PETER LOVE visited his good mate Ian Gibson Plant Contractor to see his excellent new premises near Upminster, Essex, and his superbly presented working equipment
I an Gibson’s immaculate fleet is used all over the UK on various contracts, including a 1996 Caterpillar 953B being used on the tidying up of the nearly completed ‘dreaded’ A21 Pembury by-pass. The editor is tortured travelling through this area of Kent a number of times a week. In fact, this by-pass should have been completed in 1973, but has got somewhat delayed!
However, I have seen the immaculate 953B working as I have driven by. It was previously a one owner/driver machine and features a new undercarriage and tracks replaced by Ian, who keeps everything tiptop. Incidentally, the 953B has also worked on the A14 recently.
Ian recently purchased Bush Farm on the edges of Upminster and this former Ford of Dagenham apprentice maintains his ever-expanding fleet to a very high standard indeed.
However, do you remember this former RMC site where some 300 acres were dredged from the 1950s to the late 1980s?
Today Ian has a March 3 1980 NCK Rapier 305B 35248 in his fleet with its Dorman of Stafford six-cylinder 6D 6.23 litre power unit keeping the machine honest. It came from Buckbricks Co Ltd of Martells Quarry, Slough Lane, Farleigh, Colchester, Essex, and had been little used in various places including St Albans. However, it needed much cab glass, a service and a total repaint and it looks superb indeed. While I was on site the mighty machine was put to action and goes as well as it looks.
It would be really good to hear from you, the reader, about what operated on this site - from draglines to bulldozers and lorries. The site was very active indeed for some 30 years, basically supplying ballast to many major road construction projects, including the M25.
This story is from the October 2017 edition of Classic Plant & Machinery.
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This story is from the October 2017 edition of Classic Plant & Machinery.
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