Waitings HX235A LCR Gains Social Media Following

An HD Hyundai HX235A LCR crawler excavator has become something of an internet sensation, while working on improvements to the Dore and Totley train station near Sheffield. Part of the Hope Valley Railway network, the station is having its second platform rebuilt after more than 30 years of service, with the installation of a new overbridge, tracks, signals and other infrastructure.

The work, carried out by a joint venture between Volker Rail and Story Contracting, is taking place in a restricted space, with all equipment expected to perform multiple tasks in a confined area. The contractors therefore called upon Penrith-based contractor and plant hire business Waitings to supply the latest HD Hyundai HX235A LCR compact radius excavator.

Equipped with a two-piece main boom and rubber tracks, the HX235A LCR is capable of completing a range of duties, from digging and loading through to heavy lifting and placing concrete. The machine also comes with HD Hyundai’s Advanced Around View Monitoring system, where a combination of four camera feeds provides a panoramic view all around the machine and Intelligent Moving Object Detection, which warns the operator if workers or objects intrude within a pre-set radius of the excavator.

Waitings’ HX235A LCR is being operated by Danny Davis, who covers his daytime job with videos on Instagram, under the name of @goldenlevers. From manoeuvring in the snow to laying aggregate in confined spaces, the HD Hyundai has impressed him and his viewers.

“The particular feature that makes the machine ideal for this job is the new A-Series frame design, purely for its lifting capabilities,” said Mr Davis. “The platform units are precast concrete and they weigh around 5-6 tonnes each. The HD Hyundai lifts them with ease. It also lands them with amazing precision, as the controls are very minute when you need them to be.”

The HX235A LCR tips the scales at around 18 tonnes, depending on specification. Powered by a 127kW (170hp) Stage V Cummins B6.7 engine, the machine boasts HD Hyundai’s EPFC (Electronic Pump Flow Control) system, that improves fine machine control while reducing fuel consumption.

“The machine is a beast. It’s zero slew means it can get into very tight places smoothly. The compound is cramped, with cars and vans and I can navigate around with no worries. The AAVM lets me know when people are moving around me on the touchscreen, so I can see if someone is coming into my crush zone.”

Story Contracting has been equally impressed with the HX235A LCR and its skilled social media operator.

“We have a good working relationship with Waitings,” said Rosie Harmison, Volker Rail Story Project Agent. “We’ve used them for a long time. Machines are always delivered on time, to the required specification and the operators are fully competent in the work they do.”