New Madill 124 Featured in - Brightwater Engineers Ltd

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It’s been five years since the last all-new Madill 124 arrived in New Zealand. in New Zealand under licence and the deal to do so was confirmed by Nicholson Manufacturing after it became the new owner. Regular readers of NZ Logger will know from the article published earlier in the year that it took more than 12 months from signing the deal for this first Madill 124 to emerge from the Brightwater facility in Christchurch, since the 2-Dimensional engineering drawings had to be re-created digitally in 3-D and then orders placed with component suppliers before production could commence. And, as we explained in that article, Brightwater did not rush the build, wanting to ensure the first New Zealand machine would be as good, if not better than the original – a concern that may have crossed the minds of some potential buyers, but not Alister. “I figured they’d want to do everything possible to get it right, so that didn’t worry me,” he says. And have they? “It’s worked brilliantly since we took delivery (in June) and nothing has gone wrong, so yes, they did get it right,” adds Alister. The only work required after it arrived in the forest was some adjustment to the speed of the drums for the guy ropes, which weren’t being taken up quickly enough when the yarder was being shifted back and forth into new positions. But that was more a case of fine-tuning, not a repair, and any contractor will attest that it’s not unusual for new machines to suffer a few teething problems once they get out to the bush. So that’s a pass with flying colours for the new Madill 124. Credit goes to the diligence of the Brightwater Services Andrew Vari positions the Madill 124 as close to the edge of the gully as is safely allowable for greater visibility to grab and drag trees to the landing. team, led by Lincoln Rayner, Engineer Manager, which took great pains to build quality and reliability into Number One (it’s actually been given the serial number 51, to follow on from the last Canadian-built machine) at every step of the process. Lincoln has returned for the first time since the Peacocke yarder was commissioned, to see how his “first-born” is running and to answer any technical questions myself or Iron Tester ‘Scania James may have. Right now, we’re just admiring the job being done by Andrew Vari in the controlling seat up in the shiny new cab, as he expertly places the Young grapple tongs over each tree and pulls them up to the landing. Before Andrew arrived two years ago, the old yarder was worked by Alister, but he’s happy to take a back seat these days and manage the operation instead, though does admit to having a few sneaky goes on the Madill when Andrew wants a break. Well, who could resist playing with such a nice (big boy’s) toy? We chat about his forestry experience and the steps that led to the Madill purchase and it’s interesting to hear that Alister does not have a family history in this industry – his father was a sheep farmer and when the farm was sold they upped sticks and sailed the Pacific on a yacht for a while. Back on land, Alister decided to give forestry a go after school and found work with Sam Webb’s harvesting crew near Taupo. He graduated to foreman and then started up his own crew 12 years ago with a Berger tower hauler, working various areas, from the Raglan coast through to Gisborne, before arriving in Kaingaroa. Andrew Vari likes the easy access to the new Detroit engine and Allison transmission. He swapped the tower for a 1991 Cypress swing yarder along the way because of its greater versatility on broken country and it worked well, although suffered the usual issues you’d expect of a well-used machine, needing various components fixed and upgraded on a regular basis, as they succumbed to wear-and tear. “I guess I got fed up with the phone calls from Andrew saying this needs fixing or we have to replace that because it’s wearing, which was really behind the idea of getting a brand new yarder,” says Alister. “I shouldn’t need to do anything to it for a long while and I know I will get 20 years of good service from a machine like this if we take care of it.” While Alister and I have been chatting, ‘Scania’ has climbed up to join Andrew in the cab, to get his part of the Iron Test under way. Watching the new 124 going through its test paces, Alister says there are a number of similarities between his old Cypress and this machine, after all, it is an early predecessor (the Madill business was purchased by Cypress, which put some of its models into the familiar red and white livery). Twenty years later and we are in an entirely new era, although the Madill 124 of 2012 is not much different to the machines that have carved a great reputation in forests around the world. It still looks and runs like a Madill 124, but there are a number of 21st century upgrades. They include the latest 14-litre Detroit Diesel Series 60 engine built to Tier III standards, in place of the 12.7litre Detroit previously used, which lifts power output to 336kW (450hp). The fully automatic transmission has given way to Allison’s Powershift clutchless 6-speed manual – a change that is designed to give the operator more control over pulls, eliminating the ‘hunting’ between gears that can occur with an auto as it drags a heavy tree to the landing. The winch control has changed to air-actuated, instead of electric, to preserve reliability and also allow for fixes to be done in the bush, being less complex than an electric system. The Madill sits on a D7 track base, as before, but with up-to-date track motors. The hydraulic system is also similar to that used in the past, but with latest technology components it now delivers increased flows. All the metal fabrication is New Zealand-made and the biggest change to the earlier 124s is the cab, which is closely modelled on the one designed for the Madill 3800 log loader that is back in production in Canada and features Marguard front and Lexan side screens, so there is no need for protective bars on the windows. Brightwater talked to Madill 124 owners and operators to get their input on improvements to the machine during the re-drafting process and one of the updates suggested is evident up on the 60ft boom, where the main fairleads now have retaining collars in the bronze thrust bearings to hold them captive if they break – thus, the yarding operation won’t come to a juddering halt as it can still be used until a full repair is made. Have the upgrades and newer componentry made much difference to the actual operation of the new Madill, compared to his old yarder? Very much so, says 22 NZ Logger | December 2012/January 2013 December 2012/January 2013 | NZ Logger 23
Left: Andrew Vari has the distinction of operating the last new Madill 124 that came to this country and now the very first NZ-produced model (note the glass window in the footwell). Right: Alister Peacocke (right) discusses his new Madill 124 with Iron Tester ‘Scania’ James. Alister. It’ much quicker in its functions, is a lot smoother and the line pulls are faster, by about 15% compared to the old Cypress. The crew is producing more wood, and more easily meeting their daily target. The more efficient Detroit engine uses less fuel, too, consuming around 200 litres less per week – a reduction of 8-to-10% over the Cypress and probably 5% better than the last of the old Madill 124s. That must have pleased Kaingaroa Timberlands, I add. “I think so,” replies Alister, an answer that puzzles me. While he did mention to KT he was buying a new yarder, “the equipment configuration is more up to the contractor,” he says, explaining that KT doesn’t tend to discuss machinery with him, as it is primarily concerned with the harvest planning, production targets, managing the flow of stems out to the Webb Road processing facility and ensuring Health and safety, environmental protocols are followed. As long as those parameters are met, it’s up to Alister to decide on the equipment he employs. You only have to look around to see that KT doesn’t need to worry, as this is a very slick operation. The Madill is pretty much in a scabbing role at the moment, clearing trees from this messy gully, with a Hitachi loader in support to clear the chute. You can’t do big numbers with this sort of piecemeal recovery, so the Cat 336/Woodsman processor that normally works in unison with the 124 has been despatched to a block of trees a few hundred metres away to do ground-based harvesting, supported by the crew’s Tigercat skidder. And a little further on, the two fallers, who make up the rest of this seven-man team, are bringing down more trees for the Madill to grab later. That’s how you keep your numbers up. Back to the Iron Test. Andrew is showing off his fishing skills with the grapple on a lone pine that had been overlooked during falling and still remains standing at the bottom of the gully. He wants to get the tongs around the trunk before his spotter falls it with the chainsaw. After a few deft swings he latches onto it and within minutes the tree is up on the landing. While the Hitachi drags the tree clear to be de-limbed The fully automatic transmission has given way to Allison’s Powershift clutchless 6-speed manual – a change that is designed to give the operator more control over pulls, eliminating the ‘hunting’ between gears that can occur with an auto. later, Andrew and Scania take the opportunity to reposition the Madill a few metres to the right, to clear another section of the slope. The guy lines are tethered to a bulldozer at the back of the landing, which Andrew has to go and move periodically, though he is able to leave it in place for this shift. However, the spotter has to move the excavator down in the bottom of the gully that is fitted with pulleys on a neat cradle assembly on top of the boom that holds the tailrope. Move completed, ‘Scania’ steps down and I take his place to chat with Andrew and see how the new style cab looks in its completed state and discuss his impressions of his new steed. Last time I was in this cab at Brightwater’s Christchurch facility it was still a work in progress and it has now evolved into a much lighter and roomier workplace than first impressions had indicated. Those big screens and absence of bars open it up to the outside world and make it feel appreciably bigger than a traditional 124 cab. There’s a little more height to the roof at the front, further increasing the amount of light coming in, compared to the previous Canadian-built machines. Andrew has noticed the difference, not just with his old Cypress, but also to previous Madill’s he has operated. He drove the last Madill 124 to come to New Zealand (and one of the last out of the factory), owned by Doug Kinney of Whakatane, so it’s interesting to get his views on what has changed and, more importantly, what is better than before. One of the changes he does like is the provision of a glass panel in the front of the floor, which enables Andrew to see the tracks and better judge how close to get to the cliff edge. It also improves the view downhill. One drawback, however, is that dirt from his boots collects on the lower edge of the glass and is difficult to clean out, so Brightwater is going to fit hinges for the panel to be opened on this machine and all future ones. The new air-suspended seat gets the thumbs-up and the controls are identical to those on earlier versions of the 124, except that the left-hand shifter now includes buttons for selecting the gears manually. Surprisingly, Andrew is not a fan of manual gears and prefers the old automatic set-up – “less to have to think about”. Andrew also prefers the previous electric shift to the new air-activated shift, commenting that there is not as much feel with the new system. But he understands the reason for the move and agrees that it is much simpler, so less likely to go wrong and will be easier to fix if it does go down. “I’m getting used to it,” he adds, though he’s had to tape up the aluminium shift control handle because it was leaving the palms of his hands black at the end of the day. Later on I discuss the shifter with Lincoln and he says there is an option to have a joystick instead, which could improve feel and control, as well as eliminating the black coming off the alloy. Similarly, Andrew prefers to have the switches and gauges in his field of vision by the left front pillar where he can keep an eye on them, as on the Cypress, rather than on the panel up by the ceiling. That, too, is an option owners will be able specify on future machines, says Lincoln. 24 NZ Logger | December 2012/January 2013 December 2012/January 2013 | NZ Logger 25
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New Madill 124 Featured in - Brightwater Engineers Ltd

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