Over in Gladesville, 10km northwest of Sydney, one local club wanted to reach new heights and improve access for its less mobile visitors. Thus, the Gladesville Bowling and Sports Club decided to replace its stairs with a new elevator, challenging work due to access limitations.
The club turned to KangEx, which specialises in tight access excavations, to undertake the excavation work for the construction of the new lift shaft.
Demolishing the existing staircase and excavating to prepare concrete works for the new elevator was via an internal bar area with a standard door opening. In addition to tight access, the bar area’s carpets and fittings needed to be protected while equipment was driven through to the works site.
KangEx had recently acquired a Takeuchi TB210R mini excavator, designed for tight access applications. The excavator is equipped with an ultra-low emission Tier 4 engine and to enable it to work indoors, had been specially fitted with a catalytic converter which eliminates 90% of carbon monoxide emissions.
KangEx’s Stefan Millar explained this was his second Takeuchi excavator; a purchase decision based on performance, reliability and the unique specifications of the machine.
“There is no other excavator in the same class as this one. It’s the only machine that will get into the places needed by our tight access projects”, said Millar.
“The TB210R can do the work of a 1.7-tonne machine, with the added benefit of adjustable tracks which retract to 750mm, as well as excellent power, full-function joystick controls, great digging depth and the ability to run a range of attachments. I haven’t had to use a 1.7-tonne machine since we have had this excavator.
“In terms of productivity, it’s probably the best machinery investment we have made. Our policy is to retain our machines as long as possible and this is why the Takeuchi reliability is critical for our business.”
For ease of operation, the TB210R has full hydraulic servo levers and controls with a two-pattern changeover selector. The excavator is solidly constructed with all steel fabricated body parts, which make it ideal for constant heavy duty use. With the trailer loaded with a set of buckets and hitch, gross weight is approximately 1.3 tonnes, allowing the machine to be towed using a conventional utility or a family sedan without special electronic braking.



