 | | The box. |  |  | | Rigged with grab. |  | | Excellent details on the body. |  | | Excellent detail underneath. |  | | Detailed controls in the cab. |  | | More opening doors. |  | | Realistic boom head. |  | | Realistic. |  | | Rigged with an old fashioned demolition ball (not included with the model). |  | | Great transport load. |
|  Comment on this model.
The Bucyrus company has a long history of making construction machines of various sizes and these were made in the US under the Bucyrus Erie name, in the UK as Ruston Bucyrus and in Japan as Komatsu Bucyrus.
This model is the latest in a range by EMD which is planned to cover a large number of historic machines from small to large.
The 22 RB was the European version made by Ruston Bucyrus, and is this model of it is configurable as a crane, dragline and clamshell grab.
Packaging
The model was delivered in an outer shipping carton. The box has some old photos of the 22 RB dragline on the cover and it encloses expanded polystyrene trays which hold the model. The model is protected by plastic sheeting and the tracks have a tight wrapping all of which protected it well.
There were no defects or missing parts on the review model.
Two leaflets are supplied. One is a small twelve page reprint of an original Ruston Bucyrus brochure and it includes interesting details and photos of the machine. A second single page leaflet describes the operation and configuration of the model.
Detail
The 22 RB is very detailed and as a consequence it should be handled with some care.
The metal crawler tracks are very thin and nicely made, and the track frames are detailed with excellent spoked drive sprockets. On the inside of the track frames a set of drive chains are modelled and these look good although they are inevitably a little large for the scale. Underneath the turntable platform the fuel tank is replicated, and the detail is very good around the turntable with the rollers reproduced.
The body is very high quality modelling with thin but delicate grab rails at the cab and at the rear. Plastic walkway boards with a timber texture clip to each side of the body. The casting of the body has some fine rivet details and effective grilles, with an exhaust on the roof. At the back, the Ruston Bucyrus name is superbly rendered in the counterweight.
Internal details are excellent. The cab has operating levers and a none too comfy looking pedestal seat. Through the various opening doors a detailed diesel engine can be seen.
The boom is metal but made with a rather different technique. The sections are made of pressed plate which is very thin, although from all normal perspectives it produces an accurate looking boom. It is also very light enabling the model to remain stable which is presumably what has driven the compromise. The sections are joined by tiny black nuts and bolts which are discrete in appearance.
Three different intermediate boom lengths are included although there are not enough screws to use them all. Also the boom pendants have some rivets when screwed connections would have allowed more flexibility in display possibilities. The pair of pendants on the review model had a slight mismatch of lengths, but a skilled collector could correct this if required. The pulleys in the boom head are metal.
The crane hook is small and consequently light, so it does not put a tension on the thread.
The dragline bucket is a metal part and is well made and detailed.
The grab is also metal and high quality.
Features
The crawler tracks rotate well, including the drive chains, and are spring loaded on the frames to keep tension and facilitate removal.
The cab door slides open which provides access to one winch. A rear door also slides open. On the opposite side two hinged doors open to provide access to two more winches.
All the main functions of the machine are replicated. It rotates well, and, using a supplied key, the boom can be raised and lowered , and two winches can be operated.
The dragline bucket poses realistically in various positions.
The clamshell bucket opens and closes, and a tagline can be controlled with a winch on the boom.
Quality
This is a very high quality model with a sparing use of plastic.
The paintwork and graphics are realistic and very good.
Price
It is good value given the high quality and flexibility.
Overall
This latest model in the Bucyrus series has been a long time coming but EMD have produced a model worth the wait. The quality and detail is excellent, and the functionality is very good too. It is a convincing looking replica.
Footnotes
After extended development the model finally appeared at ConExpo in 2014 and became available in August 2014.
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|  | | The parts. |  | | Classic lines. |  | | Fairlead nestled in the boom foot. |  | | Nice track pads and drive chains. |  | | Engine visible. | |
|  | | Rigged as a crane. |  | | Clamshell grab is a nice part. |  | | Dragline discharging. |  | | Convincing. |  | | Dragline bucket is very good. |  | | On an old Atkinson Venturer. |
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