Client: Stobart Rail
Project: Gopher
Completed: January 2019
Introduction
This project for Stobart Rail new generation of Gopher machines consisted of utilising a design originally completed for a Road Rail tracked Mobile Work Elevating Platform (MEWP). This allowed GOS to speed up the development work required to manufacture this equipment for the client.
The key features of the Gopher are:
- A new design turret; utilising a previously designed tracked road rail MEWP chassis as the base.
- A turret slew ring allowing the Gopher to change direction much easier than previous Gopher generations.
- A tracked chassis design incorporating levelling rail gear with a novel independent suspension system that allowed for track twist without the need for a pivoting axle, thus providing a possible constant 360-degree duty.
- Pivoting rail gear allowing the cutting bar to be angled as required when digging
Project Deliverables
GOS was commissioned to:
Design and manufacture the cutting and digging equipment with increased power
Provide initial design for the conveyor system.
1 in total to be designed and manufactured
Improve safety
Improve transportation by utilising self-locomotion on tracks
Challenges and Solutions
The biggest challenge was achieving the self-locomotion while ensuring full depth digging capability. The solution was to ensure appropriate power distribution across all the various elements to ensure functionality was not compromised.
Why GOS?
GOS are renowned for being specialists in design. Stobarts approached GOS due to the various design enhancements required for this new model and also because GOS were one of the only manufacturers to accept the challenge of developing this equipment.