JCB develops remote control excavator

JCB has developed a unique, remotely-operated excavator for one of the UK’s leading demolition specialists.

Birmingham-based Coleman & Company has purchased the bespoke 23.1-ton excavator which combines a JCB JS190 excavator's upper structure with a JS220LC excavator's undercarriage and rubber track pads. The result is a machine powerful enough to deploy a 4.4-ton multi-processor attachment without exceeding a gross weight of 27.5 tons.

The development of the groundbreaking machine has required close cooperation between Coleman Engineering Services, dealer Gunn JCB and JCB Heavy Products in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire.

The new excavator is working 20 hours a day on the highly prestigious redevelopment of Birmingham New Street Train Station. It has been purposely designed for the project at the redeveloped station and Grand Central shopping center. Its work involves the removal of existing reinforced concrete floors to create a void beneath the new atrium roof.

Coleman is the principal demolition contractor working on the Birmingham New Street project and is now in its fifth year on site. The current phase sees the removal of 6,613.9 tons of mass reinforced concrete during 2014/2015. Some beams weigh as much as 88.2-99.2 tons and are 8.2 feet wide and 4.9 feet deep. Outside, on an industrial site, these would present a significant challenge – yet this project is taking place inside, directly beneath the newly constructed, multi-million-pound atrium steelwork structure which must be protected from all aspects of the demolition. It is also taking place within a live construction site while 140,000 people continue to travel through the station each day. (Source: Heavy Equipment Guide)