A fleet of 24 brand new shiny JCB skid steer loaders is joining the roster of attractions at the Diggerland theme parks.

The JCB135 skid steer loaders are being deployed for the JCB Robots driving experience and adults only Robot Racing event at four Diggerland parks – in Kent, Devon, Durham and Yorkshire.

Diggerland bought the machines for £650,000 from dealer Greenshields JCB.

JCB has a long-standing relationship with Diggerland, which was launched in 2000 by Hugh Edeleanu, founder and owner of H.E. SERVICES (Plant Hire) Ltd.

Hugh Edeleanu started his plant hire business in 1972 with a single JCB backhoe loader, going on to build the UK’s largest specialist excavator hire company with a fleet of more than 3,500 machines.

Hugh Edeleanu said: “The Diggerland theme parks have gone from strength to strength over the past two decades. Visitors young and old continue to be thrilled by the opportunity to operate or ride in JCB machines, whether it is driving the 135 skid steer or digging with a JCB 3CX backhoe loader.”

JCB group managing director Yvette Henshall-Bell said: “Showcasing JCBs at Diggerland brings the construction world within the reach of operators of the future, which can only be good news for our industry.”

Other Diggerland attractions include riding in the Groundshuttle – a JCB 540-140 Loadall with 15 seats – and being elevated to 18 metres in the air in a JCB 540-180 Loadall.

Adult visitors can race skid steers and backhoe loaders. Further information can be found here about Diggerland’s adult only (over 17s) racing events – Adult Experience Days