A trail construction specialist predicts its new Hinowa self-loading mini dumper will reduce the time needed to surface a major new mountain bike trail it is building by half.
West Wales Trails has been commissioned by Dwr Cymru Welsh Water to design and build a new 8km section of mountain bike trail around the Llys y Fran reservoir in Pembrokeshire, West Wales.
The company turned to Access Platform Sales (APS) to purchase a Hinowa HS1102 tracked stand-on mini dumper with a self-loading shovel and variable width tracks.
Rugged and reliable
APS is the UK and Ireland authorised dealer for Hinowa. The HS1102 mini-dumper can carry 700kg loads and is just 785m wide so is ideal for worksites where space is restricted.
West Wales Trails Director Matt Broome said: “We wanted to replace an old tracked dumper and this project was the ideal opportunity to do so. The Hinowa mini dumper hasn’t disappointed.
“It’s an excellent machine and very rugged. It tracks twice as fast as our old dumper and its self-loading capability greatly simplifies our work process, reducing manual handling and improving safety.
“I’d say the Hinowa mini dumper will allow us to complete the trail surfacing element in half the time we’d have taken without it. That’s important because we’re working to a challenging deadline.”
Matt Broome Owner West Wales Trails
Productivity boost
Without the Hinowa HS1102 self-loading mini dumper, West Wales trails would have had to use its tracked loader and a separate dumper to move and tip the trail surfacing aggregate.
“Now we have the Hinowa mini dumper we have been able to use our other loader for grading the track surfaces which adds another productivity gain,” said Matt Broome.
“Also, because the Hinowa is classed as a pedestrian machine, it doesn’t need to be operated by a qualified dumper driver, we can carry out inhouse training and use it more flexibly within the team.
“This project has already tested the Hinowa to its limit. We have clay soils, boggy peat, slippery tree roots, rocky outcrops, steep slopes and tight corners to negotiate and it hasn’t missed a beat.
“Now we have the Hinowa mini dumper, I wouldn’t have wanted to start this project without it. We wouldn’t have made the progress we’ve made if we didn’t have it.”
Reduces manual handling
The West Wales Trails team has found the Hinowa HS1102’s adjustable tracks to be particularly useful. In retracted mode, the mini dumper can be tracked easily between trees.
With the tracks fully extended to 1058mm, the mini dumper has the stability needed to negotiate steep inclines and tackled at any angle.
Therefore, it can reach places their other machines cannot, avoiding the need to resort to moving material by wheelbarrow.
When the mini dumper, powered by a 599cc low emissions Kubota diesel engine, is not needed by the West Wales Trails team it will be rented out to other contractors, generating further income.
Excellent mobility
APS Sales Manager Jonathan Wiseman said: “The Hinowa HS1102 is made for the challenging conditions Matt and his team are working in, with rough terrain and work areas constrained by trees and rock outcrops.
“We’re delighted the mini dumper is giving them such good service and will play a key role in the successful completion of an exciting project that will do much to boost tourism in the area.”
The Hinowa HS1102 mini dumper is also very much at home on construction sites, farms, golf courses and when used for garden landscaping.
Exciting bike trail
West Wales Trails is constructing 8km of new mountain bike trail which, when combined with current track, will create a 12km all-weather trail around the reservoir at the Llys y Fan country park, including exciting skills sections.
It is carrying out the work in 12 sections, some involving winding the trail up and down steep inclines. It is also creating 165m of raised wooden boardwalks over streams and gullies in a project due to be completed in November 2020.
APS can supply a range of Hinowa tracked mini dumpers with 400kg, 700kg and 1,000kg load capacities and in a range of formats, including high-tip dumpers, extra high-tip dumpers, and flat skip dumpers.
