Thomsen pump in England in 1968?
Marsden 06-17-2007
comment profile send pm notify

One upon a time... in 1968, Concrete Mobile Pumps Ltd of Huddersfield England bought its first pump. It was mounted on 1968 Bedford truck (registered in Portsmouth).

I would be grateful if any old-timer or historian could help me identify the model in the picture in my gallery. It is believed to by a Thomsen. I wonder who imported it.

Many thanks.

 

 

 
Many 06-17-2007
reply profile send pm notify

Hi Marsden,perhaps a thompson 747.I ran one in New Mexico long ago.The lattice boom had swing(second sec.persay),bolt to main and then clamp pipe.The only thing you had was a main and tip.Sound familiar?

 
Bob 06-17-2007
reply profile send pm notify

It looks like a 600-C

The boom sections were put on by hand and had only [main up&dn and Left-right]

The 747 swing out had a large cooling tower on the rear of the pump just forward of the hopper.

Picture is not very clear so I can't be sure.

;~)
Bob 06-17-2007
reply profile send pm notify

Here is a picture of a 600-C.

Since the boom was all one piece when assembled, and did not articulate, the way it was done was to start out with all the hose needed and raise it up to do the part that could be boomed. In order to cover any ammount of area while booming the hose guy had to work his ass off pulling all that hose around. usually there was 10ft or so lefe on the ground, when possible and the operator would boom either left or right as needed. It was less than a perfect solution to the problem.

Notice: No safety straps, no outrigger pads, no safety of any kind, other than the chain holding the basket on. And nothing but victaulic connections. It was no wonder that cranes poured most of the concrete.

Todays operators are better, safer and smarter than we old guys ever were. Congratulations, and thank you! ;~)

a1
Many 06-18-2007
reply profile send pm notify

Hey bob,was able to get pic blown up and yepper.
Marsden 06-18-2007
reply profile send pm notify

Thanks, Many and Bob. I am really impressed by your knowledge. Bob’s photo is a wonder. I conclude that the Huddersfield pump was a Thomsen 600-C.  The build and dismantling of the lattice boom would have been a job in itself.

 

I will report all this to the most excellent proprietor of Concrete Mobile Pumps Ltd who found the picture in a news cuttings book (he had remembered the licence plate!).

 

The Huddersfield work was done long before my time. This 1968 job was perhaps the first time a mobile concrete pump was used in northern England. A great leap forward in these parts (NASA launched Apollo 7 at the time). Until now I have been relying on the recall of team members to understand how the project was accomplished (visit the huddersfieldgem website to see some unusual hypar shells). The photo in my gallery is the only one I have traced of the pump.

 

It is apparent that the stiff mix for the building’s shells defeated either the extensive run of 3” and flexi-joints or the pump itself. It was back to craning for the job.

 

Does anyone have any recollection of the power or capacity of the 600-C?

 

Thanks again guys – what a great community.
Many 06-19-2007
reply profile send pm notify

Hi Marsden,your welcome.When you started this topic it was fun.So I started searching for anything online about old concrete pumps (pictures).I found no pictures of any manufactures,which after 3 hours it was fruitless.Now I won't say it was the 3 hours or the bud light that gave me the headache,but it was fun.
Many 06-19-2007
reply profile send pm notify

Marsden I lied,I did find this.                 http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/1817