Bobcat S450 makes UK demolition debut

KCP Demolition is currently working on the strip out of the former headquarters of the UK’s Central Office of Information, Hercules House, in Lambeth, London. The nine storey structure is to be converted into a 438 bed hotel.

KCP is demolishing and removing the internal stairways, office partitions, HVAC systems and internal and external wall cladding to provide a structure that, with the addition of a five storey extension, will provide the framework for the new four start hotel.

Given the tight confines of the building and its internal pillars, KDC has hired in the services of one of two Bobcat S450 skid steer loaders that are owned by UK rental outfit Rhino Plant Hire based in Brentwood. These are the first models of this Bobcat machine to be operating in the UK. The S450 is being used by KCP to collect and remove all the debris that is resulting from the internal demolition work.

Keith Plenty, KCP Demolition director, said: “The new Bobcat S450 skid-steer loader is an excellent tool for demolition work. It is a small machine particularly suited to the restricted space work found in demolition and other areas of building and construction.”

As well as a rated operating capacity of 608 kg (1,338 lb) and tipping load of 1,215 kg (2673 lb), the S450 has a height to bucket hinge pin with the arms in the fully raised position of 2.8 m (9.2 ft) and a dump height of 2.2 m (7.2 ft).

“The impressive load capacity and dump height have made it very easy for us to use the S450 to dump debris through windows and chutes and into the large waste containers on site,” Keith Plenty added.