JCB Loadall memories

by Nick Drew | Wed 16 May 2018

JCB Loadall memories

This year British manufacturer JCB are celebrating 40 years of Loadall production, this got me thinking back to the late 1970’s when I was just a youngster working for Wimpey Plant in Southampton.

The JCB 520 was originally introduced to the market in 1977 and these machines were set to revolutionise the way materials were handled on construction sites and also in the agricultural sector.

Initial research by JCB into producing this type of machine was started back in 1973, although another company was to launch the very first telescopic handler a year later. That company was called Liner who chose the 1974 Public Works Exhibition in London to showcase its new “Giraffe” site placing vehicle as it was then described. Many of those machines made it into the marketplace but the concept didn’t really take off initially. Once JCB launched the 520 there was no looking back and the company really made the product their own. I spent some time operating some early 520 machines during my time with Wimpey’s and they were very well received on the sites where I operated them. In those days these machines were something of a revelation, we had been mainly used to using rigid mast forklifts from the likes of Sanderson and Manitou, but now with the telescopic boom it gave users much more scope in how we placed loads.

The first machines were only 2-wheel drive so becoming bogged was a bit of a problem, and it has to be said that they did suffer from transmission problems in those early days. This was addressed in 1980 with the launch of the 520M-4 which was still powered by the 72hp Leyland engine but was now using the JCB “Powertrain” transmission which was a vast improvement on the previous drive train. The rest as they say is history and the JCB Loadall range is probably one of the companies most successful products, which has grown and developed over the years. Check out this great video, one of a series featuring the development of the JCB Loadall over the years.

The magazine for owners + operators

Digger Man Blog

JCB Loadall memories

Loads more

Ollie Gets a DualDrive Opportunity

Komatsu Dipping a Toe in the Water Once Again

Swedish Dealer Holds Machinery Days

Subscribe to Earthmovers