Porta Press Extra: Bomag BW151AC-5
The articulation abilities of the roller makes it easy to manoeuvre in and around the site
Easy engine access via a large hood
Six sprinkler heads ensure the even distribution of water to the roller
The right-hand controls are arranged for comfortable operation
The console provides constant information on the rollers operating status via a large LED central display
Spacious cab with deluxe seat, combined seat and console module can be shifted either side of the cab for maximum control
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The articulation abilities of the roller makes it easy to manoeuvre in and around the site
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Easy engine access via a large hood
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Six sprinkler heads ensure the even distribution of water to the roller
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The right-hand controls are arranged for comfortable operation
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The console provides constant information on the rollers operating status via a large LED central display
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Spacious cab with deluxe seat, combined seat and console module can be shifted either side of the cab for maximum control
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Rollers have come a long way since Stone Age man first used fallen logs to smooth out the pathway to the cave. We catch up with one of the newer machines plying its trade in the deep south, the Bomag BW151AC-5, under the experienced hands at SouthRoads.
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Southroads Invercargill site foreman Mike Bell
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Having been given the task of looking at a Bomag roller, I tracked one down and headed south, finding myself a short time later on Queens Drive, Invercargill, talking to SouthRoads site foreman Mike Bell about the Bomag BW151AC-5 roller that is aiding in the widening of one of the main thoroughfares in the country's southern-most city.
Porter Equipment Otago/Southland territory manager Wayne Cunningham told me a collection of new Bomag equipment had been delivered by Porters to Invercargill to the SouthRoads crew, and further investigations found the new BW151AC-5 was currently in the city.
The BW138AC-5 combination roller and the BRP55/65, along with the BRP100/80 plate compactors, had been moved to a job in Queenstown just before I had arrived, but I was here to see the double-barrelled roller.
Previously, SouthRoads had hired the equipment but due to the increased workload, the southern boys and girls found it made financial sense to purchase the equipment outright from Porters than to continue to hire it.
SouthRoads is part of the HW Richardson Group based in Southland, specialising in roading and civil engineering projects. Everything from road construction and maintenance to stock underpasses and bridges are covered by this business.
The Bomag BW151AC-5 is powered by a Kubota V3307 CR-T four-cylinder water-cooled engine, the 5 Series has eco-mode engine power regulation as standard. This tricky little device prevents constant high engine speeds and consequently high diesel consumption, which is something all companies look to save on.
Comfort and usability is also a must when you spend hours on end smoothing out bitumen and gravel, and the BW151AC-5 has all the bells and whistles to aid its operator to ensure problem-free operations.
Bell told me the big BW's cab is super comfy, the deluxe multi-positional seat being easily and fully adjustable to the operator's needs. It rotates -15 to +75 degrees, with lateral sliding adjustment to both left and right window positions for total control.
Both the console and right armrest controls form part of the seat, so no matter where you are in the cab you're always on top of things.
I got Bell to give me a short demonstration on a stretch of uncompacted gravel and the BW151AC-5 performed its given task quickly and efficiently, with the articulation abilities of the roller making it easy to manoeuvre in and around the site. These models are especially suitable for scuff-prone asphalts, a fact of life here in good old New Zealand.
However, better surfacing agents and equipment are improving the road quality all the time and the Bomag BW151AC-5 is certainly looking to be a major player in SouthRoads' efforts to improve some wild country in the Otago/Southland region.
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