The reservoir capacity is being enlarged by re-profiling the banks through bulk muckshifting and the addition of large volumes of aggregates, which will add a further 3m of bank height. A 2km road is also being constructed.
In all, it is estimated that the total volume of materials to be handled will exceed a million cubic metres, most of which will be carried out by the new fleet of Liebherr machines. Alongside this project, Lancaster Earthmoving is also tasked with generating large areas of shallow water margins, shelving up to 1m in depth to encourage and maintain the birdlife for which the region is known.
Two of the excavators are R 944 C Litronic models and the third is an R 934 C Litronic. All three have been supplied with super-long heavy duty undercarriage with 750mm wide trackpads. CCTV rear-view cameras with in-cab colour monitors, screen vandal guards, roof beacons, additional headlights, load diagrams with overload warning systems and a wide selection of earthmoving and ditching buckets are included in the optional extras package. The R 944 C machines have 6.45m gooseneck booms and 2.60m sticks and are powered by Liebherr D 936 L engines with a 190kW output. The R 934 C is equipped with a 6.05m gooseneck boom, a 3.10m stick and a quick-hitch system. The Liebherr engine is a type D 934 L which develops 150kW.
The bulldozer is a low ground pressure version of the fully hydrostatic PR 734 LGP Litronic, which has an operating weight of around 25t. Power is supplied by a type D 936-L A6 Liebherr engine with a 150kW output. This bulldozer has been delivered with comprehensive front-end equipment, including push-frame for all straight and “U” blades, plus hydraulic control for these and angle blades; the 4.10m³ capacity 3995mm straight blade also has an overflow spill guard.
The Litronic control system provides an integral operating-data memory that can be read out on the multifunction display. The system can match the vehicle’s steering response to its travel speed, a particular benefit when a curved path has to be followed.
Lancaster Earthmoving is a family-owned and independent contractor based in Kennett near Newmarket, Suffolk. It has operated Liebherr equipment since 1996. Its fleet is comprised of tracked and wheeled hydraulic excavators from 18t to 50t operating weight, low ground-pressure bulldozers from 13t to 27t, a large fleet of ADTs and mobile crushing, screening and washing plants for producing haul road, stabilisation and coastal protection aggregates. Additionally, the company has a workshop at its Great Wigborough premises in Essex for major repair and fabrication work.
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