Custom-built CASE excavator tackles peatland restoration in the Lake District
A specially built CASE low-ground-pressure excavator combining components from two different machines is helping Terra Firma Environmental carry out peatland restoration work on some of the most sensitive and difficult-to-access terrain in the Lake District.
Awesome Earthmovers caught up with the machine at work near Thirlmere, between Keswick and Grasmere, where Terra Firma Environmental was operating on a remote, wet hillside as part of a peatland restoration project.
Rather than choosing a standard excavator, the Lancashire-based contractor worked with CASE Construction Equipment and dealer Dennis Barnfield Ltd to develop a machine specifically for its unusual operating requirements.
A CASE CX60D and CX70E combined
Terra Firma Environmental specialises in upland restoration projects across the UK, where access can be difficult and conventional construction equipment is not always suitable.
For this application, the company wanted an excavator around the six-tonne mark with good reach, relatively low overall weight and an undercarriage that could be adapted to produce extremely low ground pressure.
After considering several machines, director Andy Barnes identified the CASE CX70E as a strong starting point.
“We liked its shape and the size of the undercarriage and knew that carrying out the necessary modifications would be relatively straightforward,” he explained.
The final solution, however, went considerably further than simply fitting wider tracks.
CASE’s Special Projects Department created what is effectively a two-in-one excavator, combining the upper structure of a six-tonne CASE CX60D with the chassis of the seven-tonne CASE CX70E.
Hayden Bale, Product Specialist/Demonstrator for Northern Europe at CASE Construction Equipment, explained:
“Basically, what we ended up with was a combination of two machines, the upper structure being a six tonne CX60D with a seven tonne CX70E chassis.”
The standard 450mm track pads were also replaced by much wider 800mm pads, dramatically reducing the machine’s ground pressure.
Low ground pressure for sensitive peatland
That low ground pressure is essential for Terra Firma Environmental’s work.
At Thirlmere, the company was working on behalf of Cumbria Wildlife Trust as part of a wider peatland restoration programme intended to improve biodiversity, carbon storage, water quality and flood resilience.
Damaged peat can release stored carbon and lose its natural ability to hold and filter water, making restoration work increasingly important.
Terra Firma’s work includes blocking historic peat drains, constructing bunds to retain water and re-profiling damaged peat faces to prevent further erosion.
Operating heavy equipment on this kind of surface presents an obvious challenge.
“Because we are operating on soft and very sensitive terrain we need machines with a low ground pressure – somewhere in the region of 2 to 3psi – to prevent any unnecessary damage,” said Andy.
The wider tracks and specially configured undercarriage allow the CASE excavator to travel and work across ground where a conventional machine could cause unacceptable disturbance.
Built for remote working
Dennis Barnfield Ltd completed further modifications at its Lancashire workshops after the machine left the CASE factory.
These included quick-release couplings for the hitch and a welfare kit mounted on the cab roof, reflecting the isolated environments in which Terra Firma Environmental regularly works.
A spillage kit was also installed because of the environmentally sensitive nature of the sites, providing equipment to contain or deal with any potential fuel or oil leak.
For Terra Firma, however, specifying the right machine was only part of the equation.
The company has worked with Dennis Barnfield Ltd for more than eight years and says dealer support is particularly important when machinery is operating miles from conventional road access.
Aftersales support far from the road
The Thirlmere project demonstrated just how remote these sites can be.
Andy explained that simply reaching the edge of the working area could take around an hour from the main road, while parts of the site extend another six or seven kilometres into the landscape.
That makes rapid dealer support very different from attending a machine working on a conventional construction site.
“Operating in remote areas it is essential we have a back-up service that we can depend on when something goes wrong,” he said.
Where possible, Dennis Barnfield’s team helps Terra Firma diagnose and resolve straightforward issues over the telephone, avoiding the considerable time required for an engineer to reach the machine.
For more serious problems, however, engineers will make the journey to site.
Dennis Barnfield Ltd has represented CASE since 1983, making it the manufacturer’s longest-serving UK dealership, and Tom Barnfield says that commitment to aftersales service remains central to the business.
A purpose-built excavator for an unusual application
Our visit to Thirlmere showed why specialist contractors sometimes need to look beyond standard factory configurations.
By combining the CX60D upper structure, CX70E chassis and 800mm track pads, CASE and Dennis Barnfield have produced an excavator specifically suited to Terra Firma Environmental’s demanding work.
The result is a compact machine capable of reaching and operating on exceptionally soft terrain while keeping ground pressure within the narrow range required for sensitive peatland restoration.
For a contractor whose machines can find themselves kilometres from the nearest road, the project also demonstrates that specialist engineering and dependable dealer support can be every bit as important as the excavator itself.
Read the full Awesome Earthmovers feature
This article is based on a feature originally published in Issue 30 of Awesome Earthmovers. Read the complete feature, including the full story and original photography, in the digital magazine.
