The grandson of Pat Gallagher, founder of the Kent-based Gallagher Group, Finlay has become the youngest person in the UK to qualify as a Construction Plant Competence Scheme (CPCS) Backhoe Loader operator. And while many teenagers are glued to screens during their school holidays, Finlay spent his Easter mastering the controls of a JCB 3CX PLUS Backhoe Loader.
It’s a story of passion, hard work and proud family roots – and it’s giving the British construction industry a glimpse of its future.
An icon of the British construction industry since its inception in 1953, the JCB Backhoe Loader is one of the most versatile machines on site – often described as the ‘Swiss Army knife of construction’ for its ability to load, road and excavate with ease.
Having celebrated its 70th birthday last year, the Backhoe remains a mainstay of UK worksites – and the next generation are clearly just as eager to get behind the controls as those who came before them.
A true passion project
When the family business is one of the largest and best-known groundworks and civil engineering companies in Kent – and has been running for over 50 years – it’s easy to see how the passion for construction would trickle down through the generations.
Since Finlay’s grandfather Pat founded the company in 1973 with a single JCB 3C MK 2 Backhoe Loader, Gallagher Group has expanded into aggregates, groundworks, civil engineering and property development with a turnover in excess of £150 million. It now employs over 500 local people – many of whom are second and third generation, much like the Gallagher family themselves.
As Finlay Gallagher said: “I’ve loved diggers since I was really little – probably around three or four. My grandad Dave used to drive me around in his dozer, while he did the pedals and I sat on his lap. Then my grandad Pat got me interested in excavators and Backhoe Loaders, which started my love of JCBs.
“I’ve always said I want to work with diggers when I grow up. I’ve never really changed my mind – it’s always been construction or farming, but JCB machines are always part of it. When it comes to the Backhoe Loader qualification, I wanted to prove to people that just because I’m young doesn’t mean I can’t do it. I love machines and I really wanted to learn how to operate them properly – not just play around.”
And it was this ambition and drive that spurred Finlay on to achieve his trailblazing qualification – a remarkable feat for someone still at school.
Work hard, play hard
But while passion and determination can take you far, the qualification also demanded serious effort. Drawing on the work ethic passed down by his father and grandfathers, Finlay completed the two-week course during his Easter holidays at JCB’s partnered training centre, Flynne Plant Training (www.flynneplanttraining.com).
Finlay said: “I really enjoyed the training. I liked learning how to use the backhoe loader and what was needed to pass the CPCS course. I met some brilliant people at Flynne Plant Training and my trainer and tester, Derek Mansfield, made me work hard but made sure I enjoyed it too.
“I definitely see my future in the construction industry. My grandad started the Gallagher Group, and it would mean a lot to help the business continue to grow. This qualification is a great first step, and I’m keen to build on it by learning to operate more types of plant machinery. The Backhoe Loader is definitely top of my list! One day, it would be amazing to achieve something like Plant Operator of the Year.
“One of my idols is Georgina Williams from JCB – the_happydigger on Instagram. I love watching her on the Backhoe Loader, so I decided to set up my own account, @digger_finngallagher, to share my journey and hopefully encourage other young people to consider a career in construction.”
Qualify with quality
Given the family’s longstanding links with JCB, it was only natural that when Finlay chose to undertake the CPCS Backhoe Loader training, he did so in a JCB 3CX PLUS.
One of the latest iterations of the iconic JCB Backhoe Loader, the JCB 3CX PLUS features a powerful 81kW engine and 6-speed Autoshift transmission with TorqueLock as standard – reducing travel times by 10% and fuel consumption by 25%.
As Finlay said: “The first time I used the JCB 3CX PLUS properly I couldn’t stop smiling. It’s just such a clever bit of kit. I loved using the controls and seeing how much I could do with it."