Probably the World’s Largest Mobile Trommel Goes to Gallagher Aggregates

Following an extensive and successful demonstration at Gallagher Aggregates’ Hermitage Quarry, near Maidstone in Kent, the company has purchased two MDS trommels from recently appointed distributor Blue Machinery London. The M820, weighing in at 155 tonnes and arguably the world’s largest tracked mobile trommel, is joined on the site by the smaller M515 which still has an operating weight of over 50 tonnes. Both models are fully mobile on crawler undercarriage for agility and manoeuvrability around the site and the machines also feature hydraulic folding stockpiling conveyors for quick set-up once in position.

The M515 is producing fines (-120mm), which fall through the initial holes in the trommel and are removed via a swivel fines conveyor to the rear. Mid-sized material (120-250mm) falls through the larger trommel holes towards the front of the machine and is removed via a side conveyor with the largest rocks stockpiled at the front of the machine. The M515 can process up to 500 tonnes per hour of material and the drum diameter and length are 1.5m and 5.5m respectively, with 70mm-120mm and 120mm-250mm screen openings and 60mm-150mm screen thicknesses. The hopper capacity is 30 tonnes and the feed mechanism is hydraulic push type. Power is provided by a Cat 4.4 engine and the electronic control system is fully instrumented and user friendly.

The M820 has a 750 tonnes per hour maximum capacity and, in this application, is producing 3 fractions – 0-40mm, 40-80mm and over size. Interchangeable screens allow the aperture sizes to be altered, adding to the versatility of the 2m diameter X 8m long trommel, and the M820 can impressively handle rocks up to 1m3 in size. The plant is also powered by a Cat engine (6.6) and features electronic control; the hopper capacity is a massive 20m³ and the machine is also equipped with hydraulic push feed. It is currently being used by Gallagher Aggregates to clean the quarried limestone, with the processed material being fed directly into a jaw crusher via the trommel’s built in apron feeder.

Gallagher Aggregates, headquartered in Maidstone, is one of the UK’s leading, privately owned, independent businesses within the quarrying and aggregates sector. The company was established over 40 years ago by Pat Gallagher, starting out as a civil engineering and ground-works contracting company. Over the years the organisation has expanded and diversified significantly and now provides services within the civil engineering, building and property sectors as well as quarried and recycled aggregates. Mr Gallagher’s relationship with Blue Machinery London’s Director Eugene Donnelly and new Managing Director Iain Herity goes back to the early 90’s with many crushing and screening plants being supplied to the Gallagher Group over subsequent years.

Gallagher operates two quarries in Kent – Hermitage and Blaise Farm, both supplying customers throughout the South East of England with Kentish ragstone products (a hard limestone). Hermitage Quarry supplies over 70 different products including primary aggregates, recycled aggregates, ready mix concrete, soils and Kentish ragstone block stone for new build and heritage projects. Hermitage Quarry also operates an inert landfill site and Blaise Farm Quarry produces a range of fills and roadstones for various sectors.