Historic NZ Earthmoving Projects

[RayC]

Thought I might generate a bit of interest with a few old kiwi earthmoving projects.....so will lead of with Benmore Earth Fill Dam..located on the Waitaki River near Otematata...South Island ...New Zealand.

The project was given the go ahead in 1957 at an estimated cost of 36,400,000 pounds. Some dimensions of the Project being 1600ft wide...360ft high with a crest length of 2700ft and 15.6 million cubic yards of fill. Construction was completed for the earth fill dam 1960..heres a few old photos that I've scanned...look forward to others

 

[X Quad Operator]

I've never knew International made a three axle scraper, never seen one, they were International 495's? Nice lookers. You ever run one RayC? Any junkers around in New Zealand sure would like some photos for my scraper photo album. Good morrning Ray Mike Nebergall

 

[RayC]

Hi Mike

I'm not sure how many 495's survived....hopefully this will create an interest...heres a couple of photos I took in 1989...Twizel Information centre have a 495 and Cat D8 on display

 

[RDG]

I remember Dad taking us there while on holidays in the South Island back in those days, 1936 Buick straight 8 was the car you wouldnt want to be paying for the petrol in one at todays prices over there, got the Benmore book around here somewhere as the pics look familiar. Those were the days of the big dam jobs Roxburgh, Benmore, Twizel and all the ones on the Waikato river and Matahina to name a few. Cheers RDG.

 

[RayC]

Hi RDG..

The photos have all been scanned from a MOWD booklet...hopefully we will get a few interesting posts for subjects such as this are all becoming history and it would be great to find any photos before they get stashed away in a cupboard and never seen again.

I have managed to track down Contracting and Construction mags from the 50's...so my intention is to scan subjects and put them on the board and hoping to drag out old memories/photos...such as this...Matahina...Roxburgh..highway projects..and if folk can't work out how to post photos get hold of us ...myself...Malcolm..etc and we can post photos on behalf for it would be great to see this subject grow

Regards

RayC

 

[68M]

Hi Ray

Great stuff, Keep it coming. Note the 495 at twizel has a later grill and air cleaner than the others shown on the earlier photo's, also that it is aftercooled. Early 295's where not aftercooled, I presume that 495's were the same. This is the only complete 495 that I know of in N.Z., would be great to find some others. D8 at Twizel is a 22a D8h, (direct drive) made in Great Britain.

Cheers 68M

 

[alan627b]

http://books.google.com/books?id=vv...&resnum=7&ved=0CD8Q6AEwBg#v=onepage&q&f=false
A little information on the 495... hard to find much on the net about them.

Alan

 

[alan627b]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/antiques-collectables/automotive-transport/other/auction-418800804.htm brochure found online.
Here are the pics I robbed from it including the 295 and 495.

 

[Paydozer]

Hello RayC
Would be keen to know where you tracked down Contracting and Construction mags from? - they are a bit like Rocking horse s_ _ _
I subscribed to Road Transport and Contracting from mid 1966 on and have obtained a few C&C on Trademe and Ebay but very hard to come by.
I have photos of 495s and the 295s that finally replaced them from my working days at Twizel - its just a matter of digging through boxes to find them.
Its a long time ago and I do not remember how many of the 495s of the original 15 were left at that stage 1973/74.
I think Baker Construction ended up with some after the MOW sold them off.

 

[RayC]

Gidday Paydozer

Thanks for the post...and if you get a chance dig thru those old boxes for it would be sure great to see any of the old photos that you may have....and like I said before if your unable to work out how to post pictures just send to me via my e-mail and I will happily post for you..

Yeh the Contracting & Construction mags are a great find...having searched libraries throughout NZ...only to find via another contact that a friend has virtually the full set just down the road from me ...I have been borrowing mags to copy relevant info for my reference...

Look forward to your posts

Regards RayC

 

[robin yates uk]

in those days men were men and gay was a word for happy! How the world has changed

 

[Gavin84w]

in those days men were men and gay was a word for happy! How the world has changed

Yeah, it,s sorta like one i saw a long time ago that siad, "Remember when sex was safe and drag racing was dangerous" !!

 

[Paydozer]

RayC,
Will be back in Kiwiland in a couple of weeks and will do a bit of digging and see what photos I can find.
Would be interesting to get a bit of history/photos on some of the contractors on these jobs also as there would be very few if any still in operation today?
Earthmoving like the world has changed - I am told it is called progress?

Paydozer.

 

[D6 Merv]

great thread boys, quite enjoying the pics of when our taxpayer pounds were actually spent on work projects instead of beneficiary payments like now.
I,d be quite interested in seeing any pics about the kopu Hikuai road. green and mccahill had there first D9G on it and alan mills had at least 1 maybe 2 TD30s on it
Cheers merv

 

[willd8r]

I have photos from when I did my apprenticeship on dozers down there. MOW had a fleet of 295's' **** Collis had some, very smokey they went ok.Baker's had some of those 4x4 payhaulers & payloaders. Green & McCahill had that D9G there, Higgins had that impressive fleet of S24's. I worked for Doug Hood they are still around. Fred Willetts had that D9G with the U blade.I think that was the 1st in NZ Butson had good gear.Gina Howey pulled the pin cause MOW wouldn't pay enough.Rooney's had a HD 16 there they have a bit now days.Burnett's were there MaKay's.MOW would buy heaps. Remember when there machines had all factory cabs , blades where the poor old contractor had to have local build.I think at the time it was the largest no of D9's on one job. The list goe's on.I will get my photos out of storage when I go back to NZ one day.Cheers

 

[Brenlow]

G,day Ray some of the best photo collections Ive ever seen have been from a couple of different Kiwi mates that I had and have lost contact with over the years.... probably of some of those early jobs that you talk about

 

[RayC]

Benmore

Hey...thanks to all who are viewing and commenting...great to see some new names checking out this post...so spread the word ...for it would be great to expand a whole list of topics...but at the moment heres a few more scanned photos from a second publication...enjoy

Regards

RayC

 

[RayC]

Railway Line Constr Murupara to Edgecumbe 1953

Heres another project ...constructed due to logging of Kaiangoroa Forest...est cost 3,600,000 pounds...3,000,000 cuyds of earth to move..

Contractors on site:

H Allen Mills...using Cletrac tractors/LT Scoops x 6

Taylor & Culley Ltd...Using AC HD15 x3
HD 10 x1
HD7 x1

John F Smythe...using LT Tournadozers x2
Cat D8/15yd Birtley Scoops
Cat D7/12yd Onions Scoop

NZ Roadmakers Ltd...using Cat/IH and AC Equipment

Downer & Co ..using Cat Equipment

 

[RayC]

Rail Line Murupara

Heres a few more photos

 

[RayC]

Murupara Rail Line

And a few more