A limestone quarry has been producing its material since Roman times
A quarry company which says it has trebled it sales in the past year has invested in a new telehandler Farmington Natural Stone at Northleach, outside the town of Cheltenham in County Gloucestershire, south-west England, is based in an area that has been producing natural Cotswold limestone since Roman times.
“It is an Oolitic limestone and is acknowledged to be an excellent construction material. Its widespread use throughout the country has created an architectural heritage that has achieved global recognition,” says Richard Barrow, owner of Farmington Natural Stone.
“We produce a very high quality product range and we aim for the same high quality in the equipment we purchase for the quarry. We are delighted with the performance of the new
The quarry bought the new Bobcat TL470 7m telescopic handler from Kellands (Plant Sales), the authorised Bobcat dealer for south-west England.
With depots in Bridgwater and Camelford in County Cornwall, Kellands is also the authorised dealer for both the Doosan heavy and Bobcat ranges in the counties of Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and Gloucestershire and the cities of Bath and Bristol.
The new telehandler is in use in various parts of the quarry, which produces natural Cotswold stone for the company’s high quality ranges of stone fireplaces, architectural masonry and building stone.
In one application, the telehandler equipped with a pallet fork attachment, is used to lift blocks of stone into place onto rollers feeding the hydraulic block splitters. Another important application is for transporting 1tonne bags of Cotswold stone from the base of the quarry to storage sheds at the top. This involves carrying the heavy bags with the pallet fork attachment up an uneven quarry haul road, but instead of a bumpy ride, the company says that the load locking system on the telehandler ensures that the operator has a jolt-free, comfortable ride throughout.
Farmington Natural Stone says it continues to go from strength to strength with a full order book, and with plenty of projects requiring quotes, these are busy times at the company.
Its new generation TL470 telehandler is powered by the 74.5kW
It has a maximum lift capacity of 3.5tonnes and a maximum forward reach of 4,002mm, while the lift capacity at full height is 3tonnes and at full reach 1,500kg.
With a full range of attachments available, the TL470 telehandler can perform a wide variety of applications, says Bobcat.
“Sharing a common design with the smaller TL360 new generation model, the Bobcat TL470 telehandler offers a range of improvements and several features, benefits and options that are completely new not only to the Bobcat telehandler family, but also to the industry as a whole,” says Bobcat.
“For example, a patented asymmetric cab takes visibility to a new level by offering an unobstructed view across the rear of the machine. In addition, the lowered boom pivot point further improves visibility. The rounded front windscreen offers full visibility of the attachment at all heights and boom extensions. This ensures the operator has full awareness and control over the load at all times, significantly improving productivity and safety.”
The operator’s cab has been widened, and in combination with the rounded cab design and high-resistance glass cover gives the operator a spacious environment in which to work.
“All controls are ergonomically designed and positioned for maximum ease of use while the electronic dashboard display gives the operator an excellent overview of the machine’s performance,” says Bobcat.
“A new robust main frame and protected chassis design ensure maximum strength and protection for a long and productive life. The boom design, which features a fully integrated boom head, larger cross section and a longer boom overlap, ensures the TL470 model is well equipped to handle the toughest loading applications.
“A comprehensive range of optional features, including a 40km/hour travel speed; boom suspension and 190litres/minute load sensing pump, allow the new generation TL470 telehandler to be customised to suit specific job requirements.”
