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Mon–Fri 6am–6pm · Sat 7am–1pm Newcastle upon Tyne · Covering the North East
Call for a quote 07454 799566 Request a quote
Tracked mini excavator standing on cleared ground at sunset on a North East England site
Self-drive & operated

Plant hire that turns up

Compact excavators, three buckets as standard, delivered across the North East

Request a quoteCall 07454 799566

Free, no-obligation quote · Full cost confirmed before you book

Excavator operator in high-visibility clothing working a compact machine on a levelled site
Machine and operator

An experienced hand on the controls

Operated hire when you would rather the work was just done properly.

Request a quoteOperated hire

Free, no-obligation quote · Full cost confirmed before you book

Open drainage trench with pipe bedded in stone on a North East housing site
Groundworks & earthworks

Excavations, drainage, foundations

Groundworks packages for trade and domestic sites, large or small.

Request a quoteGroundworks

Free, no-obligation quote · Full cost confirmed before you book

Services

What we do

Hire a machine and run it yourself, put an operator in the seat, or hand us the groundworks package outright.

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Compact 1.7 tonne excavator working in a narrow gap between a house and a boundary wall 01 Plant hire Self-drive on the 1.7t and 2.7t Kubotas, three bucket sizes supplied. Explore plant hire Excavator operator in high-visibility clothing working a compact machine on a levelled site 02 Operated hire Machine, experienced operator and insurance in one booking. Explore operated hire Freshly dug strip foundation trenches with string lines set out in a rear garden 03 Groundworks Excavations, drainage, foundations, site preparation. Explore groundworks Mini excavator strapped to a twin-axle plant trailer behind a pickup on a residential street 04 Delivery Our own plant trailer, quoted on your postcode. Delivery & collection
The fleet

Two machines, both compact

One sized for gates and gardens, one for drainage runs and footings. Specifications are from Kubota’s published figures.

Compact 1.7 tonne excavator working in a narrow gap between a house and a boundary wall
Fits through a 0.99m gate
Kubota U17-5

1.7t Mini Excavator

1.7 t

Zero tail swing and roughly a metre transport width. Passes through standard garden gates and works flush to walls without overhang.

Garden access Drainage Small foundations
Operating weight 1.7 tonne
Transport width Approx. 0.99 m
Max dig depth Approx. 2.31 m
Full specificationsQuote 1.7t Machine
Kubota 2.7 tonne excavator with enclosed cab standing ready on a prepared site
Enclosed Cab · High Breakout
Kubota U27-4

2.7t Mini Excavator

2.7 t

Extra reach and breakout force for deeper drainage runs, footings, and muck shifts, with a comfortable enclosed cab.

Foundations Drainage runs Site clearance
Operating weight 2.7 tonne
Transport width Approx. 1.50 m
Max dig depth Approx. 2.83 m
Full specificationsQuote 2.7t Machine
Included as standard

3 Bucket Sizes With Every Machine

No Extra Callout Fee

Trenching, general purpose and grading buckets go out on the trailer together, so you can change over on site without waiting on a second call-out.

2

Machines in the fleet

3

Buckets per hire

0.99m

Minimum access width, U17-5

5

Core service areas

Excavator operator in high-visibility clothing working a compact machine on a levelled site
PROVEN 100% Reliable & Fully Insured
ABOUT NORTHERN EDGE

Driven by Values, Defined by Construction Excellence

An independent plant hire and groundworks company working out of Newcastle upon Tyne. The same straightforward dealing on a one-day garden job as on a week on site.

  • Experienced operators Skilled hands committed to site safety and to work that lasts.
  • Well-maintained machines Kubota excavators checked and serviced between every hire.
  • One point of contact A direct line, a fast answer, and the full cost before you commit.
More About Us
Simple from start to finish

How hire works

Four steps, no account to open, and nothing to pay to find out where you stand.

Start an enquiry
01

Tell us the job

Call, or send the form with the work, the site and the dates. Access, ground conditions and where the spoil goes decide most jobs on a compact machine.

02

We quote it

A free, no-obligation quote with the hire and transport cost set out together. We aim to come back to you within one working hour.

03

We deliver

The machine arrives on our own plant trailer with all three buckets. On self-drive we run through the controls and the safety points before we go.

04

You work, we collect

Keep it for the period agreed. When you are done we come back, check the machine over with you, and take it away.

Where we work

Covering the North East

  • Newcastle upon Tyne
  • Northumberland
  • North Tyneside
  • Gateshead
  • Sunderland
  • And the wider North East

Delivery and collection are quoted on your postcode — and outside the areas listed, ask anyway.

Delivery & collection
Globe marking North East England, the area Northern Edge covers
FAQ

Answered up front, before you ring.

The five things people ask before they book. If yours is not here, the phone is quicker than the form.

For self-drive hire you need appropriate training and competence, and your own insurance while the machine is on your site. If you would rather not, take operated hire instead — the machine arrives with an experienced operator and our insurance, and you need no ticket at all.

Access usually decides it. The 1.7t U17-5 is around 0.99m wide and passes through a standard garden gate with zero tail swing, so it suits gardens and tight sites. The 2.7t U27-4 gives more reach and breakout for drainage runs and footings. Tell us the job and the access and we will say which one fits.

Three sizes, with every hire, at no extra cost — trenching, general purpose and grading. They go out on the trailer together so you can change over on site without waiting on a second call-out.

Delivery and collection are quoted separately, based on your site postcode and how far it is from our yard. Send the postcode with your enquiry and we will confirm the full hire and transport cost together, before you book — so nothing is added after you have agreed it.

Yes. A soakaway, a patio dig-out, a fence line or a garden re-level gets quoted the same way a site does. Trade and private customers are equally welcome.

Still not sure which machine? Call 07454 799566 and we will tell you straight what the job needs.

CLIENT FEEDBACK

Don’t take our word for it! Hear it from our clients.

Trusted by commercial site contractors, private homeowners, and groundworks teams across Newcastle and the North East.

★★★★★

"Hired the Kubota 1.7t for a tight rear garden soakaway project in Newcastle. Arrived right on time on their trailer with all 3 buckets. Machine was spotless and ran flawlessly. Exceptional service."

DT

Dave Thompson

Site Contractor · Newcastle upon Tyne

★★★★★

"Opted for operated hire for site preparation and drainage excavation. Jonathan and his operator did a brilliant job, incredibly skilled and got through the work safely in half the time expected."

SJ

Sarah Jenkins

Private Homeowner · Gateshead

★★★★★

"Transparent upfront pricing with zero hidden delivery extras. The 2.7t machine was perfect for our footing dig-out. Northern Edge is now our go-to plant hire provider in Northumberland."

MM

Mark Miller

Groundworks Lead · Northumberland

★★★★★

"Needed quick delivery to North Tyneside for a commercial foundation trench dig. Delivery was prompt, machine handover was smooth, and the Epiroc breaker attachment saved us days of manual work."

RC

Robert Clark

Build Manager · North Tyneside

★★★★★

"The U17-5 tight access capability is unmatched. Got straight through our 1-metre side passage without touching the walls. Great advice and hassle-free return service."

AH

Alan Henderson

Landscaper · Sunderland

Free, no-obligation quote

Ready to get started?

Tell us the job, the site and the dates. We will confirm the full hire and transport cost before you book.

We aim to respond to enquiries within one working hour.

07454 799566 Mon–Fri 6am–6pm · Sat 7am–1pm
Request a quote