(VIDEO) Rokbak articulated hauler makes waves building Scottish inland surfing project

The surfing scene in Scotland is growing, thanks to a new project underway near Edinburgh. The Lost Shore Surf Resort will be Europe's largest inland surfing destination when completed.

The construction of this unique destination is taking place in a disused quarry, and an integral part of the work is being handled by a Rokbak RA30 articulated hauler.

A £55 million project expected to create 100 jobs and attract 180,000 visitors yearly, the surf resort is expected to open in 2024, and at its centre is a "wave garden" that will allow people to surf pristine waves just a stone's throw from Scotland's capital. The site is being built on manmade ground - the original soil has all been replaced or altered by the introduction of materials such as concrete or crushed brick.

Quarry regeneration and renewal can have a positive environmental and economic impact on the community nearby, but without the correct monitoring and operation it can pose structural and contamination problems.

The RA30, with its maximum payload of 30.9 US tons and a heaped capacity of 22.9 cubic yards, is moving hundreds of tons of material daily, ultimately ensuring the site is suitable for building.

"It's been far more economical to invest in a 30t truck for earthmoving, rather than take on several smaller vehicles to move our material," says Connor McAlister, Senior Site Manager for civil works specialist WH Malcolm at the Lost Shore Surf Resort development.

WH Malcolm is responsible for the deep drainage, plot drainage, and foundation work for the resort. It has spent the past year consolidating the ground on which the park will be built. It's a challenging geotechnical project to be involved in.

WH Malcolm's RA30, purchased from Rokbak dealer Molson Group in December 2021 and decorated in a custom Malcolm's yellow paint scheme, has been at Craigpark Quarry since October 2022 and is the company's main earthmoving machine.

The truck is moving several types of materials depending on needs. Once the load is collected, the truck leaves the site out the main gate and travels two miles up a main road to another area at a higher level of the site. After dumping the load, it returns to the lower ground level where the main groundwork is taking place.

Working well in wet and dry conditions

Work has taken place in wet and dry weather, and the RA30 has managed well in all conditions.

"The Rokbak is one of our key players on the job as we have to move massive bodies of muck very quickly in very wet weather," says WH Malcolm Groundworker Foreman, Damon McLaughlin. "The traction it gives us means it gets into areas that are almost impossible to do with other vehicles."

The truck has heavy-duty axles designed with fully floating axle shafts and outboard planetary reduction gearing. All three axles are in permanent all-wheel drive (6x6) with a differential coupling between the front and rear axles. Hydraulically actuated multiplate transverse diff lock differentials give 200 percent cross-axle lock up. Inter-axle and cross-axle diff locks are controlled by the operator and can be used when traction conditions require.

"It's comfy to drive in, with the air-assisted seat meaning bumps aren't a problem, the air conditioning unit is spot-on, and it's got everything I need," says operator Matthew Baird, who has been operating the truck since January 2022. "It is a good truck to drive - there's no hassle with it. It goes exactly where you want it to go and there's good visibility with the heated mirrors. There are parts of the site that are a little bit more difficult, but the Rokbak does it. It has very good adaptability."

The RA30 also offers reduced environmental impacts - its EU Stage V engine produces a fuel consumption savings of up to 7 percent, leading to lower operating costs and less impact on the environment.