumbria.
( A66 Nr Keswick. From 10am.)

• SEPT 20th & 21st (Sat & Sun)
  

VINTAGE EXCAVATOR TRUST WORKING WEEKEND.
Threlkeld Quarry, Cumbria.
( A66 Nr Keswick. From 10am.)

[edit] Machine List

• Aveling Barford : SN 35 Dump Truck (2)
• Ruston-Bucyrus : RB 22, 38, 110 Draglines / shovels
• NCK : 605 Front Shovel
• Thomas Smith & Sons (Rodley) Ltd : Dragline
• Priestman : Dragline
• Priestman : Panther Shovel MKI of 1934 with 10 cyft bucket.(Believed to be oldest survivor)^[1]
• Jones Cranes : Crawler crane
• Muir-Hill : Dumper
• Rock Crushers (several)
• Compressor
• Rock drills
• Road Rollers
• Terex Dump truck

[edit] Other collectors

An Extensive collection of Priestman of Lincolnshire, Early Draglines & Modern Hydraulic machines owned by Adrian Patterson, is displayed at the site.

Several other collectors keep their machines at the site, as it gives them the opertunity to Use them in a realistic environment.

• Please add details of the other owners machines to this page or create a "collection" page for your machine list.

[edit] Photo Gallery of Machines

Photos from 2008 open day

Lower Yard	Upper Quarry area, and machinery storage	NCK 605 Face Shovel, in work area at Threlkeld	10-RB fitted with Skimmer Gear
38-RB Face Shovel parked in upper quarry storage area

[edit] Trust Web Site

Note: The trust does not currently appear to have an active web site ! (July 2009)

New members are always welcome, so if you are interested in joining the Vintage Excavator Trust please contact them for an application form.

• Email: navvyman@navvyman.karoo.co.uk Navvyman
• For more info contact the secretary Philip Peacock 01482-875892, or
• membership secretary Pam Allarton 0121-5503160.^[2]

[edit] References

Trust Web site.

1. ↑ Classic Plant & Machinery Magazine, V1-5 Jan 2003
2. ↑ from Vertial Article (PDF)

[edit] External links

• Trust web site - Link dead (August 2009)