Kitchen, Bismarck or Bagger?

Thanks to Ralph and Sue's Meccano News for a lighthearted description of the building of Bagger 288!

Bagger 288 completed - April 2014

Fitting the vertical arms

View from bucket-wheel end

Awaiting vertical arms

View of winding drums from below

All set to install vertical arms

Lifters at the ready!

Front vertical arm going up

On the way up

Safely at 9 feet

Manoeuvering the front vertical arm into position

Moving front vertical arm forward into position

Putting M10 bolts in place

Mission accomplished, Part 1

Sending 2nd vertical arm upwards

Getting 2nd arm into position

Another bolter at work

Just enough head room!

Attaching service crane

Service crane at ceiling height (about 17 feet) on top of back vertical arm

View from below - service crane in place on top of  2nd vertical arm

Mission accomplished, Part 2!

Whew! Now for the cables

Wide-angle view after attachment of horizontal arms

Thanks to Stefan Just for the picture

Adding the horizontal arms

Planning the first move

Swinging counterbalance arm into position

Thinking it through

Counterbalance arm almost there

Adjusting level of counterbalance arm

Getting it right

Winding-drum area now 9 feet up

Bringing bucket-wheel arm across

Adjusting swivelling pin position

Inspecting the afternoon's work

Bucket-wheel from below

Both arms installed

View from below - bucket-wheel arm

The team of heavy-lifters relaxes

Almost completed

Bagger 288 is nearing completion! Next step is to assemble all the sections - a major logistical operation needing lots of strong people.

 Watch this space. 

Should be up and running within a month.

Rear crawlers and cable harness

Suspension of 500Kg plus component

Front crawlers

Another view of front crawlers

One of four slewing motor gear boxes

Two slewing motors on upper rotating ring

View of central unit from the rear

View from above with cable harness to be connected

Rear side view

Front view

Components to be assembled

Another view of components

Central unit awaiting rotating ring