Military intelligence

Although not directly involved in the purchase of plant for the military, in his 21 years with the Royal Engineers, Brian Moore has gained wide experience of all the construction equipment used by the army, as well as that available in the civilian market. But his is a highly specialist and distinctive viewpoint. His current job, with the Royal Engineers' Export Support Team is to assist UK plant firms sell to the military of foreign powers.

Moore brought different criteria to bear than, say a contractor or plant hirer. Roadability is probably of more concern in a military context than to any other potential customer. Equally, stowage space is important for the army because a machine might be out of the yard for two or three weeks and has to be self-sufficient.

When presented with the assembled machines, Moore was drawn to the JCB 3CX Sitemaster by its distinctive styling. 'You can tell it's a new generation of machine - everything looks good.' He was struck by 'the design and quality of finish' on the new JCB, particularly the extensive use of plastic body panels. Two design touches he really appreciated were the articulated protective cowling on flexible pipework powering the backhoe, and the provision of a stainless steel exhaust. 'So many exhausts fail and they can be a real pain to change. This type gives one less thing to think about,' he said.

'It's a car!' exclaimed Brian on entering the 3CX's cab. 'There is so much glass, you can see everything except the road under your feet, and the layout of controls is excellent.' However, Moore was disappointed with the JCB's roadability and manoeuverability which he felt were below the overall standards set by the machine.

On the servicing front, his only criticism of the accessible layout - which has all daily checks grouped on one side of the machine - was with the accessibility of the battery, which is mounted beneath the bonnet. 'You can't get at the negative of the battery if you want a jump start,' he noted. However, the inclusion of rubber cushions on the fork attachments to prevent hammering was a 'nice touch'.

While scoring lower on the innovation and design fronts, Moore had no quarrel with the older Cat 428B in terms of quality of manufacture or finish. 'It may not be as stylish, but it is a solid machine,' he commented on his initial walkaround. After putting the machine through its paces, his opinion had not changed, 'although the addition of a knob on the steering wheel would make steering that much easier'.

The Cat scored highly for cabin and control layout, although Moore confessed to being biased towards its familiar, traditional control systems. He was also impressed by the machine's quietness, probably enhanced by the load sensing hydraulic system. 'It just chugs away in the background,' he said.

'I also like the exclusive use of flat glass in the cab, which is much cheaper to replace than the curved panels in some other models. Back end visibility is excellent, but the long bonnet means that front end visibility is slightly down. I found myself watching the central bucket ram, but I am sure it is a novelty which would soon wear off.' On the road, however, the ride was less than perfect. 'There is a certain amount of yaw on it,' he said, 'probably exaggerated by the side-stowed boom.'

The Cat scored well on serviceability. 'Everything is accessible, you could go walking around in that engine compartment, but daily maintenance does require a bit of moving around the machine.'

This was Moore's first experience of the Ford 655D and his initial unfavourable impressions were soon overturned. 'Initially it looks like a commercial farm tractor, but it is a very good machine, a proper earth mover. It has been a bit of a surprise.'

Although less innovative in design than some, the Ford was well put together and finished, and performed well in some unexpected departments.

'The bonnet is narrow and the arms and rams drop really low, making for excellent front end visibility. The cab is also glazed in flat glass panels, a plus point in terms of repair. But drill holes for handles, etc, rather detracted from this cost advantage over curved glazing.'

'Inside, the major surprise was the single lever control system which incorporates nine operations on one hand control. It is a good idea but it takes a bit of getting used to.' However, in action the Ford proved more than up to the task in hand, but Moore found some difficulty in keeping the machine stable while using the powerful backhoe. 'In the military, the backhoe is operated with all four wheels on the ground, using the stabilisers only to stop the machine rocking. However, I see that the civilian operators are raising the whole machine off the ground with front bucket and stabilisers. Perhaps my digging technique is the reason why I found I was dragging the machine around when using the backhoe?'

On the road there were no such questions. 'Roadability and rough terrain ability are very good - the Ford held the road the best so far, with no "bounce". It is also very manoeuverable.'

Moving to the Case 580SK, Moore confessed to being rather disappointed that a machine with its reputation did not shine better in the assembled company.

'It comes across as rather a basic machine. The cab is dark, with its brown interior, high noise levels and control levers which seemed to demand a great deal of movement. While it performed well in digging and loading operations, it was rather "bouncy" when roading.'

However, it was not all negative, and he found much to praise in the Case. 'It is very accessible for servicing and maintenance, even with the arms down which is a plus, and I like the single oil check for the gearbox, torque convertor and rear axle.' He also approved of the design of the pipework runs. 'I believe you should only use flexible hoses where you need them, Case has obviously spent a lot of time thinking this through.'

'Another nice touch is the provision of steel guards on tyre valves to protect against impact and mud. I liked that,' Moore said as he climbed down from the airy cab of the MF750. 'It certainly is not a tractor with a front and back bucket - it is definitely a plant machine. I think the large flotation front tyres must contribute to the machine's solidity and stability, both on the road and in operation.'

Moore appreciated thoughtful touches such as the button which automatically crowds the bucket to 'level' after dumping, and the one piece, swing-up bonnet. 'Extensive use of plastic body panels and flat cabin glass are also noteworthy, as is the excellent all round vision from the massive cabin.'

'However, the MF750 is not the quietest of the test machines, and the brakes do not feel powerful enough. I also disliked the five bolts which have to be removed to reveal the low-maintenance battery.' But Moore's overall impression of the MF was favourable. 'It surprised me - it is a really up-to-date machine.'