Send for Time Team??

[dick]

Apropos of not much...... A small piece in the paper says that anyone in the future digging through the ruins of London will stand a good chance of finding a JCB (I think you Americans might call it a "back hoe") Apparently so many London houses are having rooms constructed below ground level that they use JCB's in the construction. The problem according to the report is that it is often easier to bury them under hard core and concrete than struggle to get them out! It's estimated that there could be as many as 1,000 down there already.

 

[Marianna]

Must be awfully expensive to get them out, as well, to make it cost-effective to bury them!

BTW, what does JCB stand for?

Marianna

 

[cornishman]

BTW, what does JCB stand for?

Marianna

According to google they are the initials of the founder that started the company "JCB" = Joseph Cyril Bamford

 

[barmpot]

The principle of leaving equipment behind because its cost of removal is greater than value is not new. Many mines have all sorts of machines left behind as bringing them up was not worth the cost of doing so.

In 1933 a steam crane, rail mounted was left behind following on from the construction of Stocks Reservoir (near Toss-side) and some track - certainly iaccessible and the cost of recovery far greater than its value.

http://www.dalehead.org/jumbles_quarry.htm

 

[barmpot]

The crane left behind is probably very similar to this one in Keighley

www.flickr.com/photos/mad_m4tty/4534537529/in/photostream/

This industrial artefact used to be outside Byworth's offices and next to the road but in recent years it has been moved inside their yard so less easy to see or inspect.

 

[Adanor]

It's truly cheaper to actually bury a very expensive backhoe instead of planning ahead of time on how to use and then retrieve the machine?

 

[dick]

It's truly cheaper to actually bury a very expensive backhoe instead of planning ahead of time on how to use and then retrieve the machine?

Apparently Adanor. It seems that's the way of the world?? My question is ....What happens when the metals start to run out in the future and they have to dig up these machines.

 

[barmpot]

Apparently Adanor. It seems that's the way of the world?? My question is ....What happens when the metals start to run out in the future and they have to dig up these machines.

Same problem as when we start needing a "new" supply of coal - very expensive but by then cheaper to dig them out. The only problem being that soil and water will allow all the iron to rust quite nicely - so perhaps they will just have to shovel it out!

A throw away society?