When men were men, and big boy’s toys really were awesome.
Can’t get much tougher than wearing a tie that’s been half ripped off 
About 1973 I was doing a course at Northumberland (Ashington) Tech and one of the lecturers blagged us a tour of the Radar North OCCS and we were allowed in the cab while it was operating, pretty awesome seeing that jib stretched out in front.
At the time I think it was being operated about 18 hours per day with two half hour stops for greasing.
lucky you, despite been a greeny 
I still love heavy machinery. And there is something special about excavators. I probably was a mole or a badger in a previous life.
Big Geordie was replaced by a larger version that was named Ace of Spades. I think they were both powered by electricity.
All gone now, the Derek Crouch no longer in business and the offices at Birtley were demolished and a retirement home was built on the site.