Jack Hammer - Warsop Benjo Power Rammer

This is a demonstration of the Benjo, Warsop, Power Rammer, or Jumping Jack Hammer, or simply Jack Hammer. They were used on railways for Tamping ballast around the sleepers and by road repair gangs who having previously dug up a section of road, usually to repair gas or water pipes, then needed to complete the repairs, the hole would be filled back in but needed to be compacted back down again to make firm.
This is where the Jack Hammer comes into play. They are simply an early version of a modern day Wacker Plate. The earliest one on show is pre WW1 then moving up to around the 1940's and finally the most modern one is from the 1950's. They were phased out during the 1960's for various safety reasons.
These were filmed on location at Stramshall Farm, Stramshall, Uttoxeter, Staffs at the Richard Bamford Vintage Trust come Vintage Rally on 5th & 6th September 2009

[@NoLongo]

Did everyone come look for this video after seeing the big guy hurt his foot in the other video?

[@DeTomaso55]

Yup lol. Because i was like no way it's how you start it. So i had to find out xD

[@Alex_Goode]

Yes

[@Whatthefact-s4i]

Yes

[@charlesmax7021]

Yep

[@projectdirtbikes]

yep

[@joeorton1218]

I had to look for this machine after big man almost broke his foot

[@ethanthekid01]

Same

[@Brainless_fpv]

Same

[@QuilanChisolm]

Same

[@jorgefilipechita5172]

Same

[@qaqaa6191]

Same

It's great to see that there's people restoring and preserving technology and tools like that! As children were fascinated by those machines after we saw road-workers use them; we even imitated it in play using an upside-down kitchen stool, calling them "hampie-stampie machines". I landed here because I wanted to learn how they work, but I can only find information about the modern kind that I understand doesn't really jump, but vibrate.

[@Bevoin1970]

Thanks for that, I agree with you.

[@poruatokin]

I remember being a young boy in the 1960's seeing the path outside our house being repaired with one of these. I have been trying to find the proper name for years - thanks so much for sharing this.

[@Bevoin1970]

So glad you found what you were looking for in the end. :-)

[@TonyWangDesign]

It was still commonly used on construction sites early 2000's in China.

[@Bevoin1970]

Thanks Bob, me too, tried to get one going as a teenager but no luck on our part. haven't seen one of these since those days, I knew that sound straight away before I'd even seen it. I even phoned my mate in Brighton and got him to listen to it, he knew straight away also... Was a joy for me seeing this machine in action once again. Happy days. Thanks for rating Bob.

[@TheFilwud]

I remember seeing these things in use for road repairs when was on my way to school in the sixties, this is the first time I have found them on KZbin. Smart!

[@electrolytics]

"We don't normally talk to you people from the other side of the orange fence but as you are interested in our strange contraptions I'll have a few words with you. Then it's best you be on your way and mind your own business."

[@TonyWangDesign]

I can watch this jack jumping for hours. It's fun to watch.

[@indigomarine91]

I'm 12 hours in.

[@Bevoin1970]

The chap let me have a go some time later on, tell you what, it's bloody hard work. These things are beasts, its one thing playing in an open field but try doing it in a hole in the street. You also don't get to hear just how loud these things are close up, the camera doesn't pick it up so good. Imagine the foot injuries if you got it wrong? And you could get one hell of an uppercut from one if you had your face over the top of it... Respect !!!!!!! especially the guys who used them.

[@websitesthatneedanem]

I was always fascinated by these as a kid, roadworks in London, in the 60's I saw one guy let it just jump up and down on the spot - no hands!!! 😮 Distinctly remember the round top.

[@websitesthatneedanem]

Love to see a slo-mo of it in action

[@robmasterman]

Brilliant video Paul, I remember those being used on roadworks when I was a youngster..awesome machines without a doubt...5* Bob

[@AAAyyyGGG]

Dad took me to see one working in our village when I was about 10, never seen one since... Thanks for the memories!

[@hassanburrows8535]

Wow! Thanks for uploading that video. The sound alone is so characteristic that for anyone who has seen these machines first hand, it immediately invokes the memories of them at work.If my memory serves me correctly, I think the operator using the style with like two handlebars sticking out squeezed a trigger and that operated the magneto to fire the mixture in the cylinder. Sometimes they made a sort of snorting noise when the mixture didn't fire and the operator repeatedly squeezed the trigger.My memories are of the GPO using them to compact trenches after backfilling.Now, have you got any videos of diesel road rollers with single cylinder Blackstone oil engines for the power unit?Another joy to experience.

[@Bevoin1970]

+Hassan Burrows No I haven't in answer to your Q - I remember these as a kid too, road workers were always using them when filling holes back in. Happy days. :-) Thanks for the comment.

[@woottastic]

This thing won the first double platinum award at the 50th Annual International Doohickey Society Conference back in 1963.

[@tomtate-dc2kd]

I worked with Paddy and Manhole Mick on a site in Kimberley Nottingham before i left school in 86. We used these wackers everyday even after 4 pints of bitter at dinner time and driving the thwaites dumper back to site. Best times ever.

[@Bevoin1970]

Brilliant!!!! - You wouldn't get that happen today...lol

[@stephensmith4480]

I Remember Me And A Mate Of Mine Trying To Get One Going On A Building Site Where We Used To Live. We Were Only About Twelve Or So. All We Got Was Knackered. It Never So Much As Made A Sound. The Builders Used To Let Us Play In The Big Heap Of Sand They Had. Can You Imagine That Today!!

[@2500gamma]

Remember watching guys use these on the roads when I was a child - scared the hell out of me! But that's probably why repairs lasted well - rather than washed away by the next shower!!

[@Bevoin1970]

Like you I saw many of these in use as a kid growing up. happy memories. :-)

[@Bevoin1970]

I have memories of them as a kid, see big blokes in holes using them. After they had gone home me and my mates would have a go at using one. We never did get one going properly... Just as well I suppose looking back. :-) This chap may well be at this show again this year...!

[@MatthewHenson.]

Great video, I have just purchased a 1950 pegson MK1a power rammer with all it's original documentation, cutaway posters, weatherproof cover, owners manual and even the original invoice. I will see if I can get a video of it on my channel soon.

[@markosmith8037]

Good work - interesting video.

[@Bevoin1970]

Yes it is extremely hard work, Very common in England during the 60's and 70's. Now they are considered too dangerous..... Thanks for watching.

[@Ragnar8504]

I can't pin down an exact date but I'm absolutely sure I saw some of these beasts in regular use in Vienna in the 1990s or possibly even early 2000s! Probably 90s though. The ones I remember had a trigger on the handle bars that you flicked with your thumb. There's several videos on Delmag units on KZbin with that very kind of trigger. Apparently you can still get units that are the same shape and size but work like Wacker plates.

[@LordSandwichII]

Without the operator, they look like they could be some kind of alien robot creature from a 1950s b movie!

[@Hammertime054]

Brings back some memories, nice one 👍👍👍👍👍

[@Bevoin1970]

Yeah me too when I saw this demonstration at a show. :-)

[@mrkevinfr6954]

I own a 1960's 2 stroke Wacker jackhammer,& have been modding it into a blacksmith hammer mill, ie making a sliding rig to hold it above a 75kg anvil (or maybe not risk my 1840's anvil) swap the jack foot plate for a moded over sized hammer head..am going for 300ft/pound of 60 blows a minute..way way cheaper than a modern powerhammer,& I get steam punk kit to do the hard slog for me

[@ianpearce5745]

I remember watching the paddy's using these in the 1960's

[@Bevoin1970]

@Andypan43 Yes I think he did say that. I too remember these machines well, on the day I took this film, and before I'd even spotted this chap, I knew that familiar sound echoing across the field straight away. Its a sound you never forget, if you were around at the time of these being used. Soon as I saw him, I went straight across, he even let me have a go, sure made my day. Hard work though... ha ha Thanks for watching :-)

[@Bevoin1970]

Sorry but these were not my machines, I was merely filming them at the time. The show was at Stramshall farm in Uttoxeter, Staffs. As for not working I have no idea, I could only make an educated guess and assume there is either no spark or no fuel or both, as the power rammer engine work on the same principle as a normal engine. Thanks for watching.

[@khairunnesa7547]

I can operate this machine since last 18 years.I have two variety machine

[@Bevoin1970]

These are not my machines. I just filmed them at a show for vintage machinery a few years back. They were used here in 1960’s 1970’s etc but no more. Now museum pieces. More modern machinery has taken over today.

[@realguitarshredder]

Came from that guy who hurt his feet. Amazing how we all ended here lol

[@outofthi5world567]

People who came here after sewing the guy on TikTok hurt his foot.

[@mewyattt]

Big guy that smoked his foot, needs a lesson from this old man.

[@speedishim-d1n]

Shut up

[@mediamisfits3805]

I'm imagining the worms sitting at home peacefully watching TV then....urrrrgghhh....OceanGate

[@jamesbecker3203]

Good gosh those things are horrifying. Respect to anybody that had to use one of those back in the day

[@johnwharton2617]

Hi, about 45 years my dad hired one, but he called it a Pegston Hammer, almost the same but the handles were vertical I think? It was deadly!!! But no mention of it on the net! So well done you!!! I also know you only filmed it so have no answers, but someone may have! P.S thanks for the post, as I enjoyed it very much!!!

[@Bevoin1970]

Thanks for the great comment. I think they must have all been lethal things to use back in the day, you certainly need to keep your wits about you whilst operating one...lol - maybe men were men back then and took it in their stride more than perhaps we may do today...🌞

[@johnwharton2617]

And do Not use on uneven ground as the bloody things go postal, land it wrong and it could cover 4ft to the left or right rotating around its pivot point! And if you are real lucky you end up with it stuck in a 2ft deep trench that it can't jump out of and is to bloody heavy to lift out of on the hottest day in twenty years, way to go Dad!!!

[@Bevoin1970]

+John Wharton ha ha brilliant, like it. 🌞

[@Ragnar8504]

I just found a video on a Pegson ER-2, maybe that's what you're looking for.

[@gailparry3255]

Absolutely gutted watching this. Our Pegson was stolen on Monday. I would never have dared use it but it was fantastic to own one

[@Bevoin1970]

Gail Parry Sorry to read that. Makes you wonder why somebody would take such a thing unless they know what it is or simply took it for the scrap value, which in itself is a tragedy should it end up in a scrap yard to be melted down. Back to the video, I had a go with one of these after filming, scary!!

[@Bevoin1970]

Cool, thanks for watching.

[@Bevoin1970]

@JONTEJOY I even got to have a go myself on this day, was great fun but not easy to do to begin with. Thanks Jonas, you too have a great weekend Paul :-)

[@Bidone1967]

In the GDR they use this power rammer up to 1989. I think it is a very hard work!

[@Ragnar8504]

In Austria (which had close economic ties to the GDR in some ways) I remember seeing them being used even later, well into the 1990s.

[@shayclarke]

geez these are vintage alright great video as always!!!

[@THISISYOURFAULTBRO]

I remember being a power rammer in 1950, my father was a jackhammer it was a different time

[@bigal5231]

I served my time with Vibroplant and as a 16 yr old apprentice they scared me. They are not meant to whack your chin. Jimmy Hill and Bruce Forsyth were not allowed to hire these

[@hassanburrows8535]

Hi again. Well if your local authority is anything like ours they are waiting for the pot holes to fill with broken suspension parts before doing anything, and then they will need contrapticator's channel Aveling.and Porter Diesel Roller.wmv. Or for a superb turn out, Roxane Dufford 1934 Aveling Barford. Enjoy!

[@Bevoin1970]

+Hassan Burrows Thank you :-)

[@marcodevries4481]

That’s gotta hurt bad after a 10 hour day. One wrong move and your jaw is gone

[@Bevoin1970]

They weren’t used continuously from what I remember. Just short term to compact the ground when refilling a hole in a road repair. No more than 20 minutes I’d guess.

[@Bevoin1970]

You have four? I'd love just one if ever you fancy parting with one, especially a 1950's one. I see where your coming from with toe caps, Im not sure which is the lesser of the two evils, crushed toe caps or crushed toes..... thanks for watching and get in touch if you fancy parting with one. : -)

[@bartonlane]

Glad you had a good bet it brought back alot of memorys, are the Jack Hammers Heavy? Thanks Daniel

[@mileybob]

I have 4 of these and steel toe caps are a very bad idea when using them. Even the small ones come down with over a tonne of foce behind them. Better to have a crushed toe then have the steelies slice your foot up, as im told has happened in the past.

[@jonathanlee8942]

Hello mileybob I've just read on another site you have Benjo rammers,I have just brought one myself haven't tried it yet just wondered if you have any instructions/manual has I can't seem to find anything.

[@81Todd]

Need one of these for my toilet

[@Bevoin1970]

Thanks

[@bartonlane]

I did not expect to see that on this video, I have never heard of a Jack Hammer and I did not expect to see it jumping up and down, H&S would go ape if they were still been used for road repairs today. (Bet that make a great thudd when coming back down. 5* Pauls as always. Thanks Daniel

[@shawndouglas9478]

So it's an engine with a really long stroke?

[@Bevoin1970]

Thanks for the info... interesting

[@Bevoin1970]

Yes Daniel very heavy, its all solid metal no plastic parts on these babies, you need a certain amount of weight to ram down the soil before you put the tarmac top layer on. You have to learn to "dance" if you like with one of these to control it effectively otherwise it'll go all over the place... :-)

[@austen.5756]

That's bought back some memories, did they do a model that was about 6ft tall or was it that I was small as a kid ?

[@pwalpar]

Operating this equipment looks too hard for me LOL bet it would mash your toes pretty quick Good video 5*

[@Ragnar8504]

Yeah, can't imagine steel-toed boots would help any! From what I've found these beauties weigh around 100 kg.

[@Adler71]

I forgot to write that it was built a bit forward, so it jumped 20 cm or 8 inch forward every beat. Thats why they called it Frosch in eng. frog.

[@mrkevinfr6954]

Frosch engine

[@mrkevinfr6954]

Op's was cutting n pasting, note posting. I own a 1960 Wacker jackhammer,that is being converted into a blacksmith hammer mill,ie place in a rig above a anvil with its footplate removed & a hammer modded to replace the f/plate, the 2 stroke died, so going 240 volts(Australia)

[@SEyles-fe9we]

Hello Bevoin, Many thanks for this video, I remember seeing one of these when I was a teenager (or earlier!) and haven't seen them since. Been searching on the internet for some time until I asked a forum and got the correct name. I was wondering about your captions describing them as "4 stroke", I don't think this can be true as they fire on every compression stroke, making them 2-stroke. Four-stroke engines have to have a flywheel to give them momentum until the 3rd stroke when the fuel mixture is burnt. Anyway, let's not get caught up on that, just enjoy the nostalgia!! A. S. Eyles

[@Bevoin1970]

Thanks for a great comment, I too remember them well as a kid, H&S Nightmare today eh?...lol

[@Adler71]

I have a german book from 1951. There is a huge "frog" in it. 2500 kg, 50000 cc, evaporative cooling, 45 to 50 beats per minute. It needed 50 to 60 Liter of fuel for 8 hour work. Easy to handle, just cary a pack on your back with a 6 volt battery and a spak coil in it and hold a big bar like a lawn mower.

[@janesigabaro7593]

What is the purpose of these tools? What were they used for?

[@Bevoin1970]

They are used to compact the ground again, usually when a hole has been dug in a road, and before they put the top layer of the road surface back on. If the ground wasn’t compacted before top layer of tarmac, weight of passing traffic would cause the ground to sink into a hollow, not good. These were primarily road workers tools.

[@Bevoin1970]

Steel toe caps are the order of the day with these things, that and being able to tango with a 300 lb machine.. ha ha Thanks for rating Walter.

[@trevortrevortsr2]

"No Worms were hurt durring the making of this post" but a few got a head ache : )

[@dantheman918]

RIP to all the worms that where squished in the making of This video

[@Bevoin1970]

I got to have a go, the chap let me have a blast with one, Awesome that's all I can say... ha ha You should hear them close up, the camera doesn't pick up just how loud they can be. :-)

[@melanierae4273]

i am wondering how rare these actually are. ive heard they only made 1400 benjos in the 50s . is there a benjo club for those who own them cause i need to join i have two left i cant seem to find any info on these any where nobody knows ... damn shame such a fine mochine

[@Quayleman]

That's wild

[@douro20]

Interesting that most of these are four-stroke machines, considering that the Barco ones to my knowledge are all two-stroke.

[@droppoint495]

Good God get this man a dolly

[@MrWinsor]

I can only imagine how many people operating this have been busted in the mouth...

[@CasMellow]

So what exactly were these used for ?

[@Bevoin1970]

It was a Road-workers Tool. If a hole had been dug in a road for whatever reason, when it was filled back in, and before they lay Tarmac across the top again, the ground beneath would need compacting down again to make a good base for the Tarmac to sit on, and then not sink into a hollow under the weight of the traffic on the road above. This was the device they used at that time to do that job. Obviously things have moved on from this machine to vibrating plates today. They do the same job though. They compact the ground in readiness for a Top and Final layer.👍

[@Bevoin1970]

I know, soon as I heard this noise from across the field I knew exactly what it was, should have seen me go plodding over to it with my camera... ha ha sad or what? I did get to have a go mind, was brilliant, if only I could have filmed myself at the same time... :-)

[@jasperbillie3294]

So it’s kinda link a tamp?

[@douro20]

Are these things illegal to use on job sites now?

[@Bevoin1970]

Ah well you were born too late most likely.. ha ha Back in my youth, they were a common sight amongst the Navvies who dug holes in the roads for whatever reason. These were the early Wacker Plates of there day... I actually got to have a go with this one in the video...

[@tompirozek4490]

I was born in 70 and in the next 15 years nearly all the terraced housing was demolished to make way for old folks sheltered housing, my dad worked on sites as a labourer and often took me and my brother with him on saturday mornings when the site was quiet although we did have to sit in the cabin, he sometimes took us on a ride in the dumper i remember, from then I was hooked on construction machinery, back to the 70's and the building I remember hearing the diesel cement mixers being started with the crank handles, also used to hear this thumping coming from I can only imagine were these things, we called them jumping jacks, don't know if that was the official term for them, the sound bought thoses memories back

[@dcornelious8080]

I cant take how we all here after see dude fuck up his foot i need to disconnect from whole phone

[@rafaelvasquez7631]

yes I did.

[@HeavybagSwift918]

I bet it knocked a lot of mfers out back in the day. Like a real champion 😂

[@Bevoin1970]

Yes you don't see them in England anymore...

[@ronb.6107]

That’s how they build the panama canal?

[@TheXJthatCould]

Jumping jacks nowadays are so much better… these are badass, but would never wanna use one for a 14 hr day…

[@droppoint495]

I wonder how many people got punched dead with these which leads me to my next question can you ride this lol

[@TruuBluu22]

Im confused. I thought a jack hammer was creared to dig up concrete.

[@rosshoward3637]

I dont know why the title says jack hammer, this is a rammer, a very different tool than a jack hammer.

[@jonathanlee8942]

Hi I've just brought a Benji rammer this morning I'm not mechanically minded so I will need some help restoring to working order do you know anyone that can help please

[@Bevoin1970]

jonathan lee congratulations on buying one. Must be quite rare things to come across these days I imagine. I was only the cameraman on this day videoing cool stuff like this, therefore I’m sorry I can’t help you in any way on the mechanics of these things. Now if you knew they Guy demonstrating these machines, he could certainly help. Maybe someone reading the comments can help you. Good luck.

[@jonathanlee8942]

Thanks for replying.

[@Channel-os4uk]

Jumping Jimmys or Jennys, I think they were called

[@robmartin9169]

I can just imagine how many broken teeth or faces that thing caused.

[@keithfrmcov]

My friend has a benjo as the first one you are kindly demostrating, but for some unknown reason it does not fire up. One more thing where was the show? Many thanks

[@AsbestosMuffins]

i wouldn't even trust metatarsel steel toe shoes to stop these things

[@Bevoin1970]

No way, you'd be well advised to keep your feet well away...lol

[@Seniorskoba]

Good old jawbreaker

[@richthecardude94]

nice

[@BaddaBigBoom]

Single cylinder, 1.7 litre, naturally aspirated ...40 RPM :-)

[@bikedemo4372]

From short video fat guy which can't start and came up searching here 😊

[@MrJeepin88]

Hey guys watch this I’m gonna ride it

[@Rafa_TOP10]

Mas porque alguém iria querer fazer isso na grama?? Não seria melhor aparar??

[@Bevoin1970]

Funny you should mention that, I did too..LOL :-)

[@BeardyMcBeardy]

Does the bloke still have ankle problems to this day? 😂😂

[@philbu37]

Thats asmr 😂

[@godjhaka7376]

Poor moles , worms, ants, and gophers lol

[@JordanPhilippi-f8w]

Your not supposed to put your foot on it like that. Maybe pump it a couple times without pulling the lever but then take your foot off and pull the lever and it should go off. I just watched a video on demonstration. Thats how you fuck your foot up. I cant believe these use a gas piston engine thats wild.

[@karinaAda-e2x]

03:33 what the sound like..🤨

[@meatwad3000]

Its a gas powered backdoor buddy 😂

[@taters-no4gj]

Yarp 😉👍🏼

[@therealchayd]

I just found out that there was a petrol powered pogo stick back in the '60s that used a similar principle - I wonder how many broken ankles resulted from their use?

[@projectdirtbikes]

groundhogs right now: 👁👄👁

[@lewiskendrick6991]

Men are leaving their families at home to meet in fields and play with petrol pogo sticks?? I’m retiring to die now