Welcome to www.oilyhands.co.uk

Also known as www.diggers-dumpers-plant.co.uk and www.flamingskoda.com

Towable digger, excavator and backhoe website. Features Fleming Micron, Powerfab, Mantis, Benford, Roughneck, Gopher, Smalley, Tow-hoe, Standard Muscleman, Termite, Mitchell Cotts, Mini Gigant, Baromix, Euromach, Bronco, homemade and other small diggers. Links to current manufacturers such as Groupe-FCM and suppliers of plans for the Ground Hawg Homebuilt Backhoe and CDP Excavator. Includes other plant and mechanical information, Digger Bucket Page, Plant Photo Gallery, Dumper Restoration Project and useful links for Digger Spares and Repairs. Extra information and pictures to add to the site always appreciated. Also includes a section dedicated to preserving information about Johnson Machinery Limited.

Photo Gallery - Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

Rob from Balfour Beatty sent pictures of this crane used for erecting transmission towers out in Argentina.

The towers had 2 legs these were fully assembled on the ground then hoisted into a vertical position and lowered onto a single point foundation 4 guy ropes secured the tower.

Maurice sent in these pictures of his dumper with Petter PH1 engine

Can anyone identify it?

Hello Jim, I think that this old dumper is a Benford. It's now and has been for over 20 years a forklift truck. It's two cylinder Petter engine used to be started by hand crank but was fitted with the ring gear and starter from either a Datsun 140 or Laurel. The alternator is from a Fiat 127, extra cooling fan from a Triumph 1500 and the steering column is from an old Datsun Vanette. The problem with the steering column is that the the driver is meant to be seated at the other side of the column. The unfortunate consequence of this little anomaly is that to go right you have to steer left etc. It takes a bit of getting used to. It has been used in a scrapyard for years...pictures of which you can see at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/scrawb/ Thanks, Paddy.

John emailed these picturs of his Muir Hill dumper. The restoration is making good progress

John has had a new front panel fabricated for the Muir Hill

Myles photographed this rather sad CAT excavator in Tobago. Looks like it has been robbed for parts

Myles also spotted this old Invicta Road roller which was still being used

Ross from Australia has just bought this Ruston Bucyrus 22-RB dragling which he is going to restore

You need quite a big place to own a 22-RB

This machine has a 4YEN engine which Ross needs a manual for.

Bruce's self loading dumper. He says, "the manufacturer is listed on the V5 as Hydrodumper - not one that I'm familiar with. It has a Lombardini 9LD engine (working) with a 6-speed box (not working). I guess it's circa 1979 and could be an Italian import, or a prototype built in the UK. Update 9/6/10 - this is a Longhini Idrodumper - Click here for details

Does anyone have a manual for Bruce's Idrodumper? He is currently trying to get it up and running so any advice would be gratefully received.

The Idrodumper even has a grading blade so it should be a very useful machine once it is up and running again.

This Rapier Crane was available free of charge. If it was not removed by the end of October 2009 it would be scrapped. Thankfully a new owner was found for it!!

The Rapier Crane was a 6 tonne variety with solid tyres.

The crane was in saveable condition.

A good effort by Jeffrey finding a new home for the crane and saving it from the scrap man.