Hydradig's French revolution

The versatility of JCB’s Hydradig has landed the machine a role in a demolition application in the United Kingdom.

Purchased by French Contractors – based in Rugby in the English midlands and which is carrying out the project on behalf of Jackson Civil Engineering – the Hydradig 110W model is being used to assist in the strengthening and rebuilding of Swanswell Viaduct on the ring road in the nearby city of Coventry.

It is maximising an array of attachments including a Powertilt tilting hitch, a full range of buckets and a set of pallet forks. It has also been equipped with a Northerntrack hydraulic concrete pulveriser to undertake the surgical removal of the bridge abutments.

Supplied by dealer Watling JCB, the JCB Hydradig has been in demand on the project because of its high mobility, all-wheel-steering, hydrostatic drivetrain and maximum road speed of 40 km/h.

Working in the tight confines of lane closures, the compact dimensions of the JCB Hydradig come to the fore. Thanks to the TAB boom and a rear over-hang of just 120 mm (just under 5 in) it can squeeze into the tight locations to remove the abutments and parapet walls with ease.

“The JCB Hydradig bolsters our fleet and brings a versatile dimension to operations – whether that be through mobility, excavating, materials handling or proving hugely capable in a demolition application too. It’s manoeuvrability and visibility are also very helpful on confined jobs such as this one,” said French Contractors partner David French.

Operator Ian Ellery added: “The stable machine handles the pulveriser exceptionally well. We would have had to use a larger wheeled excavator if the Hydradig wasn’t available to us. This would have meant a larger attachment, occupying more of the road and additional closures necessary. The JCB Hydradig has made this job far easier for everyone.”

Powered by a fuel-efficient, low emission JCB EcoMAX 444 diesel engine, the 11.5 t machine can easily rotate its upper structure within a single highway lane. The machine’s all-wheel steer chassis provides a compact turning radius of less than 4 m (13 ft) and the Hydradig can travel at up to 40km/h where permitted, for rapid relocation on site.