Back on the grade with Digger

by Nick Drew | Wed 02 Oct 2013

Back on the grade with Digger

The archive plant & machinery shots have always been a popular feature on my blog, so I am delighted to bring you another batch from my motor grader files.

First up is this shot that I have posted before, but I feel its worthy of another look. The machine is a Caterpillar 14E model, seen here working for the famous earthmoving outfit John Jones (Excavations) Ltd. I have no details on where this machine was working, or what year the photo was taken. Perhaps some sharp eyed readers can shed some light on it?

The Allis-Chalmers M-100 Series C motor grader was first launched in 1962, a year after I was born! In 1974, following the joint venture agreement between Allis-Chalmers and Fiat, and the subsequent formation of the Fiat-Allis business, this 135hp model went on to become the Fiat-Allis 100-C model. It remained in the Fiat-Allis range until the early 1980’s.

Here is a cracking shot of an Austin-Western Pacer 301 motor grader, forming a rain water ditch alongside a gravel road. These single rear axle four-wheel models were offered with a choice of motors from either General Motors or Cummins.

Another long gone construction machinery manufacturer now, Wabco, (Westinghouse Air Brake Company). The Wabco 444 was the company’s direct competitor to the Caterpillar 14 model in its various guises. Manufactured in the late 1960’s early 70’s, these models were said to be great machines, but were prone to chewing up their own axles, which proved to be a costly repair! In this great shot the operator is cutting deep with the blade, as he trims off a layer on a haul road.

Check out this old motor grader from Galion. Galion were one of the trailblazers of self-propelled motor graders, first developing them in 1922. I have no idea when this photograph of a Galion C Patrol model was taken, but judging by the old cars in the background I would think around the mid to late 1920’s.

And finally in this batch, another look at the Raygo Giant, which as its name suggests was something of a monster in the grader world! It featured double articulation and two 318 General Motors diesels engines driving single axles fore and aft. This machine was really designed for heavy duty work and its blade didn’t feature all the positioning options of most mainstream graders, as such the concept didn’t really catch on, and Raygo went out of business in 1985.

Look out for more archive material soon on the Digger Man Blog.

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