Calf Dozer, Crazy, or Effective Tool of its Time?

I'm always on the lookout for something different or unusual, so during my travels around the MaskinExpo show in Stockholm, Sweden, some years ago, I came across a restored calf dozer just outside Swedish publication, Trucking magazine’s stand.

The tiny dozer was actually sat on a pallet so I am unsure if it is still a runner or not. It just made me wonder what it must have been like to operate one of these contraptions. They certainly don’t look like the safest of machines with the operator’s legs being in close proximity to the front of the tracks and blade!

Back as early as the 1940’s Aveling Barford had identified the need for a mini dozer type machine for small backfilling jobs and on the railway sector. And after it’s unveiling it was named the calf dozer due to its diminutive nature.

The machine weighed around 1.65 tonnes and early models were powered by a Dorman 800cc single pot petrol engine, which offered a massive 9 horsepower! I believe on later models a diesel option was available.

Here is a video from those guys over at Awesome Earthmovers showing a calf dozer in operation at the Dorset Steam Fair. I can honestly say I don’t think I would fancy spending long on ones of these!

I do recall my father telling me about these tiny calf dozers when I was a youngster, but I had never had any personal experience with them.

I would be keen to hear from any readers who have spent any time on these machines in the past.