Truck roars back to life
Terex Trucks apprent i ces have completed the ultimate transformation challenge by restoring a 43-year- old truck to its former glory.
To coincide with Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2018, 17 young apprentices embarked on the restoration project in late 2016 and have unveiled the finished result at Terex Trucks’ headquarters in Motherwell.
The R17 dump truck, which weighs 13.5 tonnes, was built at the factory in 1973 and spent most of its days working at Leith Quarry in Aberdeenshire.
The apprentices were set the challenge of refurbishing the truck to full operating condition by manufacturing or sourcing replacement parts, which in itself was no straightforward task as the original designs were all on paper and many parts discontinued.
Managing director of Terex Trucks Paul Douglas, who started with the company as a graduate more than 30 years ago, said: “This was the first time we’d ever undertaken a project like this and it’s been fantastic to see how much the apprentices got out of it.
“The beauty of it was that it gave the apprentices ownership of something from start to finish, learning a vast array of skills and the need for first class teamwork and communication along the way.
“The team should be extremely proud of all they have achieved; transforming a 43-year-old truck is no mean feat, even if it does have a much simpler operating system than the electronics used today.
“The apprentices had to learn about the mechanics behind the original truck and this has really helped them understand the evolution of the truck designs compared to the models we produce today.”
Mentored by Terex Trucks employee Davey Rainey, apprentices Fraser Blackwood and Edward Massey led the project. Staff from different disciplines at Terex Trucks, particularly Wullie Law, Craig McSpadyen and Stephen Bradley, were also on hand to provide technical advice relating to their work specialisms at various stages throughout the project.
Edward Massey said: “Having the opportunity to restore an iconic Terex Trucks model is a definite career highlight and it’s humbling to have been given the opportunity to lead on such a unique and invaluable project.”
“Gathering information on the parts, sourcing suppliers, getting quotes and communicating on costs and lead times allowed us to gain valuable experience that would not normally form part of our apprentice role.
Applications to Terex Trucks’ 2018 apprenticeship scheme will open later this month.