Hinowa platform tackles Stafford Castle

A Hinowa 20.10 tracked platform carried out survey works at Stafford Castle in the UK.

Stafford Borough Council, which owns and manages the castle, hired the lift from Traction Equipment (Stafford) Ltd, which cross-hired the Hinowa lift from local specialist Hire! Freeman in Telford and brought in Alan Howes of Alpha Powered Access Operator Services to provide expert operation.

The Hinowa was used to traverse the soft ground, steep inclines and tight spaces presented by the castle site. Stafford Castle sits on top of a hill and, in parts, its perimeter pathway is only a few metres wide.

Mr Howes said: “The Hinowa 20.10 came into its own and easily took the terrain in its stride. The tight space was not an issue and the working envelope ensured the job was done efficiently.

The Hinowa 20.10 Performance IIIS can lift 230kg – enough for two people with tools – with a 20.1m working height and up to 9.7m of horizontal outreach. This capability meant that Mr. Howes could concentrate on operating the controls while the inspector focused on the castle’s stonework.