Irish Thoroughbred, Takeuchi Fan

While I'm in Finland, we are taking a look back at some of my previous articles featured in Earthmovers Magazine.

Based in Newton Abbott in Devon, Liam Nolan (47) is a 3rd generation groundworks sub-contractor with Irish roots who has grown up around construction industry.

In a familiar tale from those times, Liam’s father Tom Nolan came over from Ireland in the 1960’s, originally finding work in Wales, and gradually worked his way down to settle in Devon in the South West of England.

Tom came from the old school of construction as part of an Irish navvy gang, where there were no diggers, just pickaxes, wheelbarrows, shovels and a big pound of flesh, quite literally, blood sweat and tears every day of the week, working on big sewer projects and the like, a time when men were men, and not afraid of any hard graft!

That kind of mentality clearly rubbed off on Liam, who has a work ethic that is second to none, following in his father’s footsteps, although the hand tools of yesteryear have now given way to technologically advanced hydraulic mini excavators. 

Liam first got started in the game shortly after leaving school at 16 years old, working on the ground, for his father’s business T. Nolan Groundworks around 1994. Tom’s machine of choice back in those days was a CASE 580G backhoe loader from where he would run the jobs they were on, Liam admitted he was rubbish on a backhoe loader, but they also had a little 3-tonne Kubota mini excavator which is what Liam learnt to operate a 360^o excavator on.

It was during these formative years that Liam’s dad taught him the ropes on how to tackle jobs, from foundations, to kerb laying, drainage and all other aspects of groundworks, of which as we know, there are many things to learn.

In the year 2000, Liam’s son came along and not long after his father said it was about time he went off on his own, and he gave him a contract to work as a sub-contractor for a company who were based in Taunton in Somerset. Based on the strength of this new contract, L. Nolan Plant was established and Liam went out and purchased his very first own machine, a used Kobelco SK60 from Chris Luscombe at Devon Plant Sales, which he described as a bit of a banger, but it did the job.

Since those days Liam’s preferred choice of mini excavator comes from the Japanese Takeuchi stable, and we caught up with Liam and his team on the first phase of a major housing development site in Newton Abbot which will eventually be the location for 400 new properties.

Liam is on this site as a sub-contractor to long established Newton Abbott based civil engineering and groundworks company Roadform, who have most recently been taken over by the new owner and Managing Director Oliver Mitchell.

I have worked for this company a number of times over the years as a self-employed machine operator, and it’s a very sound business, as a side I also did some holiday cover work for Liam on his first Takeuchi TB260 back in 2013, which coincidentally, was the first of its kind to be delivered in the South West, so there’s a bit of history between us and it was great to catch up again.

Liam’s very first Takeuchi machine was a venerable TB175 which Liam described as a great machine, and virtually bomb proof, which is the main reason he has stuck with them ever since, purchasing all his following Takeuchi’s from main dealer CBL Plant Sales who are based in Saltash, Cornwall.

Asked what impresses him most about the machines Liam said, “Its definitely the smoothness, that’s legendary really, but also the reliability, it’s very rare that I have a service van out, except for regular scheduled maintenance, for me they are just a great reliable machine, fairly good price, and just a good solid machine, but it’s the silky smooth hydraulics that are the winner overall, when you sit in them, it can make a bad driver look like a great operator”.

Liam employs from around 9 to 12 individuals on site, half of them are operators, with the other half being groundworkers, all these staff members are sourced by Liam himself. As we all know, good experienced operators are hard to find these days, so some of them have come on as groundworkers and Liam trains them up to become operators, putting them through their tickets to drive the machines if he trusts them to do so and most importantly if they show an interest in their skills development.

Liam generally just runs mid-sized mini excavator’s; there is currently one deviation from the familiar red & grey with a 3-tonne class Kubota U27-4 and on the day of our visit a departing KX060-5 which had been part exchanged for a brand-new Takeuchi TB260 which arrived on site just as we did.

“These sized machines suit our work because we are primarily engaged in work around the house plots, working on domestic drainage, driveways, topsoiling etc, so the mid-range machines are the best fit for us, the largest we run is the 9-tonne class TB290-2 which is a cracking piece of kit”, Liam commented.

Liam explained that during the Covid pandemic, it was not possible to get hold of the Takeuchi machines due to the shortage of electronic chips, so his hand was forced to move to the Kubota products for his replacements, but going forward the fleet will make a full return to the Takeuchi range.

The company’s other Takeuchi machine on this site was the 7-tonne class TB370 which when first launched in 2020, was presented as the long-awaited replacement for the TB175, however Liam says although it’s nice machine, he doesn’t feel it quite matches the old model.

The arrival on site of his latest TB260 marks a return to the popular 6-tonne class Takeuchi for Liam, having had to go for a Kubota 6-tonner last time around, as previously mentioned. He was keen to point out that the Kubota is a good machine all round, but its just not a Takeuchi and they are without doubt his preferred choice every time.  

Having been unloaded Liam wasted no time in putting the new machine to work trimming up a batter by the side of a spur road, clearly demonstrating the TB260’s super smooth hydraulics and powerful performance. 

Liam is quite clearly a fan of the TB260 as this new addition is his 6^th or 7^th example of the same model, “They are a great machine Nick, just right for our type of work, and you can put them anywhere”, he commented.

Tipping the scales at just over 5,735kgs with a full tank of fuel, bucket and a Hill Tefra fully automatic quick coupler, the TB260 is powered by the well proven, Stage V EU emissions compliant 4-cylinder Yanmar 4TN86CT diesel engine offering a power output rating of 35.5kw (47.6hp) @2,400rpm.

The machine features a powerful 43.2 kN bucket breakout force, and the dipper arm offers an impressive 27.3 kN of digging force. This high powered and versatile 6-tonner has an impressive reach at ground level of 6130mm, and a maximum dig depth of 3895mm, which can be further increased by setting up with the blade to the rear if necessary. The machine has been supplied with a full set of buckets from Strickland.

One would imagine that the TB260 could potentially be the next machine for a 3-Series upgrade, having been in production for some 12 years now, but only time will tell, as we know historically that the Japanese never rush these developments.  

Liam’s enthusiasm for the Takeuchi brand is infectious and I’m sure his relationship with the Japanese brand is set to continue for many years to come, maybe one of these days, I’ll be back in the seat of one for some holiday cover again in the future.