German Built Duck Migrates to Cornwall

Last week's mid-week post featuring a Yanmar machine proved to be popular, so this week I've decided to re-visit this one I did for Earthmovers last year, un-edited and with video footage.

Sales of sub-13-tonne midi class wheeled excavators have seen continued growth in Europe over the past decade, and has become one of the fastest growing construction equipment sectors across the region, as more and more contractors turn to the versatile machines as a more effective tool carrying alternative to the traditional backhoe loader.

Central Europe has long been a hot bed for the use of wheeled excavators and here in the UK we are seeing a lot more activity in this sector than previously, when they were often regarded as a niche machine to have on the fleet, it’s probably fair to say that this trend will continue to rise due to the rapid development of urbanisation taking place in most EU countries.

Many contractors working in inner city locations have already adopted the compact “rubber duck” (as we affectionately call them in the UK) as a key machine on job-sites simply because it is capable of moving loads at higher speed and with more stability, in addition, when equipped with the 2-piece boom configuration and a tiltrotator, they are capable of working in a very compact envelope.

According to figures provided by Yanmar, in 2009 sales of these machines totalled 862 units, a small decline in sales was seen from 2013 to 2015, after which sales continued to rise again and in 2019 total sales amassed an impressive 3022 units.

Keen to expand their product portfolio in the EU market sector, Yanmar Holdings had expressed an interest in buying Terex Compact Germany, as far back as June 2016 and the deal worth US$60 million was finalised in the last quarter of the year.

Previous to this deal Yanmar already had an OEM initiative for wheeled loaders with the Italian manufacturer Venieri. However, the biggest incentive for Yanmar to purchase the Terex Compact business, was to take-over the already well-proven and successful product portfolio of wheeled excavators, wheel loaders and midi tracked excavators, and to inherit the technical knowledge of the team behind the Terex/Schaeff brand.

The current Yanmar wheeled excavator range comprises of 3 models, the 7.5 tonne B75W, 9.5 tonne B95W and the top of the range 11 tonne B110W.

The first example to be sold into the Cornish market, and only the second in the South West, (the first one having been delivered to Talbots in Totnes, South Devon), a mid-range B95W model, has been delivered to St Columb based Bazeley Plant Hire Ltd.

The ex-demonstrator machine was purchased from local Yanmar and former Hanix dealer Machine Serve, as a replacement for an ageing CASE WX95 model which had served them very well, but in all fairness was getting to the point where she had seen better days.

Andrew Bazeley and his son Jason had been looking for a replacement for some time and were due to take a look at the Yanmar at Machine Serve’s Open Day event early last year, however they couldn’t make it on the day so arranged a visit on the following Sunday.

Jason Bazeley (19) now (21) said, “We had a good look at the Yanmar, and spent time operating it and we were impressed, especially as it came with the Steelwrist tiltrotator, which we feel is definitely the way to go, so a deal was thrashed out with Phil Davey the MD of Machine Serve, who was taking back our old CASE in part exchange”.  

Jason who is the 3^rd generation of Bazeley plant men, is expected to share the operating duties on the new machine with his father Andrew who has taught him in the time-honoured way from an early age.

Jason was keen to tell us about his natural progression into the plant industry, “Ever since I was a kid, dad would often take me out in the machines and let me have a go, and that has carried on ever since.

When I was about 16 years old, I attained my CPCS excavator ticket for 10-tonne above and below which set me up and I’ve been operating ever since really, it’s in the blood really and I absolutely love it!”

Pictured left to right: Andrew Bazeley, Jason Bazeley.

The Bazeley Plant Hire business was founded by Jason’s Grandad, John Mark Bazeley, back in the early 1960’s. In those days they used to run a lot of big plant and a significant fleet of JCB backhoe loaders, in addition they ran a number of large dump trucks, which they supplied into the what was then the ECC China Clay pits (run by Imerys today) around the local St Austell area, and also worked on large pipeline jobs and main road projects across Cornwall.

In recent years the company has been running a couple of CASE 2.5 tonne mini excavators, a Hanix H17D 1.5 tonne mini excavator and have recently sold their last 20-tonne tracked excavator that they used to use on a number of tips they used to run.

These days most of Bazeley’s work takes place in and around the various Imery’s China Clay sites locally, continuing the company’s long-standing association with the clay works, but in addition they do take on independent work doing the groundworks for concrete pads, agricultural buildings, housing and landscaping, and as Jason put it, “We are happy to take on anything that comes along really”.

Earthmovers caught up with the father & son team and the new machine, at Imery’s Rocks Dryers facility in Bugle, near St Austell in Cornwall, where they are excavating trenches and installing around 500 metres of new pipe work to replace the ageing soda line system, which runs from the main pump house to a lagoon. The China clay solids are stored in these lagoons and as part of the process, the Sodium Carbonate is added to adjust the PH acidity levels in the water before its eventually discharged.

The machine was only in its second week on the firm so it was really early days with it and they had not done a great deal of work with it so far. As previously mentioned, the machine is fitted with a Steelwrist X12 tiltrotator, complete with S45 top and bottom hydraulic quick coupler combination and gripper.

This is the company’s first tiltrotator and talking about the concept Jason said, “I know it’s a bit of a cliché, but I must say it’s a bit of a game changer, and in the right situations its going to be very useful, for instance on this job, when I go backfilling the trenches, I notice that I don’t have to worry about being able to get the machine in the right position, which means less moving about and increased productivity, it’s a proper good tool, I just need to get some more practice in with it!”.

“We have had good dealings with Machine Serve in the past too, we bought our Hanix off Phil, and a few other bits and bobs too over the years, so we know we are in safe hands, we are genuinely delighted with this Yanmar and feel it will serve us well, so very happy.

We were invited to take a look around the 9,500kg machine during a break in the work. This machine is essentially based on the Schaeff TW95 model. Like all the wheeled excavators and wheel loaders in the range is built at the Yanmar factory in Crailsheim, Germany.

On such a heavily German engineered machine, it will come as no surprise to learn that power comes from a 4-cylinder EU Stage IV/Tier 4 final emissions compliant Deutz TCD3.6 turbo charged diesel engine, which features a power output rating of 74.4kw (101hp) @2000rpm.

Access to this side mounted engine is via a massive gull wing style canopy, which rise upwards assisted by two gas struts, all daily check and service points, including filters, are easily accessible from ground level, and when finished a hanging strap enables the operator or service technician to pull the canopy back down for closure.

On the near side, just behind the cab a panel opens outwards to reveal the standard fit electric refuelling pump. A nifty set of foldaway stairs folds down to allow access up to the 160-litre fuel tank, 10-litre AdBlue tank and the 60-litre hydraulic oil tank, in total the hydraulic system holds 175-litres.

Also located in this area is a significant bank of fuses and electrical relays which after removing a screw, slide out for ease of access.

The well proven Spicer axles are fitted. This example was fitted with the fixed rear axle (dozer blade end) and floating or “pendulum” front steering axle, this axle is capable of an angle of 11,5^o ensuring good machine stability on uneven ground.

A 4x4 steering option can be supplied, as can front mounted out riggers if required. This one was sporting the standard 8.25-20 twin tyres from MITAS, but two other options are available including the 500/45-20 single floatation tyres.

Like many other wheeled excavators, the B95W features hydrostatic travel drive, this works independently from the main working hydraulics, enabling the operator to travel and work the front-end equipment without any lag or loss of power, it also has a good turn of speed when roading and is capable of achieving 36 km/h.

In fact, Schaeff claim to have invented the concept of the dedicated closed loop hydrostatic transmission for enabling this optimal precision when placing loads.

At the business end, the machine features the TAB variable geometry boom and is sporting the 2,200mm long dipper stick option as opposed to the standard 2,000mm option, with the Steelwrist fitted I would have preferred to see the shorter dipper fitted, as it did look a bit “noddy” with a full bucket at stretch, but like anything, you would get used to it and operate accordingly.

Of course, the TAB boom offers such a great working envelope in a wide range of applications and is fantastic when working in tight quarters.

The boom also has the off-set function, for even more flexibility, enabling the boom to swing 53^o to the left and 67^o to the right, great for trenching operations in close proximity to buildings and when working on single lane road closures.

Maximum reach at ground level is 7,370mm, while a maximum dig depth of 4,100mm can be achieved sat on the tyres, with the blade down this can be increased to 4,160mm, all measurements will be slightly increased with the Steelwrist components taken into account.

The hydraulic system has four independent circuits so is factory pre-prepared for such things as tiltrotators and a vast range of other hydraulic attachments for seamless operation of all the functions. Hydraulic flow pressures for individual attachments are easily adjusted using the monitor in the cab and the thumb wheel on the right-hand side joystick, real finger tip control!

Although the parent company is Japanese, climbing into the ROPS/FOPS approved cab of the B95W, you instantly get that Germanic feeling. The whole layout is typically German in design, workmanlike, clean cut, and practical. Some might say the cab is a little on the cramped side compared to other manufacturers models in this class, but for a little fella like myself it caused no real problems.

All the controls fall nicely to hand and it was a delight to see a traditional “old school” style throttle lever down by the right-hand side of the operator’s seat. Talking of the seat, a Grammer air suspension model is fitted with plenty of adjustment available to obtain that perfect operating position.

Four-foot pedals are provided, 2 either side of the steering column, which operate from left to right, direction travel, TAB boom/boom slew, brake and foot throttle.

Rexroth hydraulic joysticks are fitted on this machine and although I wasn’t able to operate it on the day, Jason assures me that they are nice and smooth in operation and extremely positive reaction wise.

The beaming smile on Jason’s face said it all, a young man with a bright future ahead of him in this industry, and now in charge of a fantastic high spec piece of kit, and one very proud father watching on!

The standout feature of the B95W for me is the balance between operating weight and lifting performance in a highly mobile and versatile compact package. These new machines are clearly the fruits of a long and mature evolution of the Schaeff product.

Checkout our video clip from the day.