CMC tackles hazardous tunnel project

Arborist specialist Teign Trees used its CMC S22HD spider lift in June this year to clear vegetation and hazardous debris before providing engineers with access to inspect a historic tunnel system in the UK.

Before anyone could start inspecting the old tunnels, there was a more immediate problem: getting to them.

Teign Trees uses its CMC S22HD to clear heavy vegetation at the mouth of the tunnel. (Image: CMC).

Years of growth had taken over parts of the site. Fallen trees, tangled vegetation and loose debris blocked access routes and hid sections of the tunnel elevations.

There was little point bringing in an inspection team until those obstacles had been dealt with. 

That first stage fell to Teign Trees. Using its CMC S22HD tracked access platform, the team worked through the vegetation and removed hazardous material, opening up the routes the engineers would need. It was tree work with a clear purpose: make the site accessible so the next job could begin.

A different kind of access

Once the clearance work was done, the S22HD had another role. This time it was used to position engineers inside the tunnel system so they could examine areas that were otherwise difficult to reach.

It is not the sort of job most people picture when they think of an access platform. But a tunnel presents many of the same problems as work above ground: awkward approaches, restricted space and inspection points that cannot be reached safely from floor level.

The machine’s compact dimensions helped Teign Trees manoeuvre within the confined setting, while its articulated boom gave the inspection team options for working around the tunnel’s shape.

The engineers could concentrate on examining the structure; the platform provided the access needed to do it.

Suited to the site

Once the entrance was cleared Teign Trees brings the CMC S22HD into the tunnel system. (Image: CMC).

At just 0.9 metres wide in its narrowest configuration, the S22HD can get into spaces that would be difficult for larger machines.

That matters outdoors on overgrown approaches and just as much indoors, where entrances and available working space can dictate whether a job is possible at all.

Its tracked undercarriage, increased ground clearance and stabiliser arrangement are designed for more demanding terrain, although ground conditions and gradients must always be assessed before setup.

There is plenty of working range once it is in place: up to 22 metres working height and 12.5 metres reach, with a 230kg basket capacity.

The basket rotates 90 degrees either way, helping the operator make smaller positioning adjustments without repeatedly moving the entire machine.

On a site full of masonry, arches and changing surfaces, that flexibility is useful. Multiple power options also give operators a choice to suit the working environment.

An important point is not just how far the S22HD can reach. Teign Trees used it first to tackle the vegetation and hazards holding up the project, then to support the engineers carrying out the inspection. It is a good reminder that the right access equipment can make a difference well before the main work gets under way.

The CMC S22HD being used to inspect the tunnel. (Image: CMC).