Becoming editor of Plant and Civil Engineer has been something of a watershed. I’m a rural dweller, but I confess my life centres around my tiny little plot. I’ve one field that needs an expert to navigate the slope and I do most things the oldfashioned way – I’ve even made hay by hand with my late father’s pitchfork as my only ‘machine’.
Previously I didn’t notice, but now I see that every small corner of the country contains a digger (or to be technically correct, an excavator). I see all sorts that I never noticed before. Just this evening, my neighbour’s son rode up the road on his new scooter, followed by his sister on a ride-on lawn mower and their dad on what I call the ‘Green Machine’ – I’ve no idea what it is but it seems to do everything! I drive past RiverRidge most days, but I had to resist stopping on the road when I saw the most enormous telehandler looming over the skyline. I’d probably driven past it a hundred times and not noticed. But now I do.
There Is something compelling and inspiring about big machines and I am guessing lots of Plant and Civil Engineer readers get it, live it, breathe it.
If so, there is lots in this edition for you. If you want to know how big, check out our heavy haulage and abnormal loads feature. If you want to try before you buy, see our plant hire section and if you just want to absorb machine news, we’ve got Hyundai, JCB, Develon, Kubota, CAT and Komatsu; We’ve got Plantworx too – the biggest plant show in the UK.
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