Here the objective was to excavate and cart approximately 45000 cubic metres of colliery shale, clays and mudstones to a large fill area (300M haul) and smaller reinforced fill areas located underneath overhead power cables (450M haul).

The large fill area required 25000 cubic metres deposited in 200mm layers for compaction and was completed to finished levels in 4.5 days working ten hour shifts using a tractor tandem pulling two 18CuY scrapers and tractor pulling one 19 CuY scraper along with a self propelled pad foot roller.

The smaller fill areas required geotextile mesh at 500mm layers for soil reinforcement and to place 20000 cubic metres of fill to finished levels below the overhead power cables. Height restrictions were in place which prevented the use of ADT’s so using the above plant and also a small backhoe to trap the tensar on each layer, it was completed in seven 10 hour shifts.

Average fuel usage recorded per tractor was an economical 28 litres per hour with minimal site traffic and associated site hazards. Cut and fill areas were at all times safe from falling objects, reversing vehicles and the usual support equipment required to do such an operation These areas were also constantly sealed against the unpredictable British weather by cutting and filling to avoid the possibility of standing water in the event of a downpour, although on this occasion we managed complete all our works without rain.