The two Antarctic-ready Cat D6Ns modified by Finning to embark on The Coldest Journey have started successfully despite four months snowed-under while the expedition team hunkered down to survive the harsh winter. The team will now begin the journey home, and is expected to arrive back in the UK at the end of November 2013.
The two Antarctic-ready Caterpillar D6Ns modified by Finning to embark on The Coldest Journey have started successfully despite four months snowed-under while the expedition team hunkered down to survive the harsh winter.
The team will now begin the journey home, and is expected to arrive back in the UK at the end of November 2013.
The two Cat D6N track-type tractors, which have been equipped with hundreds of specialist modifications that allow them to be operated in the harshest conditions on Earth, have already begun winching the cabooses north through a severe section of blue ice and crevasses.
In a series of blog posts to be published on the
OurColdestJourney.com
website, Finning engineer on The Coldest Journey, Spencer Smirl, has documented the engineering processes required to start the machines after the deep freeze.
“The fact that both Cat D6Ns started first time despite months buried under snow is a testament to the build quality of the machines, and the quality of the modifications engineered by Finning,” said Smirl.
“The temperature often remained well into the -40°Cs, so without the specially designed heating and insulation systems, combined with the extra precautions that had been built into the machine to prevent the ingress of snow and ice, it would have taken a lot more effort to get the engines back started again. We’re all grateful for the support we know the expedition is receiving, and at this stage, we’re all just looking forward to coming home.”
The first blog post is expected to be published the week starting 14 October. The latest video can be viewed
here.
