Thwaites Tusker - dumper based digger?

[edessex]

Probably a bit of a blast from the past here, but if anyone remembers them, are they any good (in digger form, rather than dumper)?

What sort of value should they hold now?



I need to do a handful of groundwork tasks at my yard, and so will end up hiring a mini-digger half a dozen times this year alone.

I figured rather than throw money at a rental, I could buy a machine, with the intent to use it for off-site jobs, so in the end it would pay for itself.

Ideally I want to buy a compact tractor and backhoe, but they're a lot of money!

So I thought about a mini digger, but for transport reasons it would need to be 1500kg or less. Again, much money.

These Thwaites things are often road registered, so could possibly drive it to off-site jobs. I've not seen many sold, so don't really know the value of them!

Thanks in advance for any input!

 

[Lincs Lass]

As rare as rocking horse poo nowadays ,,last one ide seen was on ebay 3 years ago

 

[Blue.]

Probably a bit of a blast from the past here, but if anyone remembers them, are they any good (in digger form, rather than dumper)?

What sort of value should they hold now?



I need to do a handful of groundwork tasks at my yard, and so will end up hiring a mini-digger half a dozen times this year alone.

I figured rather than throw money at a rental, I could buy a machine, with the intent to use it for off-site jobs, so in the end it would pay for itself.

Ideally I want to buy a compact tractor and backhoe, but they're a lot of money!

So I thought about a mini digger, but for transport reasons it would need to be 1500kg or less. Again, much money.

These Thwaites things are often road registered, so could possibly drive it to off-site jobs. I've not seen many sold, so don't really know the value of them!

Thanks in advance for any input!

You could always find a digger made for a compact tractor and mount it onto a dumper,by the time you’ve fecked about buying a mini digger would be better.

 

[76masseyman]

The one I remember was ok, well better than a new shovel, but the digger was centrally mounted, so a bit restricted when wanting to dig next to a wall.
Worst bit was digging and moving along, spent too much time swapping seats. Once you’re on a mini digger, you’ll not go back, and doing landscaping means a lot of moving with small reach machines.

 

[essexpete]

Not much use I would have thought even if you could find a straight one. Made in low numbers, most would not have been road registered, would be desperately slow on the road and horrible to operate. 2wd as well.

 

[holywell farmer]

Probably a bit of a blast from the past here, but if anyone remembers them, are they any good (in digger form, rather than dumper)?

What sort of value should they hold now?



I need to do a handful of groundwork tasks at my yard, and so will end up hiring a mini-digger half a dozen times this year alone.

I figured rather than throw money at a rental, I could buy a machine, with the intent to use it for off-site jobs, so in the end it would pay for itself.

Ideally I want to buy a compact tractor and backhoe, but they're a lot of money!

So I thought about a mini digger, but for transport reasons it would need to be 1500kg or less. Again, much money.

These Thwaites things are often road registered, so could possibly drive it to off-site jobs. I've not seen many sold, so don't really know the value of them!

Thanks in advance for any input!

A dumper digger hybrid,,,,, my dream

 

[edessex]

I should probably have mentioned in the original post, I have found one for sale.

Has a reg plate, so has been road registered at some point.

But including getting it back and doing a couple of repairs, I'm probably looking at £1500. Just trying to figure if it's worth it.

I doubt I'll do much digging near walls, but the seat swapping would no doubt be a bore.
But I can't get a <1500kg mini digger for that money...

 

[holywell farmer]

Any pics?

 

[ollandroverman]

I should probably have mentioned in the original post, I have found one for sale.

Has a reg plate, so has been road registered at some point.

But including getting it back and doing a couple of repairs, I'm probably looking at £1500. Just trying to figure if it's worth it.

I doubt I'll do much digging near walls, but the seat swapping would no doubt be a bore.
But I can't get a <1500kg mini digger for that money...

It's one quarter the price of an old mini digger, but less than one tenth as capable.
If you are desperate to buy, get an old standard wheeled digger. They are far better.
Other wise hire a mini digger. They are surprisingly cheap

 

[8100]

There were some little diggers on wheels you towed behind a pickup knocking about i think they were called Smalley's or something like .A local chap had one and seemed busy with it.

 

[nick...]

A dumper digger hybrid,,,,, my dream

Surely you have seen them,360 digger on one end and dumper skip on other end.cant think what they were called but no doubt someone will know.
Nick...

 

[edessex]

Any pics?

Not really, it's a tatty bit of kit. Bit of welding and a lick of paint required, but apparently in working order, other than the brakes (no surprise there).

 

[8100]

......

 

[edessex]

It's one quarter the price of an old mini digger, but less than one tenth as capable.
If you are desperate to buy, get an old standard wheeled digger. They are far better.
Other wise hire a mini digger. They are surprisingly cheap

I've been dragging my heels for over 4 years now. Either not doing what needs to be done, or using a spade!

Hiring is difficult, as I might only end up with a spare hour or two every few days. So hiring a digger for a week might sound cheap, but not if I only get 4 hours use from it!

By old standard wheeled digger, do you mean tractor with loader and backhoe? If so, I've considered them, but too large for what I need.

 

[edessex]

There were some little diggers on wheels you towed behind a pickup knocking about i think they were called Smalley's or something like .A local chap had one and seemed busy with it.

I spent over a year trying to find one. They too sell for £1000+
Although I can tow them further afield, they wouldn't dig as well as a Tusker.

 

[michael N123]

 

[Lincs Lass]

There were some little diggers on wheels you towed behind a pickup knocking about i think they were called Smalley's or something like .A local chap had one and seemed busy with it.

Seen them but they dont have any drive ,,all moving is done by draging,pushing ,lifting and slewing , think they were fitted with a glorified lawn mower engine

 

[edessex]

Powerfab did one self propelled version, but most were drag type.

Similar money to the Thwaites Tusker I'm looking at anyway, which going by bits I've read online is comparable to a 3T digger, the towable ones are nowhere near that powerful.

 

[ollandroverman]

Powerfab did one self propelled version, but most were drag type.

Similar money to the Thwaites Tusker I'm looking at anyway, which going by bits I've read online is comparable to a 3T digger, the towable ones are nowhere near that powerful.

A neighbor used to have one many years ago...I can assure you they are no match for a 3 ton digger.
A 1.5 ton digger will dig rings around one.

 

[jf850]

A neighbour used to

A neighbour used to have one many years ago...I can asure you they are no match for a 3 ton digger.
A 1.5 ton digger will dig rings around one.

Probably a bit of a blast from the past here, but if anyone remembers them, are they any good (in digger form, rather than dumper)?

What sort of value should they hold now?



I need to do a handful of groundwork tasks at my yard, and so will end up hiring a mini-digger half a dozen times this year alone.

I figured rather than throw money at a rental, I could buy a machine, with the intent to use it for off-site jobs, so in the end it would pay for itself.

Ideally I want to buy a compact tractor and backhoe, but they're a lot of money!

So I thought about a mini digger, but for transport reasons it would need to be 1500kg or less. Again, much money.

These Thwaites things are often road registered, so could possibly drive it to off-site jobs. I've not seen many sold, so don't really know the value of them!

Thanks in advance for any input!

If you are intent on buying it , go ahead .
I would reckon that Thwaites Tusker is nearer 50 years old than 40 . If it's in digging order , it will be a hell of a lot better than a shovel , but a 3 ton mini digger will dig more in 15 minutes than the Tusker in an hour . That output will be probably sufficient for you , plus it's on site when you have an opportunity of an hour to work.
I posted a picture of an EX 60 on The Digger pictures thread , that a man brought to prepare a yard for concrete for me .
I have an old MF 50 myself , and he would have a 10 x 6 trailer filled with the EX , while I'd be letting the legs up and down and moving.
If nothing else , if you do buy , you should get a vintage man to buy it easily , if you decide to sell on after the job.

Here is a picture of a Tusker that was displayed at the 2018 Irish National Ploughing Vintage display . Something tells me that he had it displayed online for sale, at possibly €3500-€4000.