Great pics of the 121 etc, thanks. I remember several 121B's locally & a 141. No personal experience of them but have driven a 580D - think this was the last of the UK built Hymacs. Think designed & first made in Rhymney but later production in W Mids? after IBH collapse? This was an 84 model, cab moved to left, ISO side lever controls, no pedals except aux / hammer feed. A real step forward from the 580BT I earlier drove. Should really have been more of a success than it was but £ very high (N sea oil) making imports seem cheap, & not much new kit selling anyway. I never got why early Hymac had to have the dipper controlled by pedals - (partic bad in gum boots), & there was an aux circuit on one of the sticks! I was told by an elderly driver of the very original 480 model that the pedals controlled slew - while three individual levers controlled the digging rams (an old USA Deere / Case set up) This seems better as precise hand control is needed when say grading a batter.
580D was mainly used as a hammer carrier & general loading - I never tried deep trench pipelines or anything similar. Demolished a couple of old brick /tile works with it inc all the old kiln blocks, very sound to use
I looked up FAI in a 1999 What Plant book - no reference at all for 180 or 360s or indeed anything. must have been part of Kom by then. The beast may be a FAI 555 or 555B 50 hp & 5.4 t weight. If in GWO I would imagine the centre pivot articulation & 4 equal sized wheels would give a front end performance close to a tracked shovel without all the costs. There are some spares sold in Poland. I am very nearly 65 with a now non driving wife - 10 years ago before the white fuel thing I would have loved to try it. But If I roaded it I would be stranded with no van & no way of getting back. So now only a trailered item for me. Weight wise it is close to the 2CX. Palazanni used to make something very similar. Last man standing is VF Venieri in these
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