Double celebration for drainage experts at Newark showground

Drainage specialist Mastenbroek will celebrate two milestones at this year’s Midlands Machinery Show.

The UK manufacturer of agricultural drainage trenchers will be marking the 40th anniversary of its CT12 crawler truck and the first birthday of its innovative Magic Eye package at this month’s event.

The Mastenbroek Magic Eye package was developed to improve the accuracy of backfill levels when installing drainage schemes. It uses a radar sensor to control the amount of gravel or sand dispensed by the hopper when backfilling.

Available as an optional extra on Mastenbroek’s trenchers and retrofittable to any machine with a suitable hydraulic variable height gravel hopper, the Magic Eye regulates itself to the ground level, ensuring the optimum amount of gravel is dispensed.

“We developed the Magic Eye in response to requests from agricultural drainage contractors for an automated way of minimising wastage,” says Mastenbroek commercial director Christopher Pett.

“Gravel is increasingly expensive, and in the past, some contractors have found it difficult to ensure they are laying it effectively and accurately. The Magic Eye ensures that contractors are using just the right amount of gravel and is very easy to use.”

Crawler truck

Designed in 1982, the CT12 crawler truck has proved incredibly popular with agricultural drainage contractors. It has been refined over the years – most recently this summer when it incorporated a larger, full-width tipping hopper to reduce spillages when loading.

The hopper is fully visible when the operator cabin is raised to its highest position, and its variable speed conveyor provides a free-flow discharge for aggregates of varying viscosity. 

As well as allowing the operator to place materials into trenches accurately, the hopper means the CT12 can be used as a dump truck to, for example, haul aggregate along pipeline rights of way.

At the front of the CT12, Mastenbroek’s variable height, variable speed, 180-degree swing conveyor makes it easy for the operator to place backfill material directly into a trench or the hopper mounted on the trencher.

Inside the specially designed cabin, the controls have been brought closer to hand and feature an improved ergonomic design. Mastenbroek has also replaced the manual levers found on previous models with electronic track controls.

With colder days in mind, Mastenbroek is now fitting heated windows to the front and right-hand side. The 2022 CT12 can also be specified with a 360-degree camera system to provide the operator with complete visibility of their surroundings.

This year, a new front-mounted ladder provides easy access to radiator levels, with side-mounted wide-opening doors facilitating access to the CT12’s 248hp Volvo Penta D8 eight-litre six-cylinder engine.

Mastenbroek has now mounted the hydraulic oil cooler independently to the engine radiator, with both having opening grills for easy access.