Big tails and in the Navy
With induction done, it was time to get the boots and hat on and get out to see the machines. First digger I came across was a Caterpillar 336F operated by Sam Lomax. He has been operating plant for twelve years now, which surprises me as he looks very youthful. “I started when I was eighteen years old on telehandlers. Mainly on housing projects was where I cut my teeth and then got involved with civils and rail. I am with Flannery for four years now. I started delivering plant for them and then I went working as an operator on the A556 and the M6. I was also working on the M60 and I have been involved with flood defence works with BAM on a few projects now” said Sam. He has had his new Cat 336F on this Job now for the past four months and really loves it.
“The previous machine I was on was a Case zero tail. It was a nice digger, but I prefer this. It is a good performer, but you need to watch your back side as she has a big tail. I am doing mostly bulk much shifting and getting rid of all the evasive species on this site (Knotweed). My machine is not fitted with GPS, but I have used it, I do like using Leica, that is my favourite so far”. We let Sam get back to work and moved on down the job to see other hard-working Flannery machines in action. We soon came across a Bergmann dumper parked up, waiting to get the call for its next load. Sitting at the controls was a young Michael Phillips. He is working for Flannery for the past eight months and is part of the apprenticeship scheme. He started last year with them through their programme and qualified for his 360 excavator and his artic dump truck tickets.
I asked Michael how he got involved in the plant industry, was it because his father was in it or was it something he always wanted to do? “I was in the Royal Navy for four years, and I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do when I left the service. Some of my former shipmates and done the scheme, and they then got me onboard with it. So, I applied online and thankfully I was accepted onto the programme. I am really enjoying it, great bunch of lads and now I have a skill for life. If you would like to work with machines, then I would strongly recommend this career choice” espoused Michael. We let him get back to work which involved taking loads from one side of the job to the other.
A long reach out 
Always happy on this job 
Laying some stone
Work that makes a difference
Working away shifting pools of mud is a Cat 320E long reach dipper. Inside on the levers is Carey Beasley. He is with Flannery nearly five years. He used to live on the east coast working for Ascot construction but decided to move over to the west for more opportunity. He started operating machines when he was seven years old. Like many, he started working on the family farm, and he loved it. His first machine was a Foster D2. It was a backhoe application that was fitted onto the back of his grandads Massey Ferguson. It had eight levers to operate and he actually dug out his Mum’s house footings at the ripe old age of ten. He used to be picked up by his Grandad, who was supposed to bring him to school but brought him of working for the day.
His first machine to operate as a professional operator was a Komatsu PW170 rubber duck. As he is operating the long reach Cat, I ask him to expand further on what his role is. “Initially it was to dig down deep into large holes and remove invasive plant species. But then we had the storm and the river burst its banks and washed in all the matting that we had laid out, so we must tidy up that. As you can see, we are right beside a housing estate, so the work we are doing is very important. The protective bank that we put in undoubtedly saved all those houses from flooding during the storm, so we are all proud about that.
We worked during the height of the bad weather and we reckon at least one hundred and fifty houses were at risk and we prevented catastrophe for those homeowners” he said. Working along side him in the Somme like conditions is Craig Evans in his Cat 320. He is operating machines for a quarter of a century now and his first digger was a Cat 312 in Ramsbottom. He is with Flannery a year now and really likes the job here as it is close to home. He normally works on creating bunds, but the weather is too wet now to get the tippers on site. His machine is fitted with Leica machine control and I ask him to explain what he uses it for. “I use it for everything really. It used mainly for when I am digging a certain depth. This is the first machine for me and machine control, I was really surprised how long it took me to pick it up, very quickly and easily. I was panicking at first but very soon I got into it, there was really nothing to be afraid of. I have realised that the longer you are this business the better you become with experience.
You are always learning, always meeting new people, always seeing new things, it is a great life. And then you are doing something beneficial and worthwhile that makes a big difference to a lot of people. I really like working for Flannery, all new machines, good gear, and they take care of you. I have worked for many outfits in the past, but they are really good” said Craig
High tech and spill kits
Back in the warm and dry comfort of the site office, I get to talk to the BAM Nuttall project manager, Steve Hamer. This flood protection scheme started in July 19 and the first phase should finish in July of this year. I ask Steve to talk about his relationship with Flannery and why they use them as their plant hire providers. “I chose Flannery for the job because initially we had some tricky work to do with the invasive plant species. They were able to demonstrate that they have the plant equipment and the ability to get the job done professionally. They have such a wide range of plant and even if they haven’t got in the yard, they can get it. They give me a very good rate and they can move plant quickly. Their operators are excellent, all qualified and competent and always very helpful. The plant is fresh and well maintained. As we are working beside water, we need zero oil or fuel leaks. The machines all carry spill kits in case of a burst hose, but hopefully we will never have to use them” said Steve.
As BAM are an international contractor, they have recently issued a directive with regards machine control. Any machine over eight tonnes must be fitted with a correct type system. It must have the hardware fitted so it can be quickly set up if needed. “BAM are pushing for this type of technology for the future. The future for us is all about technology and ensuring less waste and more productivity.
Flannery have all the latest tech advancements for their equipment including tilt-rotators, so for us they are an ideal partner” concluded Steve. We spoke about the crisis they had to manage during storm Ciara, and he had plenty of praise of how the Flannery lads rolled up the sleeves to help them keep the waters back. They were indeed the flood fighters.
