In Search of Sun, Good Times and Machines

Today its time to head off on my annual vacation, with a holiday back in glorious Cyprus, the island has been a happy hunting ground for me in the past as I track down old machines, many of which have been exported from the UK.

For this post I thought I would take a #throwbackthursday style look back at a few gems I have discovered there in the past, many of which I have posted before, but they are always worth another look at.

I first came to Cyprus in 2006, and quickly discovered that there are veteran machines to be found all over the place, often in the most unlikely of places. My first encounter was while out on a walk from the hotel, when I came across a venerable Cat 966C wheeled loader, I quickly established that these were a very popular model on the island, as I came across lots of them during that holiday.

Another chance encounter led me to find a JCB 4CX 4x4x4 model which featured the Smooth Ride system, this machine was working on a new residential development by the coast.

We returned to the island the following year, and we hired a car for a couple of days to do a bit of sightseeing, and from my perspective being a bit of an anorak, undertake a bit more digger spotting!  

We were quite often passing by a major road project, where there were plenty of machines to see, including this old O&K MH6 wheeled excavator which I managed to shoot, ‘drive by style’ checkout the improvised curtain in the window, much needed when working in the ferocious sun!

We stopped by at a small plant sales yard and spotted this Caterpillar 325M which had clearly been refurbished with the ‘5-gallon overcoat’, and was still sporting the livery of old UK business Button Demolitions.

In 2008 I came across this rare Faun-Frisch F205 R motor grader, I think these were based on German O&K models if memory serves me right.

A trip to the divided capital of Nicosia and yet more machinery discoveries like this Caterpillar 322B L hydraulic excavator working on a main drainage scheme in the city. Inland there it was unbearably hot, and one had to feel for the ground crew.

The following year I was back again, and this time, after a week of lying on the sunbed and drinking, I really ramped up the search for machines. Passing by another contractor’s yard, and what did I spot? Yes, yet another Cat 966C wheeled loader.

If I get a chance this year, I will be on the lookout for more machines enjoying a second life in Cyprus, in the meantime, I am going to leave you with some of my favourite blog reposts until I return home, happy holiday’s cheers!