Derwent Vale Plant Services

[The Tractor Twitcher]

Thought i'd set up a new topic to chronicle my Dad and I's joint 1/50th scale plant and construction equipment collection that we've chosen to christen Derwent Vale Plant Services.

Since Dad retired from a 43 year career as a plant operator due to ill health we've discussed at length the possibility of setting up a seperate collection for such models and have had a decent look at what's currently available and what we'd like to focus on collecting.

Whilst the models that currently reside in this part of our collection we've had for a while, some items of differing scales and things we're not as interested in have now been sold off so we can start a fresh.

Dad commenced his earthmoving career on bulldozers when he was 17 so naturally this will be the main focus of our attention, alongside a number of other themes.

Once the collection begins to grow we plan on investing in a dedicated display cabinet.

Starting with the bulldozers:

Universal Hobbies Komatsu D61EX

Ertl Case 1850K

Siku Liebherr 724 L.G.P

[The Tractor Twitcher]

Tracked Excavators:

Joal Caterpillar 375

Siku Volvo EC290C

Backhoe Loaders:

Ertl Case 580 Super M

Siku Terex 900 Elite Series.

Loading Shovels:

Siku Liebherr 580 2plus2

[Luke (DeWitt)]

They all look great but that Komatsu dozer is really neat.

[The Tractor Twitcher]

They all look great but that Komatsu dozer is really neat.

Thanks Luke. The Universal Hobbies Komatsu is definitely the nicest out of those models and a fantastic display model. That said the rams are so stiff I dare not move them in case I break something. The less detailed and much less expensive Siku and Ertl models are certainly more functional. I bought the Komatsu for Dad because it's the closest model i've been able to find to this D61PX he operated extensively in 2009.

[nick henton]

You want some ADT's now David like these i drive for a living

Regards nick

[Deere-est]

I know UH get mocked for accuracy but the detail on the Komatsu is brilliant, David! How do they compare on price with Siky and Ertl?

[The Tractor Twitcher]

You want some ADT's now David like these i drive for a living

Regards nick

Thanks for sharing that photograph of the machines your operate Nick. A selection of A.D.Ts is definitely on the cards. I've noted a number of rather smart looking Volvos in 1/50th scale.

I know UH get mocked for accuracy but the detail on the Komatsu is brilliant, David! How do they compare on price with Siky and Ertl?

When it comes to details essential to a decent display model the Universal Hobbies Komatsu is definitely a very fine model Tris. The Siku and Ertl dozers which a much more functional as toys cost me around the £10 mark whilst I paid £28 for the Universal Hobbies Komatsu. Some might say this is quite a dramatic jump between toy and model but you only have to look at the highly desirable Conrad and NZG models to know this equates to a much less expensive display model. That said the Universal Hobbies models do feel cheaper and made more of plastic compared to the likes of NZG.

[robbo]

I have often thought of starting a Plant collection but never done it due to lack of space and funds however, number 1 son now works in a quarry so I might see if he is interested in starting something................... (and he has got more money than me as well) :-

[nick henton]

Norscot do the cat 740 ADT, but volvo do more of a selection of models some are made by Joal but mainly motorart which are fairly good on the detail and not badly priced neither.

I think Most of the big manufactures will be at this years Hillhead in June usually you can get hold of models at "show price" which is a good deal cheaper than the shops

Regards Nick

[The Tractor Twitcher]

I have often thought of starting a Plant collection but never done it due to lack of space and funds however, number 1 son now works in a quarry so I might see if he is interested in starting something................... (and he has got more money than me as well) :-

Go for it Mike. It's taken me ages to convince Dad it would be nice start something to remind him of his career. Since he retired he's taken a lot more interest in my own collecting habits and had a decent look at many of the construction models on offer at Spalding last October. Whilst there's quite a variety in scales to choose from, again, largely down to space we've decided to focus on 1/50th scale models, although I know Dad is still hankering after some of the 1/25th scale First Gear Models that are available.

The following website provides a rather nice insight into the construction model world:

http://www.miniature-construction-world.co.uk/index.html

Norscot do the cat 740 ADT, but volvo do more of a selection of models some are made by Joal but mainly motorart which are fairly good on the detail and not badly priced neither.

I think Most of the big manufactures will be at this years Hillhead in June usually you can get hold of models at "show price" which is a good deal cheaper than the shops

Regards Nick

Thanks for the information Nick. I've had a good look at the Motorart models and they do appear to be very reasonabley priced. Universal Hobbies do a Komatsu HM250 A.D.T whilst Conrad build Liebherr and Terex A.D.Ts.

It's one of these i'd rather like to find.....A Conrad Terex 2366. Dad drove one once many years ago at a local quarrying operation.

http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/779399

[The Tractor Twitcher]

...The machine in question photographed by my Dad being loaded by a Caterpillar 235 at Spaunton Quarry in the late '80s.

[nick henton]

Good old Terex two very good classic items of plant. Most big earthmoving companies run either Cat, Bell or Volvo. We had a Demonstration Cat 730 (30 tonner) running alongside our volvo A30C's in very difficult conditions axil deep mud the volvo would pull itself through 9 times out of 10 but the Cat could'nt hold its own nearly every load he was having to be pushed with our D6 then we was reversing up a 45 degree slope it was struggling with that but the volvos was romping away with the task in hand and was using nearly 100 litres of diesel less than the Cat every day we had it on site for 3 days then it went back to the dealer we had got it from

Regards Nick

[The Tractor Twitcher]

With a major surface mining contract under Derwent Vale Plant Services belt a much bigger bulldozer was needed to commence proceedings. So a deal was struck yesterday and Dad and I are now the proud owners of this 1/50th scale monster. A Norscott Caterpillar D11R.

[nick henton]

Now thats a monster looks very smart David the surface mine wont know what has hit it ;D

Regards Nick

[The Tractor Twitcher]

Now thats a monster looks very smart David the surface mine wont know what has hit it ;D

Regards Nick

Thanks Nick. It's an impressive model, just looks a little bit lonely sat towering over the other bulldozers Dad and I have at the moment. Reckon it could just do with an R or T series Carry Dozer to keep it company.

[catkom3]

Noooo,David,get the First Gear Komatsu D 475A dozer,a far better quality / looking machine,and a tad bigger than the D11

http://www.miniature...atsu-d475a.html

Regards

Joe,

Edited May 1, 2012 by catkom3

[FordTractorCrazy]

i would definately look into the First Gear models as well.. i own various 1:34 scaled First Gear models and they are unbelievably detailed..

When i started collecting farm models, i used to visit a local shop that had a huge selection of 1:50 construction models, mostly Cat and Volvo and back then, JOAL had some really stunning detailed models, probably comparable to the UH models nowadays, a very select few entered my dads collection then, and i think he still got a Volvo ADT from that time. Around that time (mid 90's) i bought one of my first none Britains/Ertl/Siku tractor models: a Joal JCB backhoe/loader, that too was much more detailed then any other farm model in my collection back then, so maybe (i dont know if they still make models) Joal is also something to look into).

[The Tractor Twitcher]

Noooo,David,get the First Gear Komatsu D 475A dozer,a far better quality / looking machine,and a tad bigger than the D11

http://www.miniature...atsu-d475a.html

Regards

Joe,

Now that really does look good Joe. Best mark that one down for future reference. I noticed UH are bringing out another Komatsu bulldozer in the not too distant future, a D155AX. My trip over to the Chris Whitehead show has certainly given me plenty of inspiration too given the layouts that were on display and also a number of traders that were offering some really nice obsolete models. I came very, very close to buying a M.I.B Conrad Dresser 560B Payloader, the white and orange version of this model.

i would definately look into the First Gear models as well.. i own various 1:34 scaled First Gear models and they are unbelievably detailed..

When i started collecting farm models, i used to visit a local shop that had a huge selection of 1:50 construction models, mostly Cat and Volvo and back then, JOAL had some really stunning detailed models, probably comparable to the UH models nowadays, a very select few entered my dads collection then, and i think he still got a Volvo ADT from that time. Around that time (mid 90's) i bought one of my first none Britains/Ertl/Siku tractor models: a Joal JCB backhoe/loader, that too was much more detailed then any other farm model in my collection back then, so maybe (i dont know if they still make models) Joal is also something to look into).

First Gear certainly do make some very impressive models Wil, many of which i've been casting a close eye over on other sites tonight. Some of the older 1/50th scale Allis Chalmers and International TD series dozers look very nice.

I remember a number of local Toy Shops stocking the Joal models back in the early to mid nineties and I did once own a Caterpillar 225 excavator which in the end didn't stand up to the rigours of the sand pit. I still have a few of their 1/35th scale JCB models lined up on a shelf in another room and the Caterpillar 375 excavator that remains in our collection was bought for Dad as Christmas present many years ago. I'd certainly like to look out for some of the older Akermann / Volvo excavators that they once made. I'm beginning to build up plenty of ideas that's for sure.

Edited May 1, 2012 by walterderwent

[The Tractor Twitcher]

Here's the latest addition to the Derwent Vale fleet of earthmovers. A "classic" Conrad Terex 2366 A.D.T that matches the one photographed and operated by my Dad just over 20 years ago at Spaunton Quarry. Thanks again to catkom3 ( Joe ) for very kindly offering me this model in the first place. Both Dad and I are absolutley chuffed to bits with it.