A Trip Down Memory Lane with the JCB 5C

If you are anything like me, you are probably enjoying the popular archive footage clips that JCB are posting on their You Tube channel, one of the latest of this series is focusing on the 11/12-tonne class JCB 5C tracked excavator.

The JCB 5C holds a special place in my heart as during my childhood, among my then vast fleet of models and toy diggers, I had 3 examples of the 5C which were manufactured by Britains Ltd. They were cracking models made from a combination of die cast metal and plastic, and featured a hand operated digging feature, something I spent many hours doing with them on my own earth demo plot! Such happy days to reminisce about. Every model I owned was branded with my own hand drawn stickers, baring the name, “Drew Plant” which seems totally insane in this day and age, but I guess it was my childhood fantasy back then.

The real JCB 5C was first introduced in 1969 as a slightly smaller alternative to the JCB 6 model and was effectively a machine to compete with the popular Hymac 580 models. Production of this model was relatively short with the last examples rolling off the production line in 1973.

The 5C was powered by a 4-cylinder Perkins 4.428 diesel engine producing 77hp @2,850rpm. The machine featured two stage hydraulics and automatic brakes. The type of things we just take for granted these days of course.

Photo Above: Sourced from the Internet.

The cab was typically JCB, it was warm and dry and featured a heater system. The controls consisted of two centrally forward mounted X pattern joysticks, essentially the same as found on the famous backhoe loaders, with track travel levers mounted either side of the seat.

You would certainly know you had done a shift having sat hunched over those levers for a day, it’s incredible how much things have progressed in terms of ergonomics and in cab creature comforts.

Enjoy this classic JCB promotional film to find out more.