New Madill 124 Featured in - Brightwater Engineers Ltd
New Madill 124 Featured in - Brightwater Engineers Ltd
New Madill 124 Featured in - Brightwater Engineers Ltd
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The neat tailrope set-up on the excavator boom at the bottom of the gully.<br />
Another change Andrew will have to get used to, is<br />
runn<strong>in</strong>g the air-condition<strong>in</strong>g at the height of the summer.<br />
He’s noticed the extra glass creates more heat <strong>in</strong> the cab<br />
and this old-school operator prefers to open the w<strong>in</strong>dow<br />
for fresh air rather than turn<strong>in</strong>g on the A/C (“gives me<br />
the flu,” he says). At least he has a decent A/C system to<br />
cool the cab – many of the older, secondhand, imported<br />
<strong>Madill</strong>s that I’ve seen around the country either don’t<br />
have one that’s runn<strong>in</strong>g or they are not very efficient.<br />
Overall, the changes have enhanced the operation<br />
of the <strong>Madill</strong> and made it a more complete workhorse<br />
– “you don’t change a w<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g formula and the<br />
<strong>Brightwater</strong> guys have done a very good job,” says<br />
Andrew.<br />
And you can’t wipe the smile off his face at the<br />
thought of com<strong>in</strong>g to work every day <strong>in</strong> such a nice piece<br />
of equipment.<br />
“It’s an awesome mach<strong>in</strong>e,” he says. “It does<br />
everyth<strong>in</strong>g quicker, smoother and faster – the l<strong>in</strong>e speed<br />
downhill is great. It can keep up that pace all day and<br />
you don’t come away feel<strong>in</strong>g tired.”<br />
The upgraded hydraulics work a treat and the<br />
percentage of trees missed with the first close of the<br />
grapple is much reduced.<br />
The drums are the same as before (with the benefit<br />
of <strong>in</strong>terlock<strong>in</strong>g, of course): a pair of front/rear grooved<br />
drums carry<strong>in</strong>g 770 metres (2250ft) of 7/8 swaged rope;<br />
a haulback grooved drum carry<strong>in</strong>g 1420 metres (4660ft)<br />
of 7/8 swaged roped; and a strawl<strong>in</strong>e drum carry<strong>in</strong>g<br />
1420 metres (4660ft) of 3/8 swaged rope. Three guyl<strong>in</strong>es<br />
are supplied as standard.<br />
Although he’s got six speeds at his f<strong>in</strong>ger tips, the<br />
top gear is actually too fast to use and would lead to<br />
additional wear on the ropes, Andrew reckons. Generally<br />
he’ll send the grapple down the slopes <strong>in</strong> fourth gear and<br />
then pull average-size trees back <strong>in</strong> third. Smaller ones<br />
may come back up <strong>in</strong> fourth, while larger ones could<br />
require second. For the really large, old growth p<strong>in</strong>es it<br />
would pay to start off <strong>in</strong> first and then change to second,<br />
just to get them mov<strong>in</strong>g without stra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g the system.<br />
The rest of the crew are a tad jealous and have asked<br />
if they can take a turn with the <strong>Madill</strong>, but Andrew<br />
tells them they have to do their time down the hill to<br />
understand what yard<strong>in</strong>g is all about first before they<br />
can sit at the controls.<br />
We’ve opened up the big clamshell bonnet to get<br />
a view of the eng<strong>in</strong>e and transmission, which was<br />
still be<strong>in</strong>g plumbed when I last viewed it. The bonnet<br />
makes a great platform for servic<strong>in</strong>g and work<strong>in</strong>g on<br />
the mechanical parts and also holds the ext<strong>in</strong>guishers<br />
mounted on the <strong>in</strong>side of the shell.<br />
It all looks so familiar that it’s hard to th<strong>in</strong>k of this<br />
as an-all new <strong>124</strong>, which, <strong>in</strong> many ways is a comfort<strong>in</strong>g<br />
thought. The <strong>Madill</strong> <strong>124</strong> has built up such a reputation<br />
for great performance over the years you really wouldn’t<br />
want to change it, unless there were real grounds for<br />
improvement. And that is exactly how <strong>Brightwater</strong> under<br />
the guidance of Nicholson Manufactur<strong>in</strong>g has gone<br />
about remak<strong>in</strong>g this forestry legend.<br />
There was genu<strong>in</strong>e sadness among all foresters<br />
around the globe when the <strong>Madill</strong> company faltered five<br />
years ago. Now there is equal joy to see these brilliant<br />
mach<strong>in</strong>es back <strong>in</strong> production.<br />
Alister Peacocke took a brave but calculated step<br />
order<strong>in</strong>g the very first of the <strong>New</strong> Zealand-built <strong>124</strong>s. It’s<br />
already repay<strong>in</strong>g his leap of faith. nZl<br />
<strong>Madill</strong> <strong>124</strong><br />
26 NZ Logger | December 2012/January 2013 December 2012/January 2013 | NZ Logger 27<br />
ification<br />
ENGINE<br />
6-cyl<strong>in</strong>der, 14-litre, Detroit Series 60 common rail diesel, Tier lll,<br />
turbocharged & after-cooled<br />
Bore / stroke 106mm x 168mm<br />
Net power 336kW (450hp) @ 2100rpm<br />
Torque 1966Nm @ 1200rpm<br />
Transmission Allison HD 4060 6-speed Powershift<br />
HYDRAULICS<br />
Ma<strong>in</strong> pump Variable displacement load-sens<strong>in</strong>g piston type<br />
Gear pump Four pilot circuits, plus actuation of pull clutches<br />
Sw<strong>in</strong>g Tw<strong>in</strong> multi-stage planetary with bent axis piston motors<br />
DRUMS<br />
Front – Ma<strong>in</strong> Capacity – 777m; Pull – 41,730kg; Speed 1260m/m<strong>in</strong><br />
Rear – Ma<strong>in</strong> Capacity – 777m; Pull – 41,730kg; Speed 1260m/m<strong>in</strong><br />
Haulback Capacity – 1420m; Pull – 42,180kg; Speed 1810m/m<strong>in</strong><br />
Strawl<strong>in</strong>e Capacity – 1420m; Pull – 720kg; Speed 3535m/m<strong>in</strong><br />
BooM<br />
Height 18.3 metres (60ft)<br />
GRAPPLE<br />
Model Young 120<br />
REFILL CAPACITIES (LITRES)<br />
Fuel tank 1192L<br />
Eng<strong>in</strong>e oil tank 40L<br />
Hydraulic system 400L<br />
DIMENSIoNS (MM)<br />
Shipp<strong>in</strong>g length 22,265<br />
Shipp<strong>in</strong>g height (cab folded) 3952<br />
Track length 5334<br />
Track shoe width 700<br />
operat<strong>in</strong>g weight (roped) 65,000kg approx