Old Poclain Excavator

[Nick Drew]

Hi All,

I am not sure how popular the French range of excavators "Poclain" were in the US or if you even had them over there??
But here are some shots of an old Poclain TY45 that I recently discovered on a farm in Cornwall England, Quite a strange looking machine with its Triangular base with two small wheels at the front for steering.

These machines were first introduced in the year of my birth 1961!!
This particular model is an early 70's version.

I have recently completed an article about this machine for a British plant magazine that I do a bit for called Classic Plant & Machinery.

So guys any Poclain photos to share??

 

[garyhh44]

very good Thanks for the photos.:usa

 

[Nick Drew]

A few more photos....

 

[Steve Frazier]

Poclain was imported here, I've been on a few jobs where I've seen them. The operators seemed to think they were pretty good machines.

 

[Nick Drew]

Ah I see that's interesting would be nice to see if anyone has any photos from the States.

I once operated a Poclain 60 cutting V-ditches back in the 80's as you say it was a good machine.

Sadly they are no more after being gobbled up by the mighty Case organization in 1987.

Here is a picture of a TY45 that has been restored in the town of Crepy in France and is on permanant display near to where the old factory used to be.

Photos courtesy of Peter Happel

 

[Steve Frazier]

I should add the ones I've seen were traditional track style units, not like the ones pictured here.

 

[surfer-joe]

When I worked for a equipment dealer in south Florida back in the early seventies, they were the largest seller of Poclain excavators in the world for a while. For one thing, Poclain was one of the very few excavators that would dig coral rock without it being ripped or shot. This was on account of the high hydraulic pressures the machines had. The 120 crawler was our big seller. Deutz engines, large & powerful swing and tram motors, but the swing gear assembly was the machines weakest point. The boom and stick were weak as well if you steadily dug in the coral. We also had a few models out on rubber tires, a real rarity for the day.

We had the only factory trained mechanic between Cuba and New Jersey. Our engine man could rebuild Deutz engines in his sleep and probably did, he looked like the face in the old Hastings's filter ads.

Nice machines, but Poclain never did put an effective marketing or dealer organization together in North America and they went away. I've never seen one west of the big muddy.

 

[Truckie]

Very interesting machine. I never saw anything like this before. Thanks for the pics.
When I first saw the ca b it reminded me of a Case and even a Lebher.
Don’t know why, but that thought just popped in to my mind.

 

[bigblueox]

Poclain 160

Hi i was searching around for Poclain info and i found your post. I am getting a Poclain 160 hoe in a few hours. My boss purchased it from a dealer who specalizes in old pocalin part as well as case excavator parts too. this is web site. Does any one have any more pics? i will post some soon!

 

[bigblueox]

opps

here is the guys link http://www.rapidmachineryinc.com/

 

[Ross]

Nice pics. Funniest looking rubber duck ive ever seen

Ross

 

[Ford LT-9000]

There were a few around here along with Drott another brand Case bought up. The Drott Cruizair was a common excavator on rubber tires there were a few old crawler machines with screaming jimmy power.

 

[Nick Drew]

Hi i was searching around for Poclain info and i found your post. I am getting a Poclain 160 hoe in a few hours. My boss purchased it from a dealer who specalizes in old pocalin part as well as case excavator parts too. this is web site. Does any one have any more pics? i will post some soon!

OK continuing with the old Poclain photos, Here are some shots of a 220 backhoe that I saw for sale recently at a plant sales yard here in the West Country of England.

It was sold to a guy who already has a Poclain 90 and a 61.

 

[Nick Drew]

And also some Poclains for spares or repair!!

These old machines are lying in what can only be described as a machine graveyard in Somerset England.

 

[Nick Drew]

More "Dead or Alive" Poclains!!

 

[d4c24a]

poclains

hi nick nice pictures, that yard would it be sedgemoor plant by any chance
i have some workshop manuals somewhere for old poclains
the old yard here in hook has just been demoed by two volvos and two hitachi,s

 

[jhill]

I am helping build a campground on an old gravelpit. At the back of the property is some old machinery. One piece is a big old Case excavator. It is tagged as Made by Poclain. It has a big old Jimmy diesel in it. Its a big machine.

 

[Countryboy]

Welcome to HEF bigblueox! :drinkup

 

[wrenchbender]

here is the guys link http://www.rapidmachineryinc.com/

Welcome to HEF bigblueox, and thanks for the link

 

[Nick Drew]

hi nick nice pictures, that yard would it be sedgemoor plant by any chance
i have some workshop manuals somewhere for old poclains
the old yard here in hook has just been demoed by two volvos and two hitachi,s

Yes D4c, I think that yard is called Sedgemoor Plant run by a bit of a strange chap who contacted me after one of my letters was published in CP&M, he seemed to be a bit secretive and said if I published any of the photos in CP&M he didn't want to be named???

He had a load of old machines up there which were quite interesting to see.

So you live up near Hook then? I have been up to the old Case/CRMS yard many times in the past, as I was born & lived most of my life in Southampton and we used to whizz up there for spares.

Cheers

Nick