Young Charlie tracks down a couple of plant classics

Enthusiastic young heavy machinery fan Charlie Parkes, is always on the lookout for his next digger fix, this past weekend he came across some vintage kit while out on a trip with his parents and was keen to share his photos with us here on the Digger Man Blog.

6-year-old Corby youngster Charlie Parkes is the embodiment of a young digger enthusiast, so much so that his mother Laura is constantly looking to give him his next digger fix.

We have reported on Charlie before, but let’s just remind ourselves about his background. Charlie has faced many challenges in his short life, his parents were told at 30 weeks pregnant that he may not walk or talk due to an abnormality showing on scans in his brain, he was eventually born at 37 weeks and was not breathing, which saw him spending his earliest days in the neonatal intensive care unit. Then basically spent the first 3 years of his life in and out of hospital.

Charlie is described as medically complex and is referred to as a S.W.A.N (Syndromes Without A Name) patient. He is on a life-long genetic study to try and identify a diagnosis, but the likelihood is it’s so rare they may never know, in that way he is unique.

Charlie is currently on the pathway to an autistic spectrum, attachment disorder and ADHA diagnosis – this is where his ‘love’ (obsession) with diggers and tractors has come from. According to medical specialists, children on the spectrum often become obsessive over particular subjects and Charlies specialist subject certainly appears to be construction and agricultural machinery.

Anyway, after a long period of isolation/shielding, the Parkes family have been able to get out and about again, but always looking to find places where there are not that many people about. This past weekend they visited Ebridge Mill in Norfolk and it was here in the distance that Charlie spotted the first of two old machines they came across while walking along the canal path.

The machine in question was a true British classic in the form of a Hymac 580C which I think you will agree is in excellent condition for its age. We believe the machine is still used on restoration work on the canals. Charlie had never seen such a machine before and was keen for a closer look.

Further along the path they came along an old barge up on dryland which featured a dredger with an old JCB 3C backhoe with clam grab attachment. These conversions were once common place around old canal routes before long reach excavators became more popular and, in some instances, they are still used. Apparently, Charlie wasn’t very impressed with this set-up describing it as ugly!

Charlies Mum, Laura says, that on September 11^th it will be Charlies 7^th birthday, so she is on the lookout for another “digger fix” for the birthday boy. If any dealers or plant hire companies in the East Midlands would like to invite them over for a few hours on his big day, they would really appreciate the opportunity.

Checkout Charlie's adventures on his Instagram account diggerlife119