Classic Liebherr’s at work

by Nick Drew | Mon 18 Jan 2016

Classic Liebherr’s at work

Due to popular demand I have delved back into the Digger Man Blog archives, for a focus on some Liebherr excavators from the past photographed in action around the world.

Some of these photos have featured on the blog before, but it’s always good to look back again and with Bauma on the horizon, German Liebherr machines are a great topic to re-visit. First up is a shot of a Liebherr R 962 in face shovel configuration sporting the colours of Sir Alfred McAlpine. The machine is seen loading a British classic in the shape of an Aveling Barford 40 tonne rigid dumptruck. This photo was taken at Alfred McAlpine Quarry Products, Torcoedfawr Quarry, near Carmarthen in Wales.

One of Liebherr’s latest models in 1995 was the R 974B Litronic excavator. This 80 – 85 tonne class machine was powered by Liebherr’s own D 9408 TI-E 8 cylinder engine which offered a power output of 360kw (490hp). The machine was one of the star attractions at that year’s Hillhead Quarry Exhibition in Buxton, Derbyshire.

Specialist application machines are something that Liebherr are very good at. Working closely with customers to supply machines that meet their needs and requirements and often producing one off bespoke designs. Scrap handlers have become something of a speciality for the company over the years, like this R 984 seen in action loading scrap onto a cargo ship.

Stepping up in size now to Liebherr’s mining sized machines. This R 994 in backhoe configuration was shot working in Brisbane, Australia. The machine was powered by a Cummins V12 engine capable of offering 1500hp @ 1800RPM. Australia is something of a hot spot literally for big Liebherr excavators.

Here are two examples of Liebherr’s R996 Litronic machines one in face shovel configuration and one sporting a backhoe. The face shovel machine was working at a gold and copper mine in Queensland. Also of not in the photo is the R 994 in the background.

The R 966 Litronic backhoe was working at Mount Owen mine in the Hunter Valley. The statistics for the R 996 are impressive, the machines weighed in at 668 tonnes and were powered by two Cummins 16 cylinder engines producing a power output of 2240kw (3000hp). Both machines were owned by famous Australian earthmoving and mining outfit Thiess.

Finally in this batch another example of an R 996 Litronic, this time sporting the corporate colours of Indonesian coal mining outfit KPC. The machine is seen here working at the East Kalimantan coal mine.

Look out for more classic machines soon here on the Digger Man Blog.

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